A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Forest Service group campground

Rock Creek Lake Group Camp

Forest Service group campground in Inyo National Forest, Inyo County, California. 9,720 feet. 18 miles from Mammoth Lakes.

Managed by
Forest Service Inyo National Forest
Elevation
9,720 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
1 1 group walk to
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Inyo County

Overview

Rock Creek Lake Group Campground is adjacent to the main Rock Creek Lake Campground. This tent-only site is located near Bishop, Tom's Place and Mammoth Lakes, California in Inyo National Forest.

The high-elevation campground offers a private setting on the banks of scenic Rock Creek Lake in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains - a perfect location for limitless mountain recreation opportunities.

Fishing, camping, hiking, photography, wildlife viewing and horseback riding at the nearby pack station are popular.

Recreation

Rock Creek and other waterways in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains are known for exceptional trout fishing. A catch from the lake may including brook, brown, rainbow and stocked Alpers trout, while anglers may be treated to hook golden trout in the backcountry. Power boats are limited to electric motors on the lake.

The area's majestic scenery and challenging trails are an obvious draw for hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. The Tamarack Trail begins in the campground and wanders up to several high-elevation, glacially-carved alpine lakes and ponds.

Facilities

The group camping area is separate from the main campground, offering plenty of privacy. It can accommodate up to 25 people at a time and is tent-only. No RVs are allowed at the campground, as the site requires visitors to walk from the parking area. There is no trash collection.

Natural Features

The group site is nestled in a pine forest, perched on the shore of Rock Creek Lake with a view of the water through the 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

Near the campground, visitors can access the magnificent John Muir Wilderness, which stretches for 100 miles along the crest of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

It is a land of lofty snow-capped mountains, deep canyons and vast expanses of glacially-carved terrain, and offers extensive hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding trails.

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
  • horseback riding
  • picnicking
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Rock Creek Lake Group Camp

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.