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Inyo/Agnew Meadows
Overview
Overview
Agnew Meadows Campground is a tranquil, high-altitude destination nestled within the Inyo National Forest near Mammoth Lakes, California. This is a rustic, forest-set retreat that offers an authentic wilderness experience rather than the manicured lawns of a resort. It provides a peaceful escape for travelers looking to disconnect from the noise of modern life and immerse themselves in the pristine beauty of the eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range during the summer season.
Location & Surroundings
Situated deep in the Reds Meadow Valley, the campground sits at an elevation of approximately 8,400 feet, providing breathtaking views of the surrounding volcanic landscapes. The area is defined by towering lodgepole pine forests and proximity to the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River. Because this location is accessed via a winding road, it is best suited for those who appreciate scenic drives and are comfortable navigating mountain terrain to reach secluded, natural environments.
Amenities & Park Features
As a primitive-style campground, Agnew Meadows focuses on simplicity. Each site is equipped with a fire ring and picnic table, perfect for evening meals under the stars. Potable water is available for guests, and vault toilets are provided throughout the loop. Visitors should note that there are no electrical or water hookups at individual sites, meaning campers must arrive prepared for self-contained dry camping while enjoying the rugged beauty of the forest setting.
Nearby Attractions & Things to Do
The primary draw for visitors here is the access to some of the most iconic trails in the Sierra Nevada. The campground serves as an ideal base for exploring the Ansel Adams Wilderness, with miles of hiking accessible directly from your site. Nearby, travelers can visit the spectacular Rainbow Falls or take a scenic shuttle ride to Mammoth Mountain. Whether you enjoy photography, bird watching, or high-altitude hiking, the surrounding wilderness offers endless opportunities for exploration.
Who This Park Is Best For
Agnew Meadows is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts, hikers, and those seeking a secluded mountain getaway away from traditional RV parks. It is ideal for travelers who value nature over high-end amenities and enjoy the quiet sounds of the forest. Because of the limited site sizes and road conditions, this park is best suited for smaller campers, tent trailers, and those who prefer a primitive, immersive experience in the heart of the Inyo National Forest.
Features & Amenities
- Policies
- Other Amenities & Services
- Recreation Nearby (within 10 miles)
- Facility
- On-Site Rentals
- Sites
Reviews
Greg Fick
What a wonderful place! I wish I could give them 6 stars! I can’t express enough my gratitude about how well we were taken care of my Patty, Allison, Regan and Sophie. My family and I were exiting the JMT and needed to get to Mammoth. Patty put together a custom ride to get us around the road closures and allowed us to do our preferred hike. When we got off the JMT we were bushed, but Allison hooked us up with a ride from Agnew Meadows and back to Reds Meadow we were thankful. The Regan and Sophie were great trail guides and led us to horseshoe lake (great name for what we were doing) where we walked across the parking lot like gunslingers as the good citizens of Mammoth looked on with amusement. Epic! Thank you all!!!
Sandy V
First off, Ralph is the absolute best camp host! Extremely helpful and friendly. The hotspring mini pool was amazing, the wild mint smelled amazing, access to the PCT, streams, lakes! What's not to love? Great campground.
Hilde Souweine
The road in is narrow but in pretty good condition. Unfortunately, the Forest Service has cut down a gazillion perfectly healthy huge old trees in preparation for widening the road. What's next? Cutting down even more big trees to make multiple parking lots?! They have a shuttle system currently so thousands of cars don't have to drive down and park. The campground used to have an amazing bathhouse by the hot spring, but the Forest Service closed it. Why?! Such a shame to let such great things rot. Cindy, the camp host, is fantastic - so helpful and friendly! Super clean vault toilets; among the best I've ever seen. No bad smells, plenty of TP. Unfortunately, her manager is less fantastic - made us move our van from its level spot for some bizarre reason, and then closed the half of the campground with the best spots so we had to move anyway (tho maybe that was not her decision and she was just following orders). Despite my complaints, it's still a gem and worth the trip, particularly for the hikes.
Jenni Walker
This is a beautiful campground waaaay out on the back side of Mammoth mountain, and very near to the pack station with a little store for backpackers. There are famous hikes (Rainbow falls- beware it is downhill there but all uphill back and you must be moderately fit to hike this!!!, and Devil’s Postpile which we didn’t hike and so I cannot comment). The bathrooms were clean, and the Camphost kindly came out to meet us as we arrived after dark. This is a very popular campground, as are the others close by, do not arrive late and expect a spot in the summer. The 4 stars is mainly because of the road, not the campground. We towed a 23 ft trailer. This campground is 8 miles of twists and turns and an often bumpy and narrow road. They will be working on it, the snow did a real number last winter, but when I’m not sure. There is quite a ways of a steep grade to get down. The uphill traffic has the right of way, and there are places where coming down you might have to back up to allow traffic as it’s nearly one lane. In some ways I’m quite glad we arrived after dark because we couldn’t see the cliff the road is built on; the drive back up was pretty terrifying with no shoulder or rails and a sheer drop off. Incredibly, there are large shuttle buses going up and down all day from the ski area up top, and we very nearly were hit by one coming around a curve. I personally would never take a class A motor home down and up that road, until they widen and guardrail it! That said, we had a sweet few days in the campground. It was lush and green late August due to summer rains, and there were some mosquitos. The forestry service is doing a lot of great work clearing underbrush and thinning trees, but I wouldn’t want to be there if a fire started…Very beautiful spot though.
zarel FamDil
We fell inlove with campsite #16. It is just a right size campsite with my family. This campground is perfect place to stay if you're planning to do hiking at Devil's postpile and Rainbow falls which we did. The vault toilet is clean. The camp host is doing a great job to keep the place clean and well, also being a responsible camper will help make this campground keep clean too. We will for sure keep coming back to this campground.