Connectivity
No community carrier report is currently published for this campground.
Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.
Campground
Convict Lake Campground
Inyo National Forest, California
About this campground
Convict Lake Campground is situated near Convict Lake amidst the beautiful scenery of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The campground sits at an elevation of 7,500 ft. and provides gorgeous views of the lake and the dramatic mountain scenery.
Convict Creek runs through the campground, and the 167-acre Convict Lake is about 100 yards away.
Map
Loading map
- Latitude
- 37.598889° N
- Longitude
- 118.850833° 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
- Hike-inCommunity report
- Walk-inCommunity report
Site types
- Tent sites
- RV / trailer sites
- Standard campsites
- Group sitesCommunity report
Features
For campers
- Toilets
- Drinking water
- Food storage
- Fires
- ADA access
- Alcohol allowedCommunity report
- Firewood availableCommunity report
- Phone serviceCommunity report
- Trash serviceCommunity 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
- Sanitary dump
- Pull-through sites
- Big rig friendlyPublished vehicle length up to 55 ft
- Back-in sitesCommunity 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
Convict Lake Campground is situated near Convict Lake amidst the beautiful scenery of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The lake and surrounding national forest provide many opportunities for family fun, outdoor recreation and relaxation.
The campground and nearby resort offer many amenities for a convenient and enjoyable camping experience. The facility is located between Mammoth Lakes and Bishop, California, near Mammoth Airport.
Facilities
This is a fairly large and well-organized facility with both reservable and first-come, first-served campsites. A few sites overlook the lake, while others are a short distance from the shore. Sites are spaced fairly close together.
Flush toilets, drinking water, and a dump station are provided, as well as food storage lockers for safety from bears.
Campers can purchase firewood on-site. A store, pack station, boat rentals, restaurant, and other amenities are just down the road at the Convict Lake Resort.
Recreation
The eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains are known for exceptional trout fishing. Anglers can cast a line for rainbow and brown trout in the creek or lake. Power boats are limited to electric motors on the lake (six horsepower or less).
The area's majestic scenery and variety of trails draw in hikers, mountain bikers and equestrian enthusiasts. The 3.5-mile Lake Trail can be accessed from the campground, and many other trails are in nearby John Muir Wilderness.
Natural Features
The campground sits at an elevation of 7,500 ft. and provides gorgeous views of the lake and the dramatic mountain scenery. Convict Creek runs through the campground, and the 167-acre Convict Lake is about 100 yards away. Shrubs and low vegetation fill in the landscape, though tall aspen and cottonwood trees grow along the creek.
The area is abundant with wildlife, including black bears, 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 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.
Activities & amenities
What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.
Available activities
- Swimming SiteSwimming
- Day Use AreaAmphitheater
- Fish Hatchery
- Wildlife Viewing
- PicnickingPicnic Tables
- Hunting
- Horseback Riding
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Camping
- ClimbingRock Climbing
- Boating
- Biking
Amenities and facility features
- Flush toilets
- Potable water
- Wildlife-resistant food storage
- Dump station
- Pets allowedFollow the exact facility restrictions
Recreation sites
Published inventory grouped by site type. Individual sites can have stricter limits.
Standard Non-Electric
37 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- RV, Tent, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 55 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 11:00 AM
- Accessible sites
- 8 flagged accessible
Tent Only Non-Electric
11 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- Tent
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 36 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 11:00 AM
- 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 consecutive nights
- Minimum stay
- 1 consecutive nights
- Holiday-weekend minimum
- 3 nights
- Weekend minimum
- 2 nights
- Reservation cutoff
- 4 days before arrival
- Maximum published occupancy
- 6 people per site
- Maximum published vehicles
- 1 vehicles per site
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 11:00 AM
- Food storage
- Convict Lake Campground's official facility record states: Flush toilets, drinking water, and a dump station are provided, as well as food storage lockers for safety from bears.
- Fire and stove use
- Convict Lake Campground's official facility record states: 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.
- 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
- Oct 24, 2026
- Next release
- Oct 23, 2026, 7:00 AM PDT
- Next book-through date
- Apr 23, 2027
- Group sites bookable through
- Oct 18, 2027
Published seasons & rates
| Season | Site type | Nightly rate | Additional person | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak SeasonApr 24, 2026 – Oct 24, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $35 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonApr 24, 2026 – Oct 24, 2026 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $35 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonApr 23, 2027 – Oct 30, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $35 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonApr 23, 2027 – Oct 30, 2027 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $35 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonApr 28, 2028 – Oct 28, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $35 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonApr 28, 2028 – Oct 28, 2028 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $35 | — | — |
Important facility notices
Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.
- No electricity, water or sewer site hookups
- Reservations are site-specific. Changing campsites after arrival is prohibited
- No ATVs or ORVs allowed in the facility
- Convict Lake is a no-wake lake
- Generators allowed only during non-quiet hours; three-hour maximum run time and must be attended while running
- Day use parking is adjacent to the campground
- Two dogs are allowed and must be leashed
- 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 site 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
- Please Note: One RV with tow vehicle per single site or one vehicle per tent site. One vehicle per single site is included with your reservation. Most sites can accommodate 1 extra vehicle that is not included with the reservation fee. Extra vehicle will be charged a per night fee and collected at the campground if you did not pay for an Extra Vehicle Add On. Extra vehicles must fit on the parking spur at the site.
- 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.
- Reserved Sites will be held until check out time (NOON) the day following your arrival date. Sites must be occupied by the checkout time of that following day to hold a reservation or the site will be forfeited and released to other guests. Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.
- 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.
Getting there & contact
Official directions
Convict Lake Campground is about 34 miles north of Bishop, California on Highway 395. From Bishop, travel north on 395. The turnoff to the campground is across from Mammoth Yosemite Airport and is well-signed. From Mammoth Lakes, travel on Highway 395 south for 5 miles. Turn west off of Highway 395.
Facility contact
760-924-5771