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

Big Sandy Campground

Big Sandy Campground is a large sandy flat adjacent to Big Creek. Road access is paved and dirt. Total number of sites is 18. Sites have grills, fire rings and tables. Some sites have shade. Drinking water is not provided.

Closed for the seasonFirst-come, first-served18 sitesFrom $23 per nightTents only

More like this: first-come in California · tent only in California

Big Sandy Campground
Photo from the area. Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
2fires
active
Cy26 Snf Rx Support (prescribed burn) · 26 mi away
1 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
FeesSingle site $23.62 ($26.22) Additional Vehicle Fee: $7.00 per night, per vehicle (taxes included)

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.
SeasonMay to September
ForestSierra National Forest
FeesSingle site $23.62 ($26.22) Additional Vehicle Fee: $7.00 per night, per vehicle (taxes included)
RulesMaximum group size is 6 people per site. Maximum vehicle length is 20 feet. Maximum length of stay is 14 days.

Sierra National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Big Sandy Campground30°40°50°60°70°January: 7.57 inches of precipitationFebruary: 6.68 inches of precipitationMarch: 5.18 inches of precipitationApril: 3.42 inches of precipitationMay: 1.92 inches of precipitationJune: 0.53 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.16 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.11 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.47 inches of precipitationOctober: 2.22 inches of precipitationNovember: 3.29 inches of precipitationDecember: 5.64 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 35.8°F averageFebruary: 36.2°F averageMarch: 39.0°F averageApril: 42.8°F averageMay: 50.3°F averageJune: 58.5°F averageJuly: 65.4°F averageAugust: 64.6°F averageSeptember: 59.7°F averageOctober: 50.6°F averageNovember: 41.5°F averageDecember: 35.1°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at So Entrance Yosemite NP, 4 miles from the campground at 5,047 feet, station USC00048380 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 37 inches a year.

Getting there

Coordinates37.4678° N, 119.5816° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Cy26 Snf Rx Support

    26 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Three Creeks Rx/Support Season

    37 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 ↗6.3 mi
Outdoor gearSierra Nevada Trading Company ↗8.2 mi

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

Explore

Video

Big Sandy Camping trip

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 1.8 mi
    Graveyard of Giants
    3.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.5 mi
    Star Lakes
    3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 2.5 mi
    Chimney Tree
    1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.6 mi
    Bull Buck
    0.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.7 mi
    Fresno Dome
    0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.9 mi
    Dutchman Lake
    2.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trailheads within three miles

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 →

This campground sits inside Sierra National Forest.

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 California

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

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Big Sandy Campground?

No. Big Sandy 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 Big Sandy Campground?

Single site $23.62 ($26.22) Additional Vehicle Fee: $7.00 per night, per vehicle (taxes included)

Source: Forest Service

Is Big Sandy Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026. Season May to September.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Big Sandy Campground have?

18 sites.

Source: Forest Service

Can I bring an RV to Big Sandy Campground?

Big Sandy Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

What if Big Sandy Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Fresno Dome Campground (2 mi, first-come), Nelder Grove Campground (2.5 mi, first-come), and Kelty Meadow (2.8 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby