Frequently Asked Questions
On this page you'll find some of the most
commonly asked questions about the Inyo National
Forest.
Each question is a link which can be followed
to view the answer.
- Can I camp outside a designated campground?
- How Can I Get a Camping Space?
- Can I have my dog in the campground or on
a trail?
- Do I need a permit to hike in the wilderness?
- How do I get a permit to hike/climb Mt.
Whitney?
- When can I visit the Ancient Bristlecone
Pine Forest?
- How can I see Bristlecone Pines?
- How can I purchase maps or books of your area?
- What does "Inyo" mean?
- What are the fishing, hunting and firearm
regulations on the Inyo National Forest?
Can I camp outside
a designated campground?
Camping is allowed outside of designated campgrounds in some areas on
the Inyo National Forest. In areas designated as "Developed Recreation
Areas," camping is restricted to developed campgrounds only. These areas
include the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area, Lundy Canyon, Lee
Vining Canyon, June Lake Loop, the Mammoth area, Reds Meadow area,
Convict Lake, McGee Creek canyon, Rock Creek Canyon, Bishop Creek
Canyon, Big Pine Canyon, Onion Valley, Whitney Portal, Horseshoe
Meadows, the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest and any Research Natural
Area. For more information, please contact the Ranger Station or Visitor
Center nearest the area in which you are interested.
For areas where dispersed camping is allowed, you need to obtain a
California Campfire Permit for the use of any open flame (including gas
stoves, lanterns, wood fires, charcoal fires or smoking). These permits
can be obtained at no cost from any Inyo National Forest Ranger Station
or Visitor Center. Open flame of any kind may be restricted during times
of high fire danger; check with the local Forest Service office for
current restrictions.
How
can I get a camping space?
Most of our Inyo National Forest campgrounds are open only between
the end of April and the end of October each year (some campgrounds are
open longer than others). Most of our family campgrounds are
first-come/first-served, but some sites do accept reservations. Weekends
and some weekdays between July 1 and Labor Day will be very busy and it
is recommended that campers arrive at their campgrounds by Friday
afternoons for the best chance of getting a site. Group campsites are
available with prior reservations at many places throughout the Inyo
National Forest.
To make a reservation at either a family campground or a group
campsite, contact the National Reservation Recreation Service at
1-877-444-6777 or on the internet at http://www.reserveusa.com/. Not
all campgrounds that are reservable are reservable for the entire time
that the campground is open. Please check with the NRRS for reservable
dates.
Most campgrounds have a maximum stay limit of 14 days, but this can
vary. Please contact one of our Ranger Stations or Visitor Centers for
more information.
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Can I have my dog in the campground
or on a trail?
Traditionally, National Forests have welcomed dogs. However there are
a few rules that apply to assure that you and other National Forest
visitors have an enjoyable outdoor recreation experience. If you are
camping with your pet, please practice the following (these rules will
be enforced in developed recreation areas and wilderness areas):
- Leave vicious or unusually noisy dogs at home.
- During the day keep your dog on a leash no more than 6 feet long,
or otherwise restrict its freedom to roam at will.
- At night keep your dogs and other pets inside an enclosed vehicle
or in a tent.
- Developed campgrounds are for people, not animals. Please do not
bring more than two dogs or other pet to any one campsite.
Do I need a permit to
hike in the wilderness?
Wilderness Permits are required, year-round, for ALL OVERNIGHT TRIPS into
the John Muir, Ansel Adams, Hoover and Golden Trout/South Sierra
Wildernesses. Day-use wilderness permits are required only on the Main
Mt. Whitney trail.
All trailheads in the John Muir and Ansel Adams Wildernesses have a
daily quota from May 1 through November 1, meaning a limited number of
people are allowed into the wilderness each day, per trailhead. Outside
of the quota period, you may self-issue a wilderness permit at our
Ranger Stations or Visitor Centers. For the Golden Trout and Hoover
wildernesses, there is a combination of quota and non-quota trails.
For all trails other than the Main Mt. Whitney trail, 60% of the
daily trailhead quota is available through advanced reservations. The
remaining quota spaces are available on a walk-in basis, beginning at 11
am the day before entry into the wilderness. The walk-in permits are
available at any of our four Ranger Stations, however we recommend that
you get your permit from the Ranger Station closest to your trailhead.
Reservations for wilderness permits can be made by contacting the Inyo National Forest Wilderness Permit Reservation Office. Please call 760-873-2483 to make a reservation or download
the application form and either mail or
fax it to the permit office.
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How do I get a permit
to hike/climb Mt. Whitney?
Because of the popularity of Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the
continental United States, wilderness
permits are required for ALL trips up the Main Mt. Whitney trail,
either overnight or day hikes. The quota period for Mt. Whitney is from
May 1 through November 1, at which time permits must be picked up in
person from the Eastern Sierra InterAgency Visitor Center south of Lone Pine. During the
non-quota period, permits can be obtained through self-issue stations at
any Inyo National Forest Ranger Station.
We strongly recommend making a reservation for the Main Mt. Whitney
trail in advance. Because of its popularity, 100% of the overnight and
day hike quota spaces are available for reservation. The February Mt. Whitney lottery is the first opportunity to reserve permits for all dates during the quota season. Lottery applications must
be submitted by mail to the wilderness permit office during the month of
February. Any remaining openings that have not been filled through the lottery
process will become available for reservations on a first-come,
first-served basis through the regular reservation
process. The reservation fee for wilderness permits to access Mt. Whitney is $15 per person.
It is also possible to obtain a permit to climb Mt. Whitney via an
alternate route. For any route other than the Main Mt. Whitney trail,
reservations can be obtained up to six months in advance of your trip,
with 60% of the daily quota available for advance reservations (through
the regular reservation process). The $15 reservation fee applies to all
trips that enter the Whitney Zone, regardless of the entry
trailhead.
When can I visit
the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest?
The Ancient Bristlecone Visitor Center is only open during the summer
and fall months (usually late May through October), but the road may be
open earlier and later. If the road is open, you may visit the Ancient
Bristlecone Pine Forest at any time. The road does close, however,
during the winter months for our visitors' safety. The length of the
road closure will vary depending on the amount of snow we receive, but
generally the road will be closed AT LEAST 2 miles from the Visitor
Center from late November through mid- to late April. The White Mountain
Road is not plowed, so the closure could be as much as 10 miles from the
Visitor Center area, depending on snow conditions. For current road
closure information, please contact the White Mountain Ranger Station at
760-873-2500.
It is possible to ski or snowshoe along White Mountain Road to access
the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest if the road is closed, but
conditions can vary and visitors do so at their own risk.
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How can I see
Bristlecone Pines?
The Inyo National Forest is home to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine
Forest, home to the oldest living trees in the world. Some of our
bristlecone pines are nearly 5,000 years old and still living. The
Forest is located to the east of Bishop and Big Pine in the White
Mountains, close to the California/Nevada border. Visiting the area is a
relatively easy day trip, but there are some things you should know:
Most visitors travel along CA State Highway 168 east from Big Pine,
13 miles to White Mountain Road. Ten miles north along White Mountain
Road is the Bristlecone Pine Forest Visitor Center, at Schulman Grove.
Trails leaving from the Visitor Center will take you past the 4,000 year
old trees. While the oldest trees are not identified, for their own
protection, the oldest trees can be seen from either the Methuselah
Trail or the Discovery Trail. Ten miles further along a graded dirt road
takes you to the Patriarch Grove, where the largest bristlecone has been
found. Travel time from Bishop to Schulman Grove is approximately one
hour each way; to continue to Patriarch Grove will take another 45
minutes each direction. The road to Schulman Grove is a paved, two-lane
road, but it is a winding mountain road and visitors should be aware of
common mountain driving conditions.
The bristlecone pines can generally be visited from mid May to mid
November, but road openings and closings are weather dependent and could
vary. The normal winter closure for White Mountain Road is at Sierra
Viewpoint, two miles before Schulman Grove. However, White Mountain Road
is not plowed, so the closure could be as many as ten miles below
Schulman Grove (at the junction with Hwy 168) after winter storms. For
current road closure information, please call the White Mountain Ranger
Station at 760-873-2500.
How can I purchase maps or books
of your area?
The Inyo National Forest has an online store where you can purchase
topo maps, forest maps, guide books, history books, CD-ROMs, bear
canisters, bandanas and many other items before or after your trip to
our area. To look at our inventory, please click on "Maps &
Brochures" to the left. You can also call the White Mountain
Ranger Station for more information at 760-873-2503.
During your visit, you can stop at any of our Ranger Stations or
Visitor Centers to find books and maps of the local area.
What does "Inyo"
mean?
The name "Inyo" comes from a Native American word meaning "dwelling
place of the great spirit." It was used by local Native Americans to
describe the local mountains, now known as the White/Inyo Range, to
early settlers of the area.
The Inyo National Forest was named after Inyo County, in which much
of the Forest resides.
What are the fishing,
hunting and firearm regulations on the Inyo National Forest?
The California Department of Fish and Game regulates hunting and
fishing on Inyo National Forest lands. Check with their office in Bishop
at 760-872-1171 or look on the CA DFG website at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/.
Most streams and lakes on the Inyo National Forest are open for
fishing from the last weekend in April through the end of October each
year. Some waters in southern Inyo County open in early March. The Owens
River from Pleasant Valley Reservoir south is open to fishing
year-round, although some special regulations apply in some areas.
Contact the Department of Fish and Game for more information.
Hunting regulations vary depending on area and species. Contact the
Department of Fish and Game for open hunting seasons.
The Inyo National Forest does restrict the use of firearms in some
areas. Discharging a firearm or any other implement capable of taking
human life, causing injury or damaging property is prohibited:
- In or within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite,
developed recreation area or occupied area;
- across or on a Forest Development road, hiking trail or body of
water adjacent therto, or in any manner or place whereby any person or
property is exposed to injury or damage as a result of such discharge;
- Within the wilderness, firearm use is not allowed except for
emergencies and lawful hunting (as allowed by State law).
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