I am planning to climb Mount Goode near Bishop in August. There is a North Lake Campground next to the Paiute Pass Trail, but also a larger parking lot next to the lake before you have to pay to get in. Can a small group of people car camp up there? I am trying to figure out where we can sleep or get a spot reserved so we can have an early start.

Any guidance is appreciated.

hgrapid wrote:I am planning to climb Mount Goode near Bishop in August. There is a North Lake Campground next to the Paiute Pass Trail, but also a larger parking lot next to the lake before you have to pay to get in. Can a small group of people car camp up there? I am trying to figure out where we can sleep or get a spot reserved so we can have an early start.

Any guidance is appreciated.

Never had a problem sleeping in my vehicle at North Lake parking lot since overnite parking is allowed. Kinda out of the way for Mt Goode though. If you don't mind paying $21 for a camp spot along South Lake Rd, at least you'd save yourself about half an hour in the morning, although Goode is a quick day trip.

Yeah, I've slept in my Jeep at the North Lake parking lot before and didn't have a problem. Might be a little trickier if you want to pitch a tent though...

Sabrina CG is first come first served and is close to your trailhead.

If Goode is your objective the Sabrina trailhead or basin area isn't the most efficient place to camp the night befiore. As Deb mentioned you are probably better off up the South Lake Road rather than Highway 168. There are several campgrounds along South Lake Road. At the junction of that road and 168 is Forks, and little further up is Four Jeffreys (lots of spaces), Table Mountain, Aspen, and the last just before Parchers Resort is Willow. There is one other but I belive it is only reserved by groups. These last three are smaller but closest to the trailhead at South Lake. You can drive into Four Jeffreys without a reservation most anytime except a holiday weekend and likely get a spot. Big Trees below the road fork is also nice but small and often the second to fill in the area.

I just don't want to worry about booking reservations. If I can park up the road to South Lake and take our chances, that is great! I can try Four Jeffreys.

Per the Inyo NF map, dispersed camping, ie free roadside camping, is not allowed anywhere west of the old entrance station along SR168. That means only camping in the public campgrounds is allowed. Note sleeping in one's vehicle is considered "camping". The Inyo NF map shows areas where dispersed camping is not allowed that is just a miniscule part of the national forest where campgrounds and developed areas are nearby. See crosshairs on this map:

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=37.31134,-118.52364&z=15&t=T

To be legal, we usually park at that abandoned Entrance Station that also has a gravel pit or up the Buttermilk Road. In any case there is not usually anyone out patrolling enforcing that policy at night especially for those who sleep inside their vehicles on the sly. However if people start tossing down sleeping bags or worse setting up tents, Inyo is likely to clamp down and give everyone pain so try and be discrete.

David
http://www.davidsenesac.com/Summer_2015 ... 015-1.html

I booked spots at Four Jeffreys which allows for 2 vehicles per site and up to 6 people per site