James D.

Campsites were good. i stayed at number 20 and it has a parking spot. Note even though all the campsites are 'booked' the campground was about half capacity on the weekend I was there. A big 'no show' from all those that booked in advanced. Fire wood is available for purchase. Nice bear lockers and big enough for a large cooler and then some. It should be noted these are the cleanest pit toilets I've ever seen. As of the date of this review the gentleman servicing the toilets is on top of it and works extra hard to keep the bathrooms clean and stocked with toilet paper. I highly recommend this as a great spot to camp for anyone wanting access to miles of hiking in the Eastern Sierra's.

Aika S.

This was absolutely the cleanest and low-key campground I've been to. I love the peace and quiet and the drive up was relatively easy (paved but curvy) compared to some other national forests I have driven to in the past. There is NO RUNNING WATER, NO FLUSH TOILETS. The toilet is a vault toilet but it was surprisingly really clean when I went at the end of the season. As of October 2021, firewood was available for $8. I had Site 14. It's actually really small. Luckily, I only needed to pitch a 2-person tent. I think it will be difficult to pitch a tent larger than that for this site. If you need to book two sites for your group, I would suggest 13/14. Site 13 was right next to us and it was a little too close in my opinion, but the group that had it reserved never showed up. Site 13 looked small too, but the site directly across from 13/14 looks like it could accommodate a 4-6 person tent! I think there are three trails nearby. One trail leads to Robinson Lake, one leads to Kearsarge Pass and the other leads to Golden Trout Lake. My boyfriend and I hiked to Gilbert Lake via Kearsarge Pass and there was hardly anyone on the trail and one party fishing at the lake. There was a lot of snow on the trails so if you're planning on going during fall/winter, plan accordingly! Check temperatures for the dates when you plan to go!!!!!

Spectacular camping and hiking! Site #3 was perfect! No water, so bring your own. And firewood. It's there, but you pay on the honor system. Say hi to a few backpackers. I met a guy from Denmark hiking the PCT. How cool is that!

Maggie M.

We were there in July 2016. Easy drive up the mountain to cooler weather. It was 15-20 degrees cooler at the campground than in Independence. We spent 3 days in sites 2 and 4. They were small spots and more secluded than some of the sites. Pros and cons to both but overall we really enjoyed it. Behind site 2 we basically had our own private meadow. Sweet! Camp Host Bill was great. Vault toilets were clean but the smell is gross (at least there were toilets though). No hand washing station, just one water spigot out side which gave you water for everything, washing up, cooking, etc. We hiked up to Robinson Lake. It was very difficult but amazing!!! It took a few hours and took us through many different types of terrain; forest, rocks, etc. but it was well worth it in the end. My teenage sisters needed a few pep talks and a few splashes of water from a stream along the way to make it to the top. One of our camping days we drove down to town to eat and get some groceries. We also checked out the Film History Museum and it was a fun little pass time. If you're driving up from SoCal and it's not too hot I also suggest stopping at the Manzanar National Historic Site for a history lesson.

Tony D.

Went up the hill for the weekend. Got to our campsite 29 around 2:00pm. No shade fortunately it wasn't too hot. Mid 70s. Setup our gear and tent. Had plenty of time to fly my drone and catch some great video of this campground. Site was very clean and someone was kind enough to leave some extra wood. We also brought our own which have us plenty. They do sell wood for 7.50 bucks is you don't have room in your car. Bear lockers are perfect size for coolers and large storage containers. The only complaint is no privacy. This is the last site in the campground loop. Its adjacent to the parking lot. However close to the John and the trash containers. Next day we hiked to flower lake with our doggies. Long hike but well worth it. Next day go up watched the eclipse which was way cool and nice to finish up the trip.

Oulie T.

Thank you fellow Yelpers. The reviews for the campground on yelp were the most helpful thing I came across when researching my stay at the onion valley campground. The campground is located high, high, high up in the John Muir Wilderness of the Sierras at 9,200 feet. You will leave the desert far behind you as you travel up, up, up, on a winding, sometimes scary, road to reach the oasis that is Onion Valley Campground. The surrounding scenery of the campground is gorgeous. Aspens, Lodgepole pines, tall pointy grey mountain peaks, several waterfalls, and a nearby stream. Could you ask for anything else?Absolutely Gorgeous!! When we first arrived our hearts sank as we didn't have a campsite reservation and we came upon a huge parking lot filled with cars. We thought for sure we were going to be out of luck. Whew!! All those cars were actually backcountry backpackers utilizing the trail to hike towards Whitney. We lucked out at 8pm on a Thursday as we snagged one of two remaining campsites. Campsite #5 was a lovely and surprisingly large site. There were 2 plots for tents. Since there was only two of us we were stretched out in luxury. Only bummer about our site was we had to park our car in the parking lot as there was no dedicated space for it directly in front of our site but it wasn't a horrible inconvenience as it was only short walking distance away. The campground host gave us exactly 7 minutes to park in front of our site and unload or things...he jokingly said we looked like trouble makers so he was going to time us....least I think he was joking when he said that. The facilities were clean and well organized. The restrooms are pit toilet's and they were well maintained. Because we were so high in elevation the area does get bear activity so you must be conscientious about putting everything in the provided bear bin and about cleaning up after yourself if you cook. We didn't encounter any bears but several deer wandered through our site. The deer are pretty oblivious to you as they munch away on the surrounding shrubs. If you didn't bring enough water there are several spigots with running water that is drinkable and I'm sure the water quality is amazing considering its most likely sourced from nearby streams. The campsites are conveniently located near several trails which are great for day hikes. The trail to Kersarge pass is almost 3,000 feet in elevation gain and about 5 miles one way. It passes by several lakes which we stopped and fished at. The fish in the lakes are the special Golden Trout. We didn't catch anything but it was a nice way to slow down and enjoy the scenery. We started our hike at 8:30 and because of all our stops we didn't get to the pass till about 5:30 We ran into a friendly solo backpacker who hiked straight through and he started at 1:30 and arrived at the pass same time we did. The Robinson lake Trail was another hike we did which was a completely different experience than our hike to Kearsarge pass. This trail takes you up past the waterfall that you see from the campground to a large alpine lake far above. It is close to a 2,500 feet gain in elevation but it isn't well maintained and it is very very steep. It's like they didn't take the time to stretch out the trail with switchbacks so you end up walking directly up a mountain. It was a fairly quick way up to the lake and definitely worth doing especially if you prefer a bit more solitude. We only encountered one other soul on this hike whereas everyone and their mother was on the hike to Kearsarge pass. Overall a great campground with fantastic access to beautiful hiking trails, alpine lakes, waterfalls, streams and fishing. Great for a quick couple of days in the Sierras to recharge.

Patrick Y.

Looking for a place to camp in the eastern Sierras and Whitney Portal is full? Try Onion Valley to the north. The campground is at 9,200 feet and sits at the trail head to the Kearsarge Pass. To get there head 13 miles west on Market Street from I-395 in Independence. The good thing is that it isn't as popular as Whitney Portal or Horseshoe Meadow, so you'll probably be able to find an open site Monday through Thursday in the afternoons of the high season. The weekends may be a problem. You can also reserve a site if you plan ahead. Speaking of planning ahead, be sure to get a wilderness pass if you want to hike into the back country. The campground has pit toilets, water, and fire wood for sale. The sites are on the small side, but they come with bear boxes and grills for the fire rings. You can park at most sites, but 7 are walk-ins. Tall conifers and lots of bushes provide adequate privacy. DO NOT BELIEVE THE OLD MAPS THAT SHOWS THE CAMPGROUND NEXT TO ROBINSON LAKE!!!!!! It is at least a 1 1/2 mile hike up a steep trail to get to the lake. There are two small waterfalls visible from the campground, though. There is a huge temperature swing between the Owens Valley floor and Onion Valley (figure about 20 to 25 degrees cooler up there). The first night we were there the winds gusted up to 30 mph or so, but the second night was calmer and in the low 40s. Bring warm clothes, even in the summer. Ghost town fans, look due west from Onion Valley Road after you pass Seven Pines for stone foundations. This is what is left of the first Kearsarge, the mining boom town that got buried under an avalanche in the late 1860s. There is another Kearsarge that was a train stop on the Carson and Colorado Railroad, but that one was down in the Owens Valley.

Chris K.

We stayed at this campsite since it was right next to the Kearsarge Pass trail head. The campsite is smaller than I anticipated with just one drive through loop. We got there late at night and found out that our site #8 did not have up front parking so we didn't set up camp that night and just slept in the car. Next morning I met the camp host who was really nice and offered us to pick any available campsite. We picked #14 which is a great site since there was plenty of shade from the trees (only a handful of sites were well shaded). The views from #14 were fantastic, we were able to have full view of the mountains from our picnic table. I posted a few pictures as well. Also wanted to point out the toilets are non-flushing they are more like port a potties but not as stinky. That might scare some folks but doesn't bother me. We hiked two trails the Robinson Lake Trail which was pretty steep and not well maintained. The Kearsarge Pass Trail was amazing since the scenery would gradually change rocky mountains to lush green lakes. Would definitely do the Kearsarge Pass Trail again. Overall we had a safe and pleasant trip would camp here again but wouldn't do reservation since there was an extra fee for reservation and you don't get a sense of how big the campsite really is or how shaded it is until you get to see it. Bringing a checkbook and doing the drive up seems to be the best and most convenient option here plus you get to pick your ideal site. Don't forget to bring your Citronella candles to ward off the mosquitoes.

M. T.

Just returned home from a great time camping up at Onion Valley over the 4th of July weekend. This outing was a make-up from last year's Memorial Day disaster! This time, the weather was beautiful with temperatures around the upper 70s to low 80s. The evening was a bit cold but still tolerable with a jacket. This weekend made up for the blizzard conditions I endured last year at Onion Valley. I basically concur with all the positive reviews below. This camping experience has set a new standard for all future camping. Kearsarge Pass Trail is well managed and easy for the fit hiker. But, for the not-so-fit, it's still a bit of a challenge--especially up at 9200 ft. Kearsarge Pass is an moderate hike that consists of a bunch of switchbacks all the way up to the lakes. Our hard-earned tax dollars has been well spent on maintaining this trail. The vault restrooms are very well kept, with the cooperation of all the respectful campers. Bring a bucket so you can carry water back to your campsite. Washing hands, feet, dishes, cleaning fish, etc. is not permitted at the water spigots. For absolute privacy, campsite #2 cannot be beat.