Connectivity
No community carrier report is currently published for this campground.
Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.
Campground
Onion Valley
Inyo National Forest, California
About this campground
This quiet campground is set amidst breathtaking scenery of rugged mountain peaks, thick forests and waterfalls in the Onion Valley area of the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The campground is near Kearsarge Pass, Robinson Lake and Golden Trout Lakes Trailheads, which access several alpine lakes and mountain peaks within the John Muir Wilderness, as well as Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park.
The campground is tucked away near the end of Onion Valley Road.
Map
Loading map
- Latitude
- 36.774722° N
- Longitude
- 118.345556° 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
- Walk-in
- Drive-in
- Hike-inCommunity report
Site types
- Tent sites
- RV / trailer sites
- Standard campsites
- Group sitesCommunity report
Features
For campers
- Toilets
- Food storage
- Fires
- Alcohol allowedCommunity report
- Drinking waterCommunity 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
- 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
This quiet campground is set amidst breathtaking scenery of rugged mountain peaks, thick forests and waterfalls in the Onion Valley area of the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Its location on the creek and proximity to the John Muir Wilderness make it a popular hub for hikers, anglers, photographers and those who want to relax in a peaceful, natural setting.
Facilities
The campground is tucked away near the end of Onion Valley Road. Campsites are private and primitive, and every site has a scenic view. Amenities include vault toilets, and bear-proof food storage lockers, which campers are required to use. Firewood is for sale on-site.
Recreation
Majestic scenery and challenging trails draw campers to the Onion Valley area for hiking and horseback riding. The campground is near Kearsarge Pass, Robinson Lake and Golden Trout Lakes Trailheads, which access several alpine lakes and mountain peaks within the John Muir Wilderness, as well as Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park.
The eastern Sierras are also known for exceptional trout fishing. From the campground, anglers can try for rainbow, brown, brook and Alpers trout in Robinson Lake and a nearby creek.
Natural Features
Situated at an elevation of 9,200 feet, the campground is surrounded by the towering peaks of the John Muir Wilderness and immersed in shrubs, lodgepole pine and aspens. Lovely wildflowers color the landscape in late spring and early summer. The campground is adjacent to a creek and lake.
The area is home to abundant wildlife, including black bear,which frequent the campground, mountain lions, mule deer, pine martin, pika and many species of fish and birds.
Nearby Attractions
Campers can enter the John Muir Wilderness, a land of lofty snow-capped mountains, deep canyons and vast expanses of glacially carved terrain, via nearby trails. Some trails lead into Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park to the west.
Activities & amenities
What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.
Available activities
- Wildlife Viewing
- Horseback Riding
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Camping
Amenities and facility features
- Vault or pit toilets
- Wildlife-resistant food storage
Recreation sites
Published inventory grouped by site type. Individual sites can have stricter limits.
Walk To
7 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- Small Tent, Tent
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 0 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 11:00 AM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Management
2 sites- Reservation type
- Non Site-Specific
- Equipment
- Tent
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 25 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 11:00 AM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Standard Non-Electric
12 sites- Reservation type
- Non Site-Specific, Site-Specific
- Equipment
- Caravan/Camper Van, Pickup Camper, RV, Tent, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 25 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 11:00 AM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Tent Only Non-Electric
10 sites- Reservation type
- Non Site-Specific, Site-Specific
- Equipment
- Tent
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 25 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
- Maximum stay
- 14 consecutive nights
- Minimum stay
- 1 consecutive nights
- Holiday-weekend minimum
- 0 days
- Weekend minimum
- 0 days
- 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
- Onion Valley's official facility record states: Amenities include vault toilets, and bear-proof food storage lockers, which campers are required to use.
- Fire and stove use
- Onion Valley'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
- Nov 14, 2026, 7:00 AM PST
- Next book-through date
- May 14, 2027
- Group sites bookable through
- Oct 18, 2027
Published seasons & rates
| Season | Site type | Nightly rate | Additional person | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak SeasonMay 15, 2026 – Oct 24, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $31 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 15, 2026 – Oct 24, 2026 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $31 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 15, 2026 – Oct 24, 2026 | Walk To | $31 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 14, 2027 – Oct 23, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $31 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 14, 2027 – Oct 23, 2027 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $31 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 14, 2027 – Oct 23, 2027 | Walk To | $31 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 12, 2028 – Oct 21, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $31 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 12, 2028 – Oct 21, 2028 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $31 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 12, 2028 – Oct 21, 2028 | Walk To | $31 | — | — |
Important facility notices
Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.
- Trailers are not recommended; tent trailers are permissible
- This campground has no water.
- Be bear aware; keep all food out of site in approved containers and remove all food from area after eating; do not leave food in car; always keep a clean camp and do not feed any wild animals; campground is patrolled at night by security teams during periods of high bear activity
- Two pets per site and must be leashed at all times.
- 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.
- Click here for more information about Inyo National Forest
Getting there & contact
Official directions
The campground is 13 miles west of the town of Independence, California. Take U.S. Highway 395 to Independence. Turn west on Market Street, which turns into Onion Valley Road. Follow Onion Valley Road for 13 miles to the campground.
Facility contact
760-937-6070