Campground

Old Shady Rest Campground

Inyo National Forest, California

About this campground

The campsites are located under the shady canopy of a mature Jeffery pine forest at an elevation of 7,800 feet.

Old Shady Rest Campground is a large facility convenient to numerous outdoor activities and attractions in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, and within walking distance of the full-service community of Mammoth Lakes.

The campground is organized into one large loop, adjacent to New Shady Rest and Pine Glen Campgrounds and a short walk to Mammoth Lakes.

Map

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Latitude
37.650589° N
Longitude
118.961393° 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 59 campers · Oct 18, 2026
  • Verizon5GExcellent coverageVerified by 59 campers · Oct 18, 2026
  • AT&T5GExcellent coverageVerified by 31 campers · Oct 18, 2026

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

Access

  • Drive-in
  • Walk-in

Site types

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

Features

For campers

  • Toilets
  • Showers
  • Drinking water
  • Picnic table
  • FiresUse only when the current order allows flame
  • Trash serviceVerify whether the assigned site is pack-in/pack-out
  • Firewood available
  • Alcohol allowedCommunity 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

  • Sanitary dump
  • Paved roads
  • Big rig friendlyPublished vehicle length up to 58 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.

Open official source

Overview

Old Shady Rest Campground is a large facility convenient to numerous outdoor activities and attractions in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, and within walking distance of the full-service community of Mammoth Lakes. The campground is popular for hiking, mountain biking, sightseeing and hitting the town for shopping and dining. The facility best accommodates tents and small to medium-sized RVs.

Facilities

The campground is organized into one large loop, adjacent to New Shady Rest and Pine Glen Campgrounds and a short walk to Mammoth Lakes. Several amenities are provided, including restrooms with flush toilets, campfire rings and picnic tables, and many more are within a few miles. Showers are not located in the campground but are nearby.

Bear-proof lockers are available for food storage, and firewood can be purchased on-site.

Recreation

The Mammoth Lakes area has much to keep campers busy. The majestic scenery and challenging trails are an obvious draw for hikers, mountain bikers and off-road vehicle enthusiasts. Skiing is a major winter pastime in this area.

The eastern Sierras are known for their exceptional trout fishing, and several creeks and lakes are within a short drive from the campground.

Families enjoy learning more at the visitor center down the street, or taking a paved walking and biking trail to two nearby campgrounds, a town park with a playing field and skate park, or Mammoth Lakes.

Natural Features

The campsites are located under the shady canopy of a mature Jeffery pine forest at an elevation of 7,800 feet.

Many species of wildlife call the mountains home, such as black bear, mountain lions, mule deer, pine marten, pika and numerous fish and birds.

Nearby Attractions

For campers interested in local events, the Mammoth Jazz Jubilee is hosted in Mammoth in mid-July. Several other events and amenities are available in town.

Many great day trips for sightseers are available in the area, such as Yosemite National Park, Mono Basin and Devils Postpile National Monument.

Activities & amenities

What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.

Available activities

  • Trails, All Terrain/Ohv
  • Trails, Horse
  • Trails, Difficult Hiking
  • Camping
  • Boat Rental
  • Water Activities
  • Softball Fields
  • Scenic Drive
  • Mountain Biking
  • Hiking
  • Gondola Rides
  • Canoeing
  • Backpacking
  • Biking
  • Boating
  • Climbing
  • Cultural Activities
  • Fishing
  • Golf
  • Horseback Riding
  • Kayaking
  • Non-Motorized Boating
  • Water Access
  • Swimming
  • Wildlife Viewing

Amenities and facility features

  • Flush toilets
  • Showers
  • Potable water
  • Picnic tables
  • Site fire ring or grillUse only when the current order allows flame
  • Trash serviceVerify whether the assigned site is pack-in/pack-out
  • Dump station
  • Firewood
  • Host
  • Paved Roads
  • Recycling
  • Self Pay Station
  • Trash Collection
  • Water Spigot

Recreation sites

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

Standard Non-Electric

45 sites
Reservation type
Site-Specific
Equipment
RV, Tent, Trailer
Maximum people
6
Maximum vehicles
1
Maximum vehicle length
58 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 days
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
Old Shady Rest Campground's official facility record states: Bear-proof lockers are available for food storage, and firewood can be purchased on-site.
Fire and stove use
Old Shady Rest Campground's official facility record states: Several amenities are provided, including restrooms with flush toilets, campfire rings and picnic tables, and many more are within a few miles.
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
Nov 7, 2026, 7:00 AM PST
Next book-through date
May 7, 2027
Group sites bookable through
Oct 18, 2027

Published seasons & rates

SeasonSite typeNightly rateAdditional personDeposit
Peak SeasonMay 1, 2026 – Oct 24, 2026Standard Non-Electric$32——
Peak SeasonMay 7, 2027 – Oct 23, 2027Standard Non-Electric$32——
Peak SeasonMay 5, 2028 – Oct 21, 2028Standard Non-Electric$32——

Important facility notices

Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.

  • 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.
  • $10 charge for use of the dump station
  • This is a high elevation facility; please use caution when traveling from lower elevations
  • 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
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Click here for more information about Inyo National Forest
  • 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

Old Shady Rest is near Mammoth Lakes, California, 300 miles north of Los Angeles and 165 miles south of Reno, Nevada. Take U.S. Highway 395 to State Route 203. Proceed west on 203 for 2.8 miles to Old Sawmill Road. Take a right, go 0.5 mile. The campground entrance is on the left.

Sources

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