Campground

Lake Mary Campground

Inyo National Forest, California

About this campground

Some campsites have views of the breathtaking scenery surrounding the campground, including Lake Mary and some of the 9,000 and 10,000' peaks in the John Muir Wilderness.

The campground straddles the road at the northwest end of Lake Mary, and offers four loops of closely-spaced campsites.

The campground is within walking distance of the lake, and some sites have a view of the water.

Map

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Latitude
37.607321° N
Longitude
119.006422° W
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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.

Connectivity

  • T-Mobile5GExcellent coverageVerified by 10 campers · Oct 18, 2026
  • VerizonLTESome coverageVerified by 4 campers · Oct 18, 2026
  • AT&TLTESome coverageVerified by 5 campers · Oct 18, 2026

Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.

Access

  • Hike-in
  • Drive-in
  • Walk-in
  • Boat-inCommunity report

Site types

  • Tent sites
  • RV / trailer sites
  • Standard campsites
  • Group sitesCommunity report

Features

For campers

  • Toilets
  • Drinking water
  • Trash serviceVerify whether the assigned site is pack-in/pack-out
  • Fires
  • Alcohol allowedCommunity report
  • Firewood availableCommunity report
  • Phone 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

  • Parking
  • Big rig friendlyCommunity report
  • 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.

Open official source

Overview

Lake Mary is the star of the Mammoth Lakes region. Of the 11 lakes in the area, Mary is the largest and most developed. Lake Mary Campground is a large facility with plenty of amenities in and around it. The lake provides a great base for activities like fishing, viewing waterfalls, hiking and backpacking.

Facilities

The campground straddles the road at the northwest end of Lake Mary, and offers four loops of closely-spaced campsites. The campground is within walking distance of the lake, and some sites have a view of the water.

Recreation

Lake Mary receives the highest number of trout stocks in the Mammoth Lakes Basin, and is well-known to anglers for its rainbow, brook and brown trout fishing. No swimming or wading is allowed in the lake.

Though no hiking trails begin in the campground, several interesting trails offer a variety of hikes nearby, including day hiking and backpacking trails into the rustic John Muir Wilderness.

Natural Features

The campground lies among lodgepole pine trees at an elevation of 8,900 feet. Some campsites have views of the breathtaking scenery surrounding the campground, including Lake Mary and some of the 9,000 and 10,000' peaks in the John Muir Wilderness.

The Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains are abundant with wildlife, including black bear, mountain lions, mule deer, pine marten, pika and many species of fish and birds.

Nearby Attractions

Mammoth Lakes Basin contains several additional popular lakes to explore for fishing and boating.

Visitors can also access the magnificent John Muir Wilderness nearby, which stretches 100 miles along the crest of the Sierra Nevadas, 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

  • Visitor CenterRanger Station
  • Fishing
  • Camping

Amenities and facility features

  • Flush toilets
  • Potable water
  • Trash serviceVerify whether the assigned site is pack-in/pack-out
  • Fuel Available
  • Host
  • Parking Area
  • Self Pay Station
  • Trash Collection
  • Water Spigot

Recreation sites

Published inventory grouped by site type. Individual sites can have stricter limits.

Standard Non-Electric

48 sites
Reservation type
Site-Specific
Equipment
Tent, Trailer
Maximum people
6
Maximum vehicles
1
Maximum vehicle length
21 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 consecutive days
Max Stay
14
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
Lake Mary Campground's official facility record checked 2026-10-16 does not publish a food-storage method; confirm the posted rule with Inyo National Forest.
Fire and stove use
Lake Mary 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
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

SeasonSite typeNightly rateAdditional personDeposit
Peak SeasonMay 22, 2026 – Sep 26, 2026Standard Non-Electric$34——
Peak SeasonMay 28, 2027 – Sep 25, 2027Standard Non-Electric$34——
Peak SeasonMay 26, 2028 – Sep 23, 2028Standard Non-Electric$34——

Important facility notices

Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.

  • Campground usually not clear of snow until late May or early June
  • No body contact allowed with the lake, including swimming
  • This is a high elevation facility; please use caution when traveling from lower elevations
  • 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 2 pets per site allowed.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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

Take U.S. 395 to Mammoth Junction and Highway 203. Turn west on Highway 203 and drive through the town of Mammoth Lakes to the junction of Minaret Road/Highway 203 and Lake Mary Road. Continue straight through the intersection and drive 3.6 miles to Lake Mary Loop Drive. Turn right and drive 0.5 miles to the campground entrance.

Sources

Recreation.gov official facility record — Lake Mary CampgroundUSDA Forest Service — responsible pet practicesRecreation.gov official facility record — Lake Mary CampgroundLake Mary Campground official facility detailsRecreation.gov official facility record — Lake Mary Campground — food-storage guidanceThe Dyrt community reports — Lake Mary CampgroundRecreation.gov campground details APIRecreation.gov published seasons and ratesRecreation.gov booking-window release dataRecreation.gov recreation-site inventory