U.S. Forest Service · Inyo National Forest · California

Rock Creek Lake Group Camp

Rock Creek Lake Group Campground is adjacent to the main Rock Creek Lake Campground. This tent-only site is located near Bishop, Tom's Place and Mammoth Lakes, California in Inyo National Forest. The high-elevation campground offers a private setting on the banks of scenic Rock Creek Lake in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains - a perfect location for limitless mountain recreation opportunities. Fishing, camping, hiking, photography, wildlife viewing and horseback riding at the nearby pack station are popular.

Closed for the seasonReservable · Recreation.gov1 sitePets okFires okTents only

This is the group site. Looking for the main campground? Rock Creek Lake, 26 sites, is next door.

More like this: reservable in California · tent only in California · pets allowed in California · group sites in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Rock Creek Lake Group CampROCK CREEK LAKE GROUP CAMPROCK CREEK LAKE GROUP CAMPROCK CREEK LAKE GROUP CAMP
Photos courtesy of USFS · Recreation.gov
3fires
active
Dome · 49 mi away · 6,788 acres
2 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

group walk to1
This site is booked as a single unit on Recreation.gov. The booking page shows which dates are open and how far ahead they release. How the booking window works

Site guide

1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFires
1GravelFull25 / 1Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

The group camping area is separate from the main campground, offering plenty of privacy. It can accommodate up to 25 people at a time and is tent-only. No RVs are allowed at the campground, as the site requires visitors to walk from the parking area. There is no trash collection.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
ForestInyo National Forest
BookingUse is by reservation only. Call at 1-877-444-6777 or visit www.recreation.gov for reservations.
Fees$93.00 per night.
RulesDogs on leash only. Maximum stay 14 days. Active bear area. All food must be secured overnight and when not attended, bear boxes are provided and must be used (typical bear box size 48" x 30" x 36"). Always keep a clean camp and do not feed wildlife.

Inyo National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Rock Creek Lake Group Camp20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 4.20 inches of precipitationFebruary: 3.77 inches of precipitationMarch: 3.28 inches of precipitationApril: 1.54 inches of precipitationMay: 1.49 inches of precipitationJune: 0.47 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.51 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.49 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.47 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.43 inches of precipitationNovember: 2.00 inches of precipitationDecember: 4.07 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 28.9°F averageFebruary: 29.4°F averageMarch: 33.8°F averageApril: 39.1°F averageMay: 47.4°F averageJune: 56.2°F averageJuly: 63.4°F averageAugust: 62.4°F averageSeptember: 55.5°F averageOctober: 45.5°F averageNovember: 36.2°F averageDecember: 29.2°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 in5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Mammoth Lakes RS, 18 miles from the campground at 7,804 feet, station USC00045280 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 24 inches a year.

Getting there

Directions from Mammoth Lakes, California: Drive south on U.S. Highway 395 for approximately 13 miles. Take the Tom's Place exit and proceed west up the canyon for about 10 miles. At the lake, follow the signs to the boat dock and group camp. Directions from Bishop, California: Travel north on U.S. Highway 395 for about 30 miles.

Coordinates37.4538° N, 118.7390° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Dome

    49 mi from the campground · 6,788 acres · 95% contained

  • Prescribed
    Grant Grove Rx Spring

    50 mi from the campground · 15 acres

  • Prescribed
    Grant Grove Fall Rx

    50 mi from the campground

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗7.9 mi
Outdoor gearMac's Sporting Goods ↗19.8 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Worth a stop

Near the campground, visitors can access the magnificent John Muir Wilderness, which stretches for 100 miles along the crest of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It is a land of lofty snow-capped mountains, deep canyons and vast expanses of glacially-carved terrain, and offers extensive hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding trails.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.1 mi
    Hilton Lakes
    4.1 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 0.3 mi
    Tamarack Lakes ↗
    4.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.3 mi
    Mono Pass Pack Station
    2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.3 mi
    Rock Creek Lake Ski
    0.7 mi trail · snowshoe, ski
  • 0.3 mi
    Upper Rock Creek Canyon
    4.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.5 mi
    Tamarack Lakes Pack Sta. C/0
    1.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trailheads within three miles

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Inyo National Forest.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

Natural features

The group site is nestled in a pine forest, perched on the shore of Rock Creek Lake with a view of the water through the trees. The area is home to abundant wildlife, including black bear, mountain lions, mule deer, pine martin, pika and many species of fish and birds.

Recreation

Rock Creek and other waterways in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains are known for exceptional trout fishing. A catch from the lake may including brook, brown, rainbow and stocked Alpers trout, while anglers may be treated to hook golden trout in the backcountry. Power boats are limited to electric motors on the lake. The area's majestic scenery and challenging trails are an obvious draw for hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. The Tamarack Trail begins in the campground and wanders up to several high-elevation, glacially-carved alpine lakes and ponds.

Guidebooks for Inyo National Forest and California

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Inyo National Forest, California
    United States Forest Service, 2010
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Moon California Camping
    Tom Stienstra, 2022
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Camping Northern California
    Linda Parker Hamilton, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Rock Creek Lake Group Camp?

Sites at Rock Creek Lake Group Camp are reservable on Recreation.gov. Use is by reservation only. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Rock Creek Lake Group Camp?

$93.00 per night.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Rock Creek Lake Group Camp?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Rock Creek Lake Group Camp open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Rock Creek Lake Group Camp have?

1 site, including 1 group walk to.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Rock Creek Lake Group Camp?

Rock Creek Lake Group Camp is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Rock Creek Lake Group Camp?

Yes, pets are allowed at Rock Creek Lake Group Camp. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Rock Creek Lake Group Camp?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 3 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Dogs on leash only.

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Rock Creek Lake Group Camp?

Rock Creek and other waterways in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains are known for exceptional trout fishing. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Rock Creek Lake Group Camp is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Rock Creek Lake (under 0.1 mi), East Fork Campground (2.4 mi, partly first-come), and Palisades Group Campground (2.4 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby