Silver Lake Campground Inyo National Forest California
Silver Lake Overview
Silver Lake Campground is located at the base of Carson Peak in the June Lake area (Inyo National Forest) and has 65 campsites for tents, trailers and RVs (up to 40 feet). A nearby waterfall also provides some nice ambiance for sleeping! Campsites 17-28 are very close to the lake and campsites 31-42 are along Rush Creek. There’s also no campsites for #29 and #30.
Campsites can accommodate tents, trailers and RVs (from 20 to 38 feet). Most sites can handle RVs in the 28-32 foot range. Each campsite also has a paved parking spur, table, fire ring, grill and food storage locker. Up to 2 vehicles and 6 people allowed per site. Hookups are not available.
The seasonal campground is generally open late April to late October. Amenities include potable (drinking) water, flush toilets, hot-water showers ($) and trash collection (dumpsters). A small store, cafe, hiking trailhead, and pack station all within easy walking distance of the campground. Cell service is fair in the area. The nearest RV Dump Station is at Oh Ridge campground (2.5 miles).
Silver Lake Campground – Area Recreation
Outdoor recreation includes world class fishing, backpacking and hiking. Visitors can also enjoy boating, canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking, horseback riding, picnicking and wildlife viewing. The Rush Creek Trailhead is located near the campground at the north end of the lake, providing trail access to the Rush Creek Basin, The Ansel Adams Wilderness and Yosemite National Park.
Other campgrounds in the area include Oh Ridge, June Lake, Reversed Creek and Gull Lake.
Make a Reservation for Silver Lake
Amenities
- BBQ Grills
- Boat Launch/Ramp
- Boat Ramp
- Cafe
- Camp Store
- Campground Host
- Campsite Tables
- Cell Service Fair
- Drinking Water
- Equestrian trail
- Fire Pit
- Fire Rings
- Firewood Available
- Food Storage Locker
- Golden Age & Access Passports accepted
- Grills
- Pets OK
- Picnic Tables
- Restrooms (Flush Toilets)
- Showers
Activities
- Backpacking
- Biking
- Bird Watching
- Boating
- Boating (non motorized)
- Canoeing
- Fishing
- Fly Fishing
- Hiking
- Historic Sites
- Horseback riding
- Kayaking
- Mountain Biking
- Nature Trails
- Photography
- Picnicking
- Stargazing
- Swimming
- Wildlife Viewing
June Lake, California 93529
760 934-5795
Lat / Long:
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Campsite Types
- ADA
- Camper Van
- Primitive
- RV
- Tent
- Trailer
# of Campsites:
65
Campsite Vehicle Size:
Up to 40 feet.
Season:
Late April – Late October
Elevation:
7,200
Dump Station:
Off-Site
Nearest RV Dump Station is at Oh Ridge campground (2.5 miles).
Silver Lake Comments & Reviews
Visited Silver Lake Campground lately? We'd love to hear about your adventure. Did you find us useful? Did we forget something? Anything our community should know before heading out to Silver Lake?
campsitephotos.com
campingworld.com
How can we tell when the photos were last updated? I think this campground has been remodeled since these photos were taken.
Hi Marty,
We photographed the campsites for Silver Lake (Inyo National Forest) back in 2010 so they may be a bit dated. We will schedule a photographer to reshoot the campground in late spring (2019).
Hi you state that the best campsites are 29, 30 and 34, but yet those seem to be the only three that there are no pictures of….why?
Thanks
Dino
Hi Dino,
There’s not photos for campsite 29, 30 and 34 because we want to keep them secret ;-). Actually – thanks for pointing that out. These sites actually do not exist at Silver Lake campground and we accidentally listed them as best campsites. Our favorite campsites for Silver Lake campground are 12, 15, 17, 19, 24, 35, 36, 43, 45, 52, 55, 56 and 60. We choose these because of size, privacy (trees) – for some, and others for the views.
Hi, i’m planning on driving up to your campground for memorial weekend with no reservation and hopes of landing a site as a walk up. What are my chances of landing a site and how early do I need to be there on Saturday? Thank you
Hi Ramtin,
Silver Lake campground will be popular over Memorial Day weekend. There are 26 walk-in (first-come, first-serve sites) that will be available. All of the reservable campsites are booked over Memorial Day, so that should give you an idea that many will also try for the walk-in sites. Some people will even arrive Thursday evening to secure a site over the weekend. I’d say your chances are low to get a walk-in campsite if you arrive on Saturday (anytime). All will most likely be taken Friday evening/night.
I have the same question as Ramtin, but I’m wondering about the walk-in sites for this upcoming weekend. Any insight into availability for this upcoming weekend? And, do my chances of securing a walk-in increase if I arrive on Friday night versus Saturday morning?
Hi Brian,
Friday night will increase your chances of getting one of the walk-in campsites at Silver Lake, but weekends are always busy – and the walk-in sites may already be full if you arrive arrive Friday evening/night. You’d improve your chances with getting there around noon on Friday if you can. Best of luck!
If we showed up on a Wednesday what are the chances of us getting one of the more private (trees) tent sites?
Hi Eric,
I think you have a good chance of getting a Silver Lake tent site (more private / in trees) by showing up on Wednesday. Best of luck and hope you score a campsite you want!
Are horsetail falls still running?
Hi Derek,
We have not been up to Silver Lake campground / Horsetail Falls lately. There is still plenty of water in the creeks throughout the eastern Sierra, so it may be flowing still. Perhaps someone here has visited recently and can let us know!
Is there a place you can fill your water tank up with water? Do I have to fill my water tank before I leave Santa Rosa?
Hi Rick,
Silver Lake campground has plenty of water facets/spigots. You should be able to attach a hose and fill up your water tanks.
Will Silver Lake camp ground accommodate a fourty two foot fifth wheeL?
Thank you, I found the details
I am planning to walk into the Silver lake campground as early as possible this upcoming Saturday June 20, 2020. Is 6am arrival time early enough to arrive to get a camping site?
Hi Patrick,
The reservable campsites at Silver Lake are all booked, so that is an indication that the first-come, first-serve campsites will be in demand. Arriving Saturday morning may be iffy (Friday morning much better), but there should be a few of the first-come sites still available.
If we arrive with no availability, is there an overflow area or spot where we can park overnight? TIA
Hi Arlene,
There isn’t any overflow parking for Silver Lake campground that we are aware of, but perhaps someone else can comment if they know.
Hello. Is there a specific check in time for the first come first serve sites? I wanted to reserve early morning on a Friday (5-6 AM) and was wondering if it will be open.
Hi Christina,
Yes, you can arrive that early to get a first-come, first-serve campsite at Silver Lake. If a site is unoccupied (no vehicle or any gear) and if the tag on the sign post indicates it has not been reserved, you can take it. You can visit the camp host site to officially reserve and pay for the site. The camp host will also make the rounds sometime in the morning and you can pay then as well. Silver Lake campground is very popular, but arriving at the crack of dawn on a Friday should get you a site.
The walk-in (first-come, first-serve) campsites are 1, 6, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 39, 42, 44, 45, 50, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 and 64.
The first come, first serve campsites are listed here multiple times, but they are also listed on recreation.gov as reservable. Which is true for the summer of 2021?
Hi Tyler,
Thanks for the heads up on the reservable campsites at Silver Lake. We double checked and now all sites are reservable at Rec.gov. I’ll make the change on our campground page too.
Can site 12 Accommodate 2 – 4 person tents?
HI Pet,
Yes – Campsite #12 can fit two 4-person tents. Have fun!
What does the first come first serve availability look like for Silver Lake or any other nearby campsites arriving today for Memorial Day Weekend?
Hi Megan,
Unfortunately there is only one first-come, first-serve campsite (and only for Friday night) available available at Silver Lake over Memorial Day weekend. That one campsite will most likely be taken by this morning.
Can you have two rv’s and 2 vehicles in site 15? It is a double site.
Hi Jennifer,
Silver Lake campsite #15 can accommodate a maximum of 2 vehicles (up to 30 feet) and 6 people. You can have any combo of RVs and vehicles, but you can only have a total of 2 in the site (i.e. 1 RV + 1 Vehicle or 2 RVs or 2 Vehicles).
Do any of your campsites accommodate 35’ motorhomes? If so, which sites and do they have full hookups? Thanks!
Hi Henry,
You can click on the “Make A Reservation’ button to check the size of each campsites, as well as check availability, pricing and make a reservation. Campsites 14, 51, 53 to 63 and 65 would accommodate a rig 35 feet or more. There are also a handful of sites that are right at 35 feet maximium.
Are the showers open? If so, how do they work? Do I need a roll of quarters or???
Thanks
Hi John,
Unfortunately we’re not sure whether the showers are quarters or tokens at Silver Lake campground. Maybe someone else knows and can comment.
Can you setup two 4-people tents on Site 27 or Site 28? Not sure if there will be enough room for two tents…
Hi Victoria,
Yes, both spots have plenty of room for two 4-person tents. The grass may be a bit long (depending on time of year) though. Here are photos of campsites 27 and 28:
Are pets allowed at this campground?
Hi Destini,
Yes, pets are allowed at Silver Lake campground (on a leash).
Hi, can you tell me if campsite 43 will accommodate our 30ft travel trailer? Looks like the site is 50ft long, but the specifications say trailer up to 25ft. My husband just informed me that our total length is actually 30ft.
Hi Roxy,
Campsite #43 has a parking spur of 32 feet long and can accommodate up to two vehicles with a combined length of 32 feet. There looks to be an overhang of another few feet, but all wheels need to be on the parking pavement. Unfortunately overflow parking is not available at Silver Lake campground.
Great campground. Especially like campsite #41. It’s right across the road from Taylor Hook. Limited out there everyday on stocked rainbows.