Rock Creek Lake (Eastern Sierra)
Rock Creek (Toms Place) · near Bishop / Mammoth Lakes · Eastern Sierra
Camping · Fishing
At a glance
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Elevation
- 9600
- Campsites
- Multiple campgrounds
- Season
- Summer (June–September)
- Fee
- ~$30/night
- Best season
- Opener late April–Nov 15; realistically June–October
Permits and booking
- Reservation required
- Yes
- How to reserve
- Reserve on Recreation.gov (6 months ahead; some first-come). A string of campgrounds up the Rock Creek drainage to 10,000+ ft, at the gateway to Little Lakes Valley — the most accessible alpine-lake hiking in the Sierra. Vault toilets. Seasonal.
- Licence required
- Yes
- Licence detail
- CA license (16+). General trout season and limits; heavily stocked put-and-take, including large trophy rainbows. Mandatory watercraft inspection before launching (invasive species). Confirm current CDFW rules.
What is here
- Setting
- mountain
- Amenities
- High-alpine lake & creek sites · Little Lakes Valley trailhead · Trophy trout fishing · Fall aspen color
- Best for
- High-alpine base for easy lake hiking/fishing
- Features
- Camp at 9,000–10,000 ft · Little Lakes Valley (easiest alpine hiking) · Rock Creek Lake trout fishing · Spectacular fall aspens
- Features
- Roadside alpine lake at ~9,700 ft · Trophy rainbow plants + wild browns · Boat rentals & launch at the resort · Distinct from the Little Lakes Valley backcountry
Worth knowing
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
Camping detail
- Camp type
- developed · rv
- Intl tip
- Reserve on Recreation.gov 6 months ahead (some first-come). Camp at 9,000–10,000 ft — acclimatize to the altitude. Little Lakes Valley (the easiest alpine hiking/fishing in the Sierra) is right there. Trophy trout in Rock Creek Lake. Spectacular fall aspens (late Sept). Summer only; cold nights. Off Hwy 395 at Toms Place.
Fishing detail
- Water type
- lake
- Water
- fresh
- Methods
- Bait · Spin · Trolling · Fly
- Boat
- boat
- Target species
- Stocked rainbow trout (incl. trophy) · Brown trout · Brook trout
- Intl tip
- A roadside trophy-rainbow lake — very different from the wild Little Lakes Valley above it. Rent a boat at the resort and troll, or fish the bank. Watercraft inspection required before launching. Buy licenses before you arrive.
The guide
The Rock Creek drainage above Toms Place climbs to some of the highest and most spectacular car-camping in California — a strin…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Rock Creek Lake (Eastern Sierra) — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 37.46, -118.744