Big Pine Canyon

Inyo National Forest — lakeside

Location: Big Pine, CA, CA

Price: From $90 per night

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 (10 reviews)

Season: May through October

Big Pine Canyon Recreation Area includes two group campground sites. Named for glaciers that can be seen at the end of the valley, Clyde Glacier Group Site and Palisade Glacier Group Site sit along Big Pine Creek.The Clyde Glacier standard campsite fits up to 25 guests. Parking includes two 35-foot and six 20-foot paved spaces.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Showers

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/big-pine-canyon to be notified when sites open up.

Big Pine Canyon offers excellent fishing in Big Pine Creek and nearby lakes, plus access to steep glacier-carved canyon walls ideal for climbing. The North Fork Trail provides scenic hiking through Jeffrey pine and manzanita with waterfall views.

Wildlife alert: Steller's Jays and Spotted Towhees are present in the area; typical campground wildlife behavior applies.

Insider tips for Big Pine Canyon: This is a federal campground with only 2 group sites total—book well in advance during peak season RVs must be self-contained; there are no hookups, so plan water/waste accordingly Access via Crocker Street/Big Pine Road is 9 miles west from Highway 395 at the flashing yellow light in Big Pine

Skip Big Pine Canyon if: You need RV hookups—none are available. You're visiting outside May-October—seasonal closure. You want a private or small site—only 2 group sites exist.

Best time to visit Big Pine Canyon: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Big Pine Creek Campground (Big Pine, CA), Table Mountain (Inyo) (Bishop, CA), Four Jeffrey (BISHOP, CA), Forks Campground (Inyo) (Bishop, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Big Pine Canyon

Cell signal at Big Pine Canyon (Big Pine, CA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Inyo National Forest — lakesideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Big Pine Canyon

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Big Pine, CA, CA★ 4.8 (10 reviews)From $90/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Big Pine Canyon Recreation Area includes two group campground sites. Named for glaciers that can be seen at the end of the valley, Clyde Glacier Group Site and Palisade Glacier Group Site sit along Big Pine Creek.The Clyde Glacier standard campsite fits up to 25 guests. Parking includes two 35-foot and six 20-foot paved spaces.

Best for:FamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV35 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
Bear boxesYes — at every site
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Showers

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups—none are available✕ You're visiting outside May-October—seasonal closure✕ You want a private or small site—only 2 group sites exist

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

This is a federal campground with only 2 group sites total

book well in advance during peak season

RVs must be self-contained; there are no hookups, so plan water/waste accordingly

Access via Crocker Street/Big Pine Road is 9 miles west from Highway 395 at the flashing yellow light in Big Pine

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Steller's Jays and Spotted Towhees are present in the area; typical campground wildlife behavior applies.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
760-935-4339· Inyo National Forest
Getting there →

From Highway 395 in Big Pine, California, turn west at flashing yellow traffic light and continue on Crocker Street/Big Pine Road for 9 miles. The group campground is just above Upper Sage Flat Campground on the left.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Inyo National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Inyo National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Big Pine Canyon cost per night?+
Big Pine Canyon costs $90 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Big Pine Canyon open?+
Big Pine Canyon is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Big Pine Canyon have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Big Pine Canyon?+
Big Pine Canyon can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet.
How do I make reservations at Big Pine Canyon?+
Big Pine Canyon is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Big Pine Canyon?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Big Pine Canyon is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Big Pine Canyon open, and what are check-in times?+
Big Pine Canyon is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Forest Service Concessionaire
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$90 /night★ 4.8 (10)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Big Pine Canyon cost per night?+
What season is Big Pine Canyon open?+
Does Big Pine Canyon have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Big Pine Creek Campground

Big Pine, CA

From $26/night

Table Mountain (Inyo)

Bishop, CA

From $90/night

Four Jeffrey

BISHOP, CA

From $34/night

Forks Campground (Inyo)

Bishop, CA

From $34/night

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