4.4541 reviewsPrice
$6 - $22/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
18 campsites
Season
Memorial Day weekend...
Cell
No Service
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
Price
$6 - $22/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
18 campsites
Season
Memorial Day weekend...
Cell
No Service
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
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Learn more about alerts →Cottonwood Pass Walk In Campground
Highway 395 and SR 136 Lone Pine, CA 93545
Backpackers staging for Cottonwood Pass or the Cottonwood Lakes loop will find this hard to beat: the trailhead is steps away, bear lockers are on-site, and $22 gets you one of the best launch pads into the southern Sierra. Arrive early, bring your own water in case spigots are d
Anyone wanting a relaxed multi-night basecamp should keep driving. The one-night stay limit, unclear site boundaries, periodic toilet closures, and no cell signal make this a logistics stop, not a destination.
Reference information about Cottonwood Pass Walk In Campground sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p>Located in the Horseshoe Meadow Recreation Area this trailhead campground has 18 <u>walk-in</u> sites suitable for backpackers and hikers to use the night before they are going to hike into Golden Trout Wilderness via the Cottonwood Pass trail. Self-register when you arrive. Sites include food storage boxes, tent pads, tables, fire grates, potable water, and toilet facilities. One night stay limit.</p><p><a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd530925.pdf">Horseshoe Meadow Area Campgrounds Guide (pdf)</a></p>
The elevation is 10,000 ft. NOTE: The west side of Death Valley National Park is 53 miles from campground. The campground, surrounded by John Muir and Golden Trout Wildernesses, has all walk-in tent sites scattered around a stand of mature Lodgepole pine. Picnic tables and fire rings (with grilles) are communal with camp sites clustered around them. Communal bear-proof food containers are provided. The camp sites are scattered among mature Lodgepole pine and other Inyo National Forest 96 conifers, which provide limited shade. This is bear country; practice safe food storage techniques. "Possessing/storing food so bears/wild animals have access will result in a fine of at least $150."
Service provided Memorial Day weekend through October 10 - weather dependent
Showers available at Kirk's Barber Shop in Lone Pine, CA - expect to pay a fee.
In Lone Pine, CA, at intersection of US Rt. 395 and Whitney Portal Rd, take Whitney Portal Rd west and go 3.2 miles to Tuttle Creek campground sign. Turn left at sign onto Horseshoe Meadow Road and go 20 miles to New Army Pass sign. Turn right after sign and go 0.5 miles to campground on right.
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The campground is only accessible from late May through mid-October due to snow. Summer brings chilly mornings around 25-35°F (dawn temperatures near 27°F) and comfortable afternoons reaching 60-65°F. July and August offer peak wildflower displays and the most reliable trail access, but expect afternoon thunderstorms typical of the Sierra. Strong sun at this elevation requires preparation. Early and late season visits may encounter snow.
Open Memorial Day–Oct; good hiking and daylight, though mornings are chilly and crowds noted.
Cottonwood Pass Walk-in Campground offers a variety of amenities tailored for backpackers and hikers. Official sources confirm that the campground includes food storage boxes, tent pads, picnic tables, fire rings, potable water, and toilet facilities. The area has bear-proof lockers at each site, which are mandatory for food storage due to high bear activity in the region. Communal bear-proof food containers and trash receptacles are also available. Reviews indicate some discrepancies in amenity functionality, such as non-functional water spigots and closed vault toilets during specific periods (e.g., August 2023).
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