Upper Sage Flat

Inyo National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Big Pine, CA, CA

Price: From $29 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (151 reviews)

Season: May through October

Take the family to Upper Sage for a pleasant camping trip along the banks of Big Pine Creek. Here, visitors can experience the beauty of the creek that runs along the base of a narrow canyon. Visitors can swim or fish, in the creek that is stocked annually with trout, or head to a nearby lake for power boating.Rainbow, brown, brook and alpers trout swim in the stream, enticing anglers.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Drinking Water, Fishing

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

Upper Sage Flat offers beautiful creek-side camping along Big Pine Creek with excellent fishing for stocked trout and access to the scenic Big Pine Creek Trail. Campers praise the natural beauty and nostalgia of this long-established campground with a 4.8/5 rating.

Wildlife alert: Panamint Rattlesnake present in area; also Douglas' Squirrel, Steller's Jay, Mountain Chickadee, Western Fence Lizard, and Sierra Alligator Lizard documented nearby.

Insider tips for Upper Sage Flat: Book early — this is a popular federal campground with limited 20 sites. Request campsites away from restrooms (e.g., site 16) for better privacy and creek proximity. Bring a level — sites are rocky with uneven ground, particularly challenging for tents.

Skip Upper Sage Flat if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available; only self-contained RVs suitable.. You prefer spacious, private sites — sites are small and close together.. You're visiting outside May-October — campground operates seasonally..

Best time to visit Upper Sage Flat: May-October — Official operating season for this federal campground..

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

Cell Phone Coverage at Upper Sage Flat

Cell signal at Upper Sage Flat (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.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›CA›Upper Sage Flat
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Inyo National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Upper Sage Flat

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Big Pine, CA, CA★ 4.6 (151 reviews)From $29/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Take the family to Upper Sage for a pleasant camping trip along the banks of Big Pine Creek. Here, visitors can experience the beauty of the creek that runs along the base of a narrow canyon. Visitors can swim or fish, in the creek that is stocked annually with trout, or head to a nearby lake for power boating.Rainbow, brown, brook and alpers trout swim in the stream, enticing anglers.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites: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 RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Flush 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 — no hookups available; only self-contained RVs suitable.✕ You prefer spacious, private sites — sites are small and close together.✕ You're visiting outside May-October — campground operates seasonally.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with limited 20 sites.

Request campsites away from restrooms (e.g., site 16) for better privacy and creek proximity.

Bring a level

sites are rocky with uneven ground, particularly challenging for tents.

Best: May-October

Official operating season for this federal campground.

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: Panamint Rattlesnake present in area; also Douglas' Squirrel, Steller's Jay, Mountain Chickadee, Western Fence Lizard, and Sierra Alligator Lizard documented nearby.

Location

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

In Big Pine, on US Highway 395, turn west at the yellow flashing traffic light onto Crocker Street (Big Canyon Road). Continue on this road for 9 miles to campground, on your 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 Upper Sage Flat cost per night?+
Upper Sage Flat costs $29 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Upper Sage Flat open?+
Upper Sage Flat is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Upper Sage Flat have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Upper Sage Flat?+
Upper Sage Flat can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet.
How do I make reservations at Upper Sage Flat?+
Upper Sage Flat 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 Upper Sage Flat?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Upper Sage Flat is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Upper Sage Flat open, and what are check-in times?+
Upper Sage Flat 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.

$29 /night★ 4.6 (151)
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 Upper Sage Flat cost per night?+
What season is Upper Sage Flat open?+
Does Upper Sage Flat have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Big Pine Creek Campground

Big Pine, CA

From $26/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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