Connectivity
- T-Mobile5GExcellent coverageVerified by 5 campers · Oct 18, 2026
- AT&TLTESome coverageVerified by 4 campers · Oct 18, 2026
Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.
Campground
Coldwater Campground - Inyo NF (CA)
Inyo National Forest, California
About this campground
Campsites are organized into two loops, with sites fairly close together and near either creek.
Coldwater Campground is located high in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains near the town of Mammoth Lakes, California.
Coldwater offers easy access to fishing for rainbow, brook and brown trout in Lake Mary.
Map
Loading map
- Latitude
- 37.599495° N
- Longitude
- 118.996669° W
Know before you arrive
Access, sites & campground features
Official facility and campsite inventory, supplemented by clearly marked community reports when the official listing does not publish the detail.
Access
- Drive-in
Site types
- Tent sites
- RV / trailer sites
- Standard campsites
Features
For campers
- Toilets
- Showers
- Drinking water
- Picnic table
- FiresUse only when the current order allows flame
- Food storage
- Trash serviceVerify whether the assigned site is pack-in/pack-out
- Alcohol allowedCommunity report
- Firewood availableCommunity report
- Pets allowedDogs are allowed in developed Forest Service recreation sites when restrained, crated or caged, or on a leash no longer than six feet. Posted site restrictions still apply.
- Reservable
For vehicles
- Electric hookups
- Parking
- Big rig friendlyPublished vehicle length up to 43 ft
- Back-in sitesCommunity report
- Sanitary dumpCommunity report
Official campground guide
Plan with the full campground details
Facility information, site rules, booking windows, and published rates. Source snapshot checked Oct 18, 2026.
Overview
Coldwater Campground is located high in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains near the town of Mammoth Lakes, California. The surrounding national forest provides many opportunities for family fun, outdoor recreation and relaxation. Hiking, fishing, road cycling and picnicking are just some of the favorite activities available to campers.
Facilities
Campsites are organized into two loops, with sites fairly close together and near either creek. Pressurized water spigots and flush toilets are provided throughout the facility, and there are picnic tables, campfire rings and bear-proof food storage lockers at each campsite.
Recreation
Coldwater offers easy access to fishing for rainbow, brook and brown trout in Lake Mary. Major trailheads lead into the backcountry. Several interesting trails offer a variety of hikes, including the 5-mile Duck Pass Trail, which climbs the forested hillside behind the campground and passes several lakes before heading over Duck Pass to join the John Muir Trail.
Natural Features
This campground sits in a pine forest at an elevation of 8,900 feet. Large and small boulders are strewn about the campground. Coldwater and Mammoth Creeks run alongside the campsites. Crystal clear Lake Mary, one of several lakes in the Mammoth Lakes Basin, is nearby.
The Eastern Sierras are abundant with wildlife, including black bear, mountain lions, mule deer, pine marten, pika and many species of fish and birds.
Nearby Attractions
Visitors can explore the magnificent John Muir Wilderness, which stretches 100 miles along the crest of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, a land of lofty snow-capped mountains, deep canyons and vast expanses of glacially-carved terrain. Hiking and horseback riding trails are abundant.
Activities & amenities
What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.
Available activities
- Swimming SiteSwimming
- Wildlife Viewing
- Horseback Riding
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Camping
- BoatingMarina
- Biking
Amenities and facility features
- Flush toilets
- Showers
- Potable water
- Picnic tables
- Site fire ring or grillUse only when the current order allows flame
- Wildlife-resistant food storage
- Trash serviceVerify whether the assigned site is pack-in/pack-out
- Electric hookups
- Entrance Station
- Host
- Parking Area
- Self Pay Station
- Trash Collection
Recreation sites
Published inventory grouped by site type. Individual sites can have stricter limits.
Standard Non-Electric
74 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- RV, Tent, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 43 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Site rules, inventory & rates
Facility rules, inventory procedures, and price seasons published by the official source.
Site rules
- Has Taxes
- 1
- Maximum stay
- 14 nights
- Max Stay
- 14 days
- Minimum stay
- 1 consecutive nights
- Holiday-weekend minimum
- 0 days
- Weekend minimum
- 0 days
- Reservation cutoff
- 2 days before arrival
- Maximum published occupancy
- 6 people per site
- Maximum published vehicles
- 1 vehicles per site
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Food storage
- Coldwater Campground - Inyo NF (CA)'s official facility record states: Pressurized water spigots and flush toilets are provided throughout the facility, and there are picnic tables, campfire rings and bear-proof food storage lockers at each campsite.
- Fire and stove use
- Coldwater Campground - Inyo NF (CA)'s official facility record states: Pressurized water spigots and flush toilets are provided throughout the facility, and there are picnic tables, campfire rings and bear-proof food storage lockers at each campsite.
- Pets
- Dogs are allowed in developed Forest Service recreation sites when restrained, crated or caged, or on a leash no longer than six feet. Posted site restrictions still apply.
Inventory window
Recreation.gov publishes a rolling booking window. The dates below are the official snapshot captured for this catalog build.
- Currently bookable through
- Sep 26, 2026
- Next release
- Nov 28, 2026, 7:00 AM PST
- Next book-through date
- May 28, 2027
- Group sites bookable through
- Sep 25, 2027
Published seasons & rates
| Season | Site type | Nightly rate | Additional person | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak SeasonMay 22, 2026 – Sep 26, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $33 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 28, 2027 – Sep 25, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $33 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 26, 2028 – Sep 23, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $33 | — | — |
Important facility notices
Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.
- Please Note: One RV with tow per single site or one vehicle per tent site. Most sites can accommodate 1 extra vehicle that is not included with the reservation fee. In accordance with standard industry practices, Inyo Recreation will assess an additional $10.00 extra vehicle fee per day for the second vehicle in each single family campsite, and on the third and fourth vehicle in any double family campsite, provided these vehicles are not joined to the first vehicle by a hitch and towed onto the site. In the case of motorcycles, the first two are considered one vehicle, and the third and fourth motorcycle are also considered one vehicle. No additional vehicle fees are collected for bicycles. Extra vehicles must fit on the parking spur.
- No showers or electric hookups available
- This is a high elevation facility; please use caution when traveling from lower elevations; campground usually not clear of snow until late May or early June
- Be bear aware; keep all food out of sight in approved containers or locked inside your vehicle and remove all food from area after eating; always keep a clean camp and do not feed any wild animals
- Only two pets per site allowed.
- Reserved Sites will be held until checkout time (NOON) the day following your arrival date. Sites must be occupied by the checkout time of the second day to hold a reservation or the site will be forfeited and released to other guests. Please call the office at 760-934-5795 if you need to inform the campground of an arrival time greater than 24 hours after your arrival date, or if you will not use your reservation whatsoever.
- Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.
- Fire Restrictions: Fire restrictions may be imposed at any time due to hot, dry weather conditions, at which time campfires and charcoal fires may not be allowed. For current fire conditions or weather closures contact the Mammoth Lakes Visitor Center, (760) 924-5500, or the Mono Lakes Visitor Center, (760) 647-3044.
- Don't Move Firewood: Protect California's forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. For more information visit firewood.ca.gov.
- Inyo National Forest website
- PASS DISCOUNTS: You must provide your pass and photo identification upon check in. If you received a pass discount for which you were not eligible, you must pay the difference in price upon arrival.
Getting there & contact
Official directions
Coldwater Campground is 320 miles north of Los Angeles and 180 miles south of Reno. Follow U.S. Highway 395 to the junction of State Highway 203. Turn west on 203 and drive 7 miles through the town of Mammoth Lakes. Highway 203 becomes Main Street, then Lake Mary Road, which will lead to the Lakes Basin. Continue on Lake Mary Road to the Coldwater Campground cutoff on the left.