Recreation
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Current Recreation Conditions
Area Name | Status | Area Conditions |
---|---|---|
Aerie Crag Picnic Area | Closed | |
Agnew Meadows Campground | Closed | |
Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest | None | |
Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Visitor Center | Closed | Closed for the season September 30, 2023 Parking lot accessible for hiking trails until Inyo County closes gate due to winter weather. |
Aspen Campground | Closed | |
Aspen Group Campground | Closed | Closed due to hydrology issues |
Big Bend Campground | Closed | |
Big Meadow Campground | Closed | Closed for the 2023 season due to hydrology issues |
Big Pine Canyon Group- Clyde & Palisade Glacier | Closed | |
Big Pine Creek Campground | Closed | |
Big Springs Campground | Closed | |
Big Trees Campground | Closed | |
Bishop Park Campground | Closed | |
Bishop Park Group Campground | Closed | |
Bitterbrush Campground | Open | No water and very limited services. Pack out what you pack in. |
Bloody Canyon Trail | None | Road to Bloody Canyon Trail is closed. The avalanche slide has been cleared above Walker Lake but some work is still needed as of 9/28/23. |
Cedar Flat Group Camps | Open | |
Coldwater Campground | Closed | |
Convict Lake Campground | Closed | |
Cottonwood Lakes Walk in Campground | Closed | |
Cottonwood Pass Walk in Campground | Closed | |
Coyote Flat | Open | Subject to closures during storm runoff events. Please check the "Road Conditions" webpage to check. |
Deadman Campground, Upper and Lower | Closed | Closed for the season. |
East Fork Campground | Closed | |
Eastern Sierra Visitor Center | Open | Open with limited services 8:30 - 4:30 daily. |
Ellery Lake Campground | Closed | |
Forks Campground | Closed | |
Four Jeffrey Campground | Closed | |
French Camp Campground | Closed | |
Glass Creek Campground | Closed | Closed for the Season |
Grandview Campground | Open | |
Gull Lake Campground | Closed | |
Hartley Springs Campground | Closed | |
Holiday Campground | Closed | Closed for redesign. Admin use only |
Horseshoe Meadow Equestrian Camp | Closed | |
Hot Creek Geologic Site | Open | |
Intake 2 Campground | Closed | |
Inyo Craters | Open | |
Iris Meadow Campground | Closed | Closed due to hydrological issues. |
Junction Campground | Closed | |
June Lake Campground | Closed | |
Kennedy Meadows Campground | Open | Campground open with no services and no water. Pack out your trash. |
Lake George Campground | Closed | |
Lake Mary Campground | Closed | |
Laurel Canyon | Open | Forest Road 28E201 south of Sherwin Creek Road has severe wash outs. Driving not recommended. |
Laurel Lakes Trail | None | Road has severe wash outs. Not recommended for car travel. |
Lone Pine Campground | Closed | Closed until further notice due to storm damage repair. |
Lower Grays Meadow Campground | Open | Open with no fee and no services. |
Lower Lee Vining Campground | Closed | |
Lundy Canyon Trail | Unreachable | Road has significant erosion. Travel with caution. Parking is limited at trailhead. Do not block road, utilize turnouts for additional parking. |
Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center | Open | Open daily 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
Mammoth Ranger District | None | |
McGee Creek Campground | Closed | |
McGee Pass Trail | Open | |
Minaret Falls Campground | Closed | Will not open this season due to extreme winter damage. |
Minaret Vista Observation Site | Open | |
Monache Meadows Jeep Road | None | Road requires high clearance and 4wd in some places. Travel with caution. |
Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center | Closed | Closed for winter, will reopen in May 2024. |
Mono Lake Ranger District | None | |
Moraine Campground | Closed | |
Mosquito Flat Backpacker Campground | Open | |
Mountain Glen Campground | Closed | |
Mt. Whitney Ranger District | None | |
Mt. Whitney Trail | None | Link to weather at 12,000ft. level |
Mt. Whitney Trailhead Campground | Open | Open with no fee and no services. The Whitney Portal Road is closed by the county near Hogback Road. |
New Shady Rest Campground | Closed | |
North Lake Campground | Closed | |
Obsidian Flat Group Campground | Closed | |
Oh! Ridge Campground | Closed | |
Old Shady Rest Campground | Closed | |
Onion Valley Campground | Closed | |
Palisade Group Camp | Closed | |
Pine City Campground | Closed | |
Pine Glen Group Campground | Closed | |
Pine Grove Campground | Closed | |
Pumice Flat Campground | Closed | |
Pumice Flat Group Campground | Closed | |
Reds Meadow Campground | Closed | |
Reds Meadow Road | Closed | Closed Monday - Friday 24 hours. Open Saturday - Sunday until first substantial snowfall of the season. See the Reds Meadow Road Reconstruction project for more information. |
Reversed Creek Campground | Closed | |
Rock Creek Lake Campground | Closed | |
Rock Creek Lake Group Campground | Closed | |
Sabrina Campground | Closed | |
Saddlebag Lake Campground | Closed | |
Sage Flat Campground | Closed | |
Sawmill Walk-in Campground | Closed | |
Sherwin Creek Campground | Closed | |
Sierra View Observation Site | None | |
Silver Lake Boat Launch | Open | |
Silver Lake Campground | Closed | |
Table Mountain Group Campground | Closed | |
Tioga Lake Campground | Closed | |
Tuff Campground | Closed | |
Twin Lakes Campground | Closed | |
Upper Grays Meadow Campground | Closed | |
Upper Pine Grove Campground | Closed | |
Upper Sage Campground | Closed | |
Upper Soda Springs Campground | Closed | Bridge is washed out behind campground. |
White Mountain Public Lands Information Center | Temporarily Closed | |
White Mountain Ranger District | None | |
Whitney Portal Campground | Closed | |
Whitney Portal Group Campground | Closed | |
Willow Campground | Closed | |
Wyman Canyon | Temporarily Closed | closed to motorized vehicles open to foot and bicycle traffic. See Alerts and Notices for more info. |
Spotlights
Mt. Whitney Ranger District
The Mt. Whitney Ranger District is the southernmost district in the Inyo National Forest. On its western edge is Mt. Whitney, highest point in the contiguous United States. The district extends from the crest of the Sierra Nevada to the Inyo Mountains. Recreation activities include hiking, fishing, climbing, horse riding, and more.
More Information for Mt. Whitney Ranger District
Mono Lake Ranger District
Mono Lake Ranger District is the northernmost district of Inyo National Forest. The western portion of the district is adjacent to Yosemite National Park, and includes one of the most spectacular and accessible areas of the Sierra Nevada. To the east is Mono Lake, and the world's largest stand of majestic Jeffrey Pines.
White Mountain Ranger District
White Mountain Ranger District extends from the crest of the Sierra Nevada to the White Mountains. There are lakes, ponds, rivers and creeks for fishing. Roads and trails explore a wide variety of terrain and life zones. Elevations accessible by car range from 3,900 ft in Big Pine to 10,100 ft at the end of Rock Creek Road.
Mammoth Ranger District
Mammoth Lakes Ranger District is located in the northern half of Inyo National Forest, and is centered around the town of Mammoth Lakes, CA. While known for winter sports, it is also a mecca for mountain biking and fishing enthusiasts when the snow melts. Hiking and equestrian trails go into wilderness areas of Sierra Nevada.
Wilderness Areas
Inyo National Forest contains approximately one million acres of wilderness, in nine wilderness areas. Wilderness areas include the Hoover, , Ansel AdamsOwens River Headwaters, John Muir, Golden Trout, South Sierra, Boundary Peak, White Mountains and Inyo Mountains. Three of these were among the first wilderness areas designated by Congress in 1964.
Approximately 30 million people live within a few hours’ drive. Forest visitors may use a network of trails that extend from Inyo National Forest into adjacent wilderness areas of Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. The iconic John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails pass through these continuous wilderness areas and encompass some of the most spectacular landscapes in the United States and provide forest visitors with "outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation”.