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

Forest Service campground

Upper Sage Flat

Forest Service campground in Inyo National Forest, Inyo County, California. 7,748 feet. 16.8 miles from Bishop.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service Inyo National Forest
Elevation
7,748 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
20 20 standard non-electric
Longest rig
35 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Inyo County

Overview

Take the family to Upper Sage for a pleasant camping trip along the banks of Big Pine Creek. Here, visitors can experience the beauty of the creek that runs along the base of a narrow canyon. Visitors can swim or fish, in the creek that is stocked annually with trout, or head to a nearby lake for power boating.

Recreation

Rainbow, brown, brook and alpers trout swim in the stream, enticing anglers. Hikers are fans of the Big Pine Creek Trail, a 1.5-mile footpath that provides access to the John Muir Wilderness trails.

Facilities

Parking aprons are paved and most are 40 feet long. Amenities include flush toilets, drinking water, picnic tables and campfire rings.

Natural Features

The campground is sprawled out along Big Pine Creek beneath shady Jeffrey pines and cottonwoods, just 9 miles west of the town of Big Pine.

Inyo National Forest is home to many natural wonders, including Mt. Whitney, Mono Lake, Mammoth Lakes Basin, and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest atop the White Mountains.

Bristlecone pines rank as the oldest trees in the world and have achieved immense scientific and cultural importance.

Nearby Attractions

Head to the neighboring John Muir Wilderness for incredible views of Palisades Glacier, the southern-most glacier in the country. Nearby Tinemaha Reservoir provides additional fishing opportunities.

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

What people do here

  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • horseback riding
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Upper Sage Flat

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

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.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated September 1, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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