Palisades Group Campground

Inyo National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Tom’s Place, CA, CA

Price: From $95 per night

Rating: 5 out of 5 (4 reviews)

Season: Memorial Day through Labor Day

Palisades Group Campground lies along Rock Creek in Inyo National Forest, near Mammoth Lakes and Bishop, California. Well-suited for large families and groups, the facility provides access to fishing, hiking, scenic driving, photography and wildlife viewing.Hiking and fishing opportunities abound, with local lakes and streams within walking and driving distance. The eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains are known for their exceptional trout fishing.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Camp Host, Fishing

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

Palisades Group Campground offers excellent fishing and hiking access along Rock Creek in Inyo National Forest near Mammoth Lakes, well-suited for large groups and families seeking trout fishing in the eastern Sierra Nevada.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Mountain Lion, Mule Deer, Great Basin Rattlesnake, and Great Basin Gopher Snake present in area.

Insider tips for Palisades Group Campground: Book a year in advance for summer availability at this popular group campground Arrive after June for optimal conditions; May trips may encounter snow and frozen lakes Self-contained RVs only—no hookups available

Skip Palisades Group Campground if: You need RV hookups. You're visiting before late June when snow and ice may still be present. You prefer year-round camping—seasonal operations only.

Best time to visit Palisades Group Campground: July-August — Peak season after snow melts; campground operates Memorial Day through Labor Day with better fishing conditions than early May based on camper reports..

Nearby campgrounds: East Fork Campground – Inyo National Forest (Ca) (Bishop, CA), Rock Creek Lake (Inyo National Forest, Ca) (BISHOP, CA), Aspen Group (Inyo) (Bishop, CA), French Camp (Bishop, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Palisades Group Campground

Cell signal at Palisades Group Campground (Tom’s Place, 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.

CamperWatch›CA›Palisades Group Campground
Palisades Group Campground — photo 1
Inyo National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Palisades Group Campground

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Tom’s Place, CA, CA★ 5 (4 reviews)From $95/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Palisades Group Campground lies along Rock Creek in Inyo National Forest, near Mammoth Lakes and Bishop, California. Well-suited for large families and groups, the facility provides access to fishing, hiking, scenic driving, photography and wildlife viewing.Hiking and fishing opportunities abound, with local lakes and streams within walking and driving distance. The eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains are known for their exceptional trout fishing.

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

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMemorial Day through Labor Day
Stay limit14 days
Max RV40 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
Bear boxesYes — at every site
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Camp Host

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✕ You're visiting before late June when snow and ice may still be present✕ You prefer year-round camping—seasonal operations only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book a year in advance for summer availability at this popular group campground

Arrive after June for optimal conditions; May trips may encounter snow and frozen lakes

Self-contained RVs only

no hookups available

Best: July-August

Peak season after snow melts; campground operates Memorial Day through Labor Day with better fishing conditions than early May based on camper reports.

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: American Black Bear, Mountain Lion, Mule Deer, Great Basin Rattlesnake, and Great Basin Gopher Snake present in area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
760-935-4825· Inyo National Forest
Getting there →

From U.S. Highway 395, take the Tom's Place exit, 13 miles south of Mammoth Lakes or 30 miles north of Bishop. Turn left on Rock Creek Road and follow for about 6 miles to Palisades Group Campground on the right.

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.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Palisades Group Campground cost per night?+
Palisades Group Campground costs $95 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Palisades Group Campground open?+
Palisades Group Campground is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Palisades Group Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Palisades Group Campground?+
Palisades Group Campground can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet.
How do I make reservations at Palisades Group Campground?+
Palisades Group 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 Palisades Group Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Palisades Group Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Palisades Group Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Palisades Group Campground is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Forest Service Concessionaire
●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.

$95 /night★ 5 (4)
SeasonMemorial Day through Labor Day
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Palisades Group Campground cost per night?+
What season is Palisades Group Campground open?+
Does Palisades Group Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

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