MOST OF YOU KNOW about the 14-day dispersed camping regulations in areas managed by the US Forest Service and by the Bureau of Land Management. (The limit is a little longer in some areas and a little shorter in a few others.) And most of you know about the Long Term Visitor Areas operated by the BLM where you can stay months at a time, usually from September to March.
There’s another option that allows you to camp longer than the 14-day limit at campgrounds along the magnificent Eastern Sierras. Here’s the BLM explanation (my emphasis added):
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has approved a long-term camping permit program for developed campgrounds in the Eastern Sierra. Under the program, visitors may purchase recreation use permits, which allow camping beyond the established 14 day stay limit for campgrounds managed by the Bishop Field Office. Long-term permits are now available for camping within the Tuttle Creek, Goodale Creek, Horton Creek, and Pleasant Valley Pit campgrounds in Inyo County, and the Crowley Lake Campground in Mono County.
According to BLM outdoor recreation planner Sara Manley, “Area visitors have several options for camping in these campgrounds. Daily permits continue to be available to short-term visitors. Those interested in long-term camping have the option of purchasing either a 30-day or 90-day permit.”
Under the approved permit program visitors can camp for up to 180 days per year within BLM campgrounds in the Eastern Sierra. Long-term permit holders may camp in any campsite designated as available for long-term camping in these campgrounds. A long-term permit also allows visitors to camp for up to 30 consecutive days in any of these campgrounds.
…Permits may be purchased Mondays between 8 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., at the Bishop Field Office, 351 Pacu Lane, Bishop. You can pay with a credit card, check or cash (exact change only). The fee for a 30-day permit is $120. Interagency Senior Pass and Interagency Access Pass holders will receive a discount on 30-day permits. For further information regarding camping opportunities on public lands in the Eastern Sierra, please contact the Bishop Field Office at (760) 872-5000.
To reiterate, the permits are for the five campgrounds listed, which are in the area between Lone Pine and Mammoth Lakes, California, between US-395 and the mountains. Dispersed camping, which is available many places along the Eastern Sierras, is not part of this permit plan, and the usual 14-day limit applies there. Furthermore, although some people have called this a summer LTVA program, it’s not just for summer, and it’s not like an LTVA.
The Eastern Sierras are beautiful and dramatic with lots of recreation opportunities. Camping is a high-demand commodity in the area, so there might not always be open sites at these campgrounds—unlike at an LTVA where you can usually find someplace to squeeze in. The information above doesn’t say whether campsites are reservable. The Bishop Field Office would be able to answer that question and any others.
While the desert is lovely, we’re looking for a spot near a fast-moving river, lake, or stream, preferably one with fish in it. Does anyone know of a location (or locations) like this?
Love and All Good Things,
Jesse.?
The areas around Bishop, featured in this article, have several lakes with fish. Get a good amount of snow in winter also.
Yes. Check with the couple, Mike and Jennifer of rvlifestyle.com!
There’s sites for sale on Kentucky Lake, in Tennessee and another state. (1944 Reservoir in Tennessee.)
They have YouTube channel. Look up Own your Personal Lakefront Campsite, on YouTube.
Great info! Thank you for sharing this with us!
Valuable info! I love that area. Thank you so much.
Hopefully this will help people during this time of outrageous fuel prices since they won’t have to move so often if camped at one of these campgrounds.
High gasoline prices are making a big dent in everybody’s budget, it’s like You said ‘outrageous ‘!!!?
This is exactly the kind of information that we all greatly need. Please keep up this communication. Options are getting to be limited and every kind of post like this helps tremendously.
I knew about the longterm visitor stay at the Pleasant Valley Pit campground in Bishop, but, I didn’t know about the others mentioned here. Woweee! That’s very exciting news, Al. Thank you for sharing.
I’ve considered the Eastern Sierra my home since I fell instantly in love with it as a solo female vanlifer back in February 2014. Thankfully, now I have a wonderful boyfriend here in the Sierra and call his place home base for the present and foreseeable future. But, we still love taking short day and overnight camping trips all around the Sierra often.
Thank you so much for this information- The gas prices and crowds have been a burden on some of us long term nomads- This solves one if not two problems- ???
Thank you for the information.
How does everyone keep up your tags & insurance on your car?
Your question could mean few different things, but I’m guessing you’re asking what we do about residency/domicile when we no longer live in a building with an address. If so, the following links might help.
https://wordpress.casacrm.io:8443/cheaprvliving//kb/how-nomads-get-a-physical-residence-address-real-id-drivers-license/
https://wordpress.casacrm.io:8443/cheaprvliving//i-think-i-figured-another-way-to-establish-residency/
Thank you. Yes that is what I meant. Will look into them.