Buttermilk Road — BLM Dispersed Camping

Buttermilk Road runs west out of Bishop toward the Sierra front, and the BLM land along it is some of the best free camping on the east side. You get open sagebrush flats, huge glacial boulders, and the Sierra crest filling the whole western sky. Sites are pull-offs and flat spots scattered along the road and its spurs. Nothing is marked, there are no facilities, and you pack out everything you bring. Weekends fill up fast in spring and fall, when climbers and boulderers camp here. Expect the standard BLM 14-day limit, and check current fire restrictions before you light anything. Fire rules here change with the season.

The main road is graded dirt that any careful driver can handle when it’s dry. Washboard and sandy patches get worse the farther you push up the spurs. Wind can be fierce, so stake down your rig and don’t count on shade. Bishop is a short drive back for fuel, water and groceries. Verify current conditions with the BLM Bishop Field Office before you go. Have a dirty day.

Free Sierra-front camping among the boulders