A gray 4x4 Sprinter with a roof rack on a two-track through a wildflower meadow, cloud sitting on the mountains behind.

Forest Service group campground

Palisades Group Campground

Forest Service group campground in Inyo National Forest, Mono County, California. 9,099 feet. 17.8 miles from Mammoth Lakes.

Managed by
Forest Service Inyo National Forest
Elevation
9,099 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
1 1 group standard non-electric
Longest rig
40 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Mono County

Overview

Palisades Group Campground lies along Rock Creek in Inyo National Forest, near Mammoth Lakes and Bishop, California. Well-suited for large families and groups, the facility provides access to fishing, hiking, scenic driving, photography and wildlife viewing.

Recreation

Hiking and fishing opportunities abound, with local lakes and streams within walking and driving distance. The eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains are known for their exceptional trout fishing. A catch from the creek may including brook, brown, rainbow and stocked Alpers trout, while anglers may be treated to golden trout in the backcountry.

There are several hiking trails in and around Rock Creek Canyon, some of which meander around high-elevation alpine lakes.

Facilities

Palisades has ample shade and a private loop with five tables and campfire rings. The site can also serve as an overflow group campground for groups of 25 or less who are not able to reserve the nearby Rock Creek Lake Group site.

Natural Features

The campground sits at an elevation of 8.800 feet, at the bottom of a steep canyon adjacent to Rock Creek and amidst aspen and lodgepole pine trees.

The area is home to abundant wildlife, including black bear, mountain lions, mule deer, pine martin, pika and many species of fish and birds.

Nearby Attractions

For campers interested in local events, Mule Days are held in nearby Bishop over Memorial Day weekend, and the Mammoth Jazz Jubilee is hosted in Mammoth in mid-July.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • historic & cultural site

The land around Palisades Group Campground

The ringed pin is this group campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.