Saddlebag Campground / Highway 120

Saddlebag Campground        

Area: Tioga Pass

Administered by: Inyo National Forest / Mono Basin Scenic Area Ranger Station and Visitor Center (760) 647-3044

Elevation: 10.087

Season Length: 6/1-10/15 - subject to weather conditions

Contacts: Lee Vining Chamber of Commerce (info@leevining.com; Visiting Mono Lake www.monolake.org/visiting/; Mono Lake Visitor Center (http://www.monolake.org/monomap/vc.htm

Number of sites: 20

Fee: $17.

RV sites:  Yes   RV’s up to: 40 feet but there is a scarcity of level sites No Hook-ups Garbage: containers

Toilets: Vault    Water: Yes      Picnic tables and fire grills                     

Nearest town: Lee Vining

Nearby facilities: Small store and café, fishing tackle, boat rental and boat taxi to the Twenty Lakes Basin. ( www.saddlebaglakeresort.com)

Nearby fishing: Saddlebag Creek, Ellery Lake, Gardisky Lake, Tioga Lake

Reservations: No

Additional information:  The campground is about a quarter of a mile from the lake with an excellent trail to the Twenty Lakes Basin.  The boat taxi, however, shaves off three miles.  Be prepared for cold weather at this elevation.  If you plan a hike, be aware that it is not uncommon for hikers living at lower elevations to experience aching lungs, headaches and nausea due to altitude sickness.  Be sure to drink plenty of purified or filtered water all day on the trail whether you are thirsty or not.  Bring along sun screen, sun glasses, a hat and an outer garment.  Additionally, I always recommend carrying in your day pack a first aid kit, a plastic rain coat and a mosquito net just in case.

Please note that the dates and prices above are subject to change and reflect 2007 data.  If listed, the campground opening dates are approximate due to weather conditions

Directions: From the junction of Highway 120 and Highway 395 just outside Lee Vining, take Highway 120 approximately eleven miles to the Saddlebag Lake Road on the right.  Turn onto Saddlebag Road and drive 2.5 miles to the campground.