USDA Forest Service · California
Upper Sage Flat
USDA Forest Service · California, United States
- Sites
- 21
- Hookups
- 20 no hookups
- Season
- April 17 to October 24
- Max RV length
- 35 ft
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 7,799 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- BIG PINE CRK CG Q-071 (NFSR 09S21N) · asphalt · moderate degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Inyo National Forest
- Address
- INYO, CA
- Phone
- 760-935-4339
- Activities
- Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Wildlife Viewing
18 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
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.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (760) 872-4552.
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.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 36° | 23° | 2° | 56° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 35° | 21° | 3° | 52° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 39° | 24° | 8° | 64° | 9 of 11 |
| April | 47° | 28° | 10° | 60° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 59° | 38° | 20° | 71° | 7 of 11 |
| June | 73° | 50° | 28° | 82° | 1 of 11 |
| July | 80° | 58° | 50° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 77° | 56° | 49° | 83° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 70° | 50° | 40° | 78° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 60° | 41° | 11° | 73° | 4 of 10 |
| November | 50° | 34° | 11° | 66° | 7 of 10 |
| December | 41° | 27° | -5° | 55° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Big Pine Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 0 mi · 30 sites
- Mountain Glen Campground · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi
- Big Pine Canyon · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 2 sites
- Sage Flat Campground · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi
- Baker Creek Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 8 mi · 40 sites
All public campgrounds in California · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.