East Side of Sierra options

[obiwancanoli]

Hi!

Planning to boondock the East side of the Sierra, anywhere from Lee Vining to Bishop...

Never been to this area before, any suggestions for a great site?

Thank you!

[NamMedevac_70]

I always scout roads like that by foot before committing my vehicle to that torture and will not camp in remote rough spots like that in western fire season like now unless the spot is very near a paved highway for very quick exit. If forecast calls for strong and/or gusty winds and/or thunderstorms then I cancel my plans.

[pnichols]

I'm almost afraid to suggest this (because of negative bias in 4X4 forums) but just thinking about it ... perhaps a road like that one in the photo to Leavitt Lake is a perfect example of where duallies in the rear of an RV would be an advantage.

Duallies would force the RV's rear track to not be down into those road ruts - but remain kindof up onto the sides of the ruts so that rocks in the center section of the road could not easily damage such things as lower shock/spring mounts and rear differentials. Of course in the front the driver would have to carefully steer back and forth a bit so as to keep the front tires up onto the sides of road tire ruts as much as possible instead of down in them.

We have done the above several times on rough roads in our small Class C. Our main concern is side brush and/or overhead tree limbs damaging our 101 inch wide and 11'6'' tall coach structure.

The name of the game is to GO SLOW.

[profdant139]

Cal, maybe they have improved the road since I was there (five years ago?), but there were Big Rocks in the road, many of them scarred by violent contact with differentials. Oil stains. Broken bits of suspensions. No kidding.

My truck has ten inches of clearance and it would not have been able to handle that road.

[cewillis]

profdant139 wrote:
Stay off the road to Leavitt Lake, unless you bring your own tow truck. Rocks the size of doghouses.

Come on, Dan --- not that bad. Actually, not bad at all. But not for a 35 fit class A - sorry,

[profdant139]

Stay off the road to Leavitt Lake, unless you bring your own tow truck. Rocks the size of doghouses. It was a tough walk up that road, never mind driving.

Lots of big rig friendly boondocking near Obsidian Dome, north of Mammoth. But first explore with your toad before driving down those narrow roads.

Good luck!

One other idea -- the Volcanic Table Lands, north of Bishop. Some sites are big- riggable (a new term!), but scout carefully.

[obiwancanoli]

That doesn't look very passable for my 35' Class A and toad...

[cewillis]

How adventuresome are you? Leavitt Lake, elevation 9786 feet, off the Sonora Pass highway.





Beautify spot, if you can take the road, and the wind, and the elevation. Lots more info online

[enblethen]

There was not much at Topaz Lake. That is why we went east on CA 120. Locals didn't know of anything on lake. There was a parking lot where you could walk along lake, but it had no camping signs.

[DarkSkySeeker]

Topaz Lake?

[NamMedevac_70]

In addition to online BLM and FS maps I use google maps to find many boondocking spots by zooming in on satellite view to each side of 395. You can vary the distance from the hwy. At about the 1000 foot interval setting many spots are labeled by name in green and others I find by seeing overhead photo of RVs parked in the boondocking spots. Clicking on the green label often produces many photos of the site with website address of the managing agency if any.

I also use bing maps and other satellite view maps plus Benchmark atlas bought at sports and book stores. I always like seeing photos and overhead views of these places before hand.

Sometimes asking here like you gives good locations but sometimes no replies.

Although time consuming it is fun for me.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5247500.pdf

[enblethen]

East of Lee Vining on CA 120 about five miles is dispersed camping in Inyo National Forest.
Near Tom's Place is another forest service campground, Tuff Campground, Inyo NF