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Each of these five locations are where we were able to camp for free on Highway 395.
We’ve been living out of our minivan traveling the Western United States for two years now. And we’ve never paid for camping. In fact, in the last ten years of camping, we’ve probably paid to camp somewhere less than a handful of times.
Camping for free isn’t just about the money. It’s about the freedom camping in the wild offers. We typically don’t have neighbors, there aren’t facilities set up taking away from the natural landscape, and our cat Georgie can roam freely as she wishes.
We recently did a road trip from Lake Tahoe down to LA via Highway 395, and these are the places we camped for free along the way.
Read More | Camping for Free In Lake Tahoe
A Few Things To Note About Camping For Free
The Rig
If you don’t have a camper van, but you want to stay in a van or RV, check out RVShare. It’s a great platform for renting RVs from others at a fairly good price.
Looking to build out a van? We’re in a minivan, and did the conversion for under 3,000 USD. Check it out here.
The Tent
Tent camping is a great option for camping on 395. In fact, our first time driving 395, we tent camped out of our Toyota Camry. However, if it’s in the colder months, it’s worth keeping in mind, that certain areas on 395 get below freezing on a regular basis. If you have the right camping gear, this isn’t an issue.
The Bathroom
If you don’t know how to properly poop and pee in the outdoors, don’t worry, we’ve got your back with this pooping outdoors guide. Alternatively, there are many different toilet options for both campers and cars that are easy to use and clean.
We’ve also found that there are way more bathrooms along Highway 395 in places you don’t expect them than we imagined.. so if you have a good bathroom schedule, you may just be able to hold it until you find a toilet.
5 Epic Places to Camp For Free On 395 North to South
The following locations are exact coordinates of places we personally camped at during our Highway 395 road trip. Each place was accessible with our 2WD low-clearance minivan, and we never had to use more than two leveling blocks.. In fact, most of the locations are really flat.
Always properly dispose of your trash and human waste.. and never leave a fire unattended. Be mindful that even in October/November all of this area was in a fire ban.
Buckeye Hot Springs
- Location | 38.238808, -119.331646
- Amenities | bathrooms in main parking lot
Okay, these hot springs are freaking fantastic. After two weeks in Tahoe, we were desperate to find something to warm us up, and Buckeye Hot Springs did the trick!
While you can’t camp at the actual hot springs, there are many different places to camp in the general area, all within walking distance from the hot springs.
The coordinates above are from the exact location we camped at. And it was about a five-minute walk along the creek to get to the hot springs from this camping area.
This area was a bit rough getting to, as the road was super washboard. However, we made it just fine, and ended up spending three days at Buckeye Hot Spring, making the drive there even more worth the rough road.
There are bathrooms and picnic tables in the main parking lot to Buckeye Hot Spring, and we found we actually had cell service up in the main parking lot too. However, at camp, we were down in the valley more, so no cell service, Starlink worked great though.
Mono Lake Overlook
- Location | 37.922657, -119.041879
- Amenities | none
We pulled up to this campsite in the night, and holy smokes, the views we woke up to in the morning were incredible. So much so we ended up staying a second night here.
There are many different places to camp in this general area, however, we recommend scouting the road before driving past this spot, as it gets a bit sandy and there were multiple places with evidence of others getting stuck.
If you’re staying at the Mono Lake Overlook, hiking up to Panum Crater is a good walk. You also must visit the South Tufas Trail. This is an incredibly odd natural phenomenon to see… especially good at sunset or sunrise!
There are bathrooms and proper bear-proof trash cans at the South Tufas Trailhead. If you’re looking for food that comes highly recommended by multiple people, check out the Mobile Gas Station in Lee Vining.
Mammoth Hot Springs
- Location | 37.659298, -118.771083
- Amenities | porta potty + dumpster
There are multiple different hot springs in Mammoth that you can camp at, but the coordinates above are for Wild Willy’s Hot Spring.
Wild Willy’s is the largest of the hot springs in the area and the only one with a porta potty and dumpster available. Locals will say Wild Willy’s is their least favorite hot spring in the area, but we actually found it was our favorite.
It was the most natural setting, and while it can get extremely crowded, camping at it provides hot springs with fewer people since you wake up so close!
The Mammoth area is gorgeous, with massive peaks right in view. It’s also an area that gets extremely cold. So be sure to be prepared for cold weather here. We found the hot springs in the area made it much easier to endure the below freezing temps at night!
Hot Creek Overlook
- Location | 37.663709, -118.827044
- Amenities | toilets and trash at nearby viewing area
This was by far my favorite place to camp out of all the places we camped along Highway 395. The views here are just breathtaking, and holy smokes, this night was perfect.
Hot Creek is a geological area that’s popular to tourists, however, this camp spot is just off to the side of the busyness and can be serene. There are a handful of places to camp along the cliff’s edge here, so don’t worry if this exact spot is taken, there are other options nearby.
From this overlook, we watched a storm literally form and come in over the Sierras, so we had to quickly pack up and leave on our second day here.. otherwise, we probably would have stayed for multiple nights!
There are bathrooms and dumpsters within walking distance from this camp spot at the main parking area for the Hot Creek Geological Site.
Alabama Hills
- Location | 36.621051, -118.112388
- Amenities | none
I’ve been wanting to visit Alabama Hills for over a year, and so when the opportunity came up for us to stay in this area, I was so stoked!
Views of Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the lower 48, and the surrounding mountains, fun rocks to climb on, and opportunities for easy peddling on mountain bikes.. this area is so cool!
The above coordinates are where we stayed for the first two nights in Alabama Hills. However, we stayed in other places too, and there are so many places to camp here.
The entire Alabama Hills area is public land, but recently there are more regulations for exactly where you can and cannot camp. So if you camp in this area, be sure to camp where there are the little tent signs.
It’s worth noting, Movie Road, the road you drive in on, and the main road in Alabama Hills is super washboard. Taking it slow and steady is a great way to not only enjoy the views but also take care of your vehicle.
There are so many really great camp spots in all of Alabama Hills, for both tents and RVs, so don’t feel like you need to make it to the exact coordinates above.
Porta Potties were set up at the Mobius Arch parking lot, but no other facilities are in the area. Pack out everything you pack in!
Two Weeks Road Tripping Down California 395
We’re at the end of our two week road trip from Tahoe to LA, and this road trip route did not disappoint. From epic campsites to breathtaking scenery, California Highway 395 really has it all.
Again, we personally stayed at all of the above mentioned campsites, most of them for 2-3 nights. We did spend some extra nights at other hot springs in Mammoth, or other locations in Alabama Hills, but these were our favorite places of the bunch.
If you’re interested in more things to do along Highway 395, check out this post here. And shoot, if you’re heading up to Lake Tahoe, you’ll find a list of free campsites, just like this post here, and free things to do in Tahoe here.
Highway 395 Road Trip Tips + More
Can’t Miss Stops On Highway 395
Road Trip Apps For Saving Money and More
Things To Do For Free In Lake Tahoe
A Photo Journal of Bear Week in Lake Tahoe
