Owens River Road Dispersed Camping Near Mammoth Lakes

If you’re looking for dispersed camping near Mammoth Lakes then Owens River Road dispersed camping is a great option. Owens River Road is a well known dispersed camping area but luckily there are a lot of spots to choose from! There are spots that will accommodate any size rig and some will even accommodate a group of rigs. For the most part, camping on Owens River Road consists of dirt spots nestled among the tall pines with great surrounding scenery. Owens River Road dispersed camping is a great free option with the convenience of unlimited recreation opportunities in every direction!

Quick Info: Camping Near Mammoth

Cost: Free

Ownership: Forest Service; 14 day limit

Directions: From Mammoth Lakes, follow the US-395 N for about seven miles. Turn right onto Owens River Road. From here you’ll find that there are dispersed camp spots situated all throughout the forest.

road into the woods for owens river road dispersed camping

Good to Know: If you go about two miles on Owens River Road you will reach a nice free forest service campground called Big Springs Campground. Here you’ll find 26 designated camp spots with a nice stream nearby, vault toilets and a camp host.

Solar: Limited due to trees so it depends on the spot you choose.

Miles From Town: About 13 miles from Mammoth Lakes

Water: None, but there is water at Crestview Rest Area about 1.5 miles away.

Road Conditions: Owens River Road is paved but the dispersed camping is accessed via branching dirt roads. Many of the dirt roads are in good condition but it’s always wise to scout ahead.

Cell Service: Yes but many of the camp spots in the area did not.

Our Experience: Owens River Road Dispersed Camping

After spending months boondocking in the desert we were stoked to be up near the mountains again. And as far as scenery and adventure you really can’t go wrong with the Mammoth Lakes area. About twelve miles north of Mammoth Lakes we found some great options for free camping on Owens River Road. Although there is a free forest service campground a bit further down the road we found these dispersed spots to be peaceful and more private.

For free camping near Mammoth, we drove about a mile down the paved Owens River Road before turning left onto a dirt road. There are several great spots dispersed along this forest road! We found a great turn out to call home for a bit.

In our spot, we had no morning solar but it was great late into the afternoon. We even had enough service to get some work done on the computers. During the week while we were camping near Mammoth Lakes we experienced minimal traffic on the nearby dirt road and the occasional nightly neighbor. But the spots are well spaced out so it didn’t feel crowded. And on the weekends we had a few neighbors in the area but it was still peaceful and relatively private.

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While we were camping on Owens River Road we headed off in every direction to explore the area. There is a labyrinth of dirt roads in the area with numerous great camp spots dispersed through the tall pines. A few dirt roads led us down to the creek that runs through the canyon on its way to Big Springs. When we first arrived it was flowing a bit but by the time we left it was pretty still. During our stay we spotted several deer and lots of chipmunks.

A huge perk of Owens River Road dispersed camping is the proximity to the hikes and adventures in the area. There is no shortage of beauty and unique sights to explore. Both towns of June Lake and Mammoth Lakes are a reasonable distance away.

view from obsidian dome — View atop Obsidian Dome

And about a mile from the Owens River Road turnoff is the Crestview Rest Area. This is a convenient place to get water, use the restroom and there are dumpsters.

All in all, Owens River Road dispersed camping near Mammoth is a great home base for spending time exploring the sights in the area! It’s peaceful with a major convenience factor. We love getting the chance to see more of the stunning mountains in the area so we know we’ll be coming back!

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