U.S. Forest Service · Inyo National Forest · California

Aerie Crag Picnic Area and Campground

Lakeside picnic area along the Rush Creek on June Lake Loop. When local campgrounds are full this site may be opened as overflow camping for self-contained RV's. 10 sites total, great for emergencies or while waiting for something to come open.

Closed for the seasonFirst-come, first-served10 sitesFrom $21 per nightNo hookups

More like this: first-come in California

Aerie Crag Picnic Area and Campground
Photo from the area. John Murphy (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
3fires
active
Three Creeks Rx/Support Season (prescribed burn) · 9 mi away
2 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
Fees$21.00 per night.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
ForestInyo National Forest
Fees$21.00 per night.
RulesRV's only. No tent camping. No hook ups

Inyo National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Aerie Crag Picnic Area and Campground30°40°50°60°70°January: 2.66 inches of precipitation, 19.0 inches of snowFebruary: 2.71 inches of precipitation, 16.1 inches of snowMarch: 1.82 inches of precipitation, 11.6 inches of snowApril: 0.70 inches of precipitation, 3.3 inches of snowMay: 0.73 inches of precipitation, 1.6 inches of snowJune: 0.41 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowJuly: 0.51 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.42 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.31 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 0.83 inches of precipitation, 1.4 inches of snowNovember: 1.44 inches of precipitation, 4.7 inches of snowDecember: 2.56 inches of precipitation, 11.6 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 30.8°F averageFebruary: 33.4°F averageMarch: 39.3°F averageApril: 45.2°F averageMay: 52.9°F averageJune: 61.9°F averageJuly: 69.0°F averageAugust: 67.6°F averageSeptember: 60.7°F averageOctober: 50.5°F averageNovember: 40.3°F averageDecember: 32.0°F average0 in5 in10 in15 in20 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Lee Vining, 11 miles from the campground at 6,797 feet, station USC00044881 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 15 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 70 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Coordinates37.8029° N, 119.1134° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Three Creeks Rx/Support Season

    9 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Prog Bodie Hills Bridgeport Val Rx/Support Season

    25 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Cy26 Snf Rx Support

    43 mi from the campground

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗2.1 mi
Outdoor gearMountain Shop & Mountaineering School ↗25.4 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 1.2 mi
    Lower Rush Creek Loop
    1.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.5 mi
    Silver Lake Horse
    1.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.6 mi
    Rush Creek ↗
    9.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.6 mi
    Parker Bench ↗
    5.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.9 mi
    Reversed Peak Loop
    2.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.6 mi
    Gull Lake Fisherman Tr
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

Owens River Headwaters Wilderness begins about 3.7 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

Guidebooks for Inyo National Forest and California

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Inyo National Forest, California
    United States Forest Service, 2010
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Moon California Camping
    Tom Stienstra, 2022
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Camping Northern California
    Linda Parker Hamilton, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Aerie Crag Picnic Area and Campground?

No. Aerie Crag Picnic Area and Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at Aerie Crag Picnic Area and Campground?

$21.00 per night.

Source: Forest Service

Is Aerie Crag Picnic Area and Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Aerie Crag Picnic Area and Campground have?

10 sites.

Source: Forest Service

What if Aerie Crag Picnic Area and Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Silver Lake Campground June Lake (1.5 mi), Oh Ridge (2.1 mi), and June Lake (2.5 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby