Big Pine Creek Campground

Inyo National Forest — lakeside

Location: Big Pine, CA, CA

Price: From $26 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (185 reviews)

Season: May through October

Big Pine Creek Campground, surrounded by sprawling meadows and towering trees, is perfectly situated in the scenic Big Pine Canyon. Campsites are perched along the cool, fish-filled waters of Big Pine Creek. Big Pine Canyon is heralded for having both the largest and southern most glaciers in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Showers, Firewood for Sale

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

Big Pine Creek Campground sits at 7,700 feet along a fish-filled creek in scenic Big Pine Canyon, surrounded by meadows, Jeffrey pine, and aspen trees. The location provides access to Big Pine Lakes and the Sierra Nevada's largest and southernmost glaciers.

Wildlife alert: Steller's Jays and Spotted Towhees are present in the area. Alpine wildflowers including Skypilot and woollypod milkvetch grow nearby.

Insider tips for Big Pine Creek Campground: Book early — this is a federal campground with high demand and limited sites (30 total) Bring your own firewood or purchase it on-site; fire rings are available RVs must be self-contained; there are no hookups at most sites Drive 10 miles up Big Pine Canyon Road from Highway 395 via Crocker Street in Big Pine to reach the campground

Skip Big Pine Creek Campground if: You need RV hookups — none available at most sites. You're visiting November through April — seasonal closure. You haven't booked ahead — federal campground fills quickly.

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

Nearby campgrounds: Upper Sage Flat (Big Pine, CA), Big Pine Canyon (Big Pine, CA), Table Mountain (Inyo) (Bishop, CA), Four Jeffrey (BISHOP, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Big Pine Creek Campground

Cell signal at Big Pine Creek Campground (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 Creek Campground

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Big Pine, CA, CA★ 4.4 (185 reviews)From $26/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Big Pine Creek Campground, surrounded by sprawling meadows and towering trees, is perfectly situated in the scenic Big Pine Canyon. Campsites are perched along the cool, fish-filled waters of Big Pine Creek. Big Pine Canyon is heralded for having both the largest and southern most glaciers in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

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 RV45 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
Bear boxesYes — at every site
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsShowers
Recreation
Picnic TablesFirewood for Sale
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

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 available at most sites✕ You're visiting November through April — seasonal closure✕ You haven't booked ahead — federal campground fills quickly

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with high demand and limited sites (30 total)

Bring your own firewood or purchase it on-site; fire rings are available

RVs must be self-contained; there are no hookups at most sites

Drive 10 miles up Big Pine Canyon Road from Highway 395 via Crocker Street in Big Pine to reach the campground

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. Alpine wildflowers including Skypilot and woollypod milkvetch grow nearby.

Location

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

From Highway 395, turn west on Crocker Street in Big Pine, the continue west up Big Pine Canyon Road for 10 miles to end of road. Turn left crossing Big Pine Creek and left again past Glacier Lodge for 100 yards.

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 Creek Campground cost per night?+
Big Pine Creek Campground costs $26 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Big Pine Creek Campground open?+
Big Pine Creek Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Big Pine Creek Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Big Pine Creek Campground?+
Big Pine Creek Campground can accommodate RVs up to 45 feet.
How do I make reservations at Big Pine Creek Campground?+
Big Pine Creek Campground 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 Creek Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Big Pine Creek Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Big Pine Creek Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Big Pine Creek Campground 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.

$26 /night★ 4.4 (185)
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 Creek Campground cost per night?+
What season is Big Pine Creek Campground open?+
Does Big Pine Creek Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Upper Sage Flat

Big Pine, CA

From $29/night

Big Pine Canyon

Big Pine, CA

From $90/night

Table Mountain (Inyo)

Bishop, CA

From $90/night

Four Jeffrey

BISHOP, CA

From $34/night

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