Mt. Pinos Campground

Map on the site lead us to McGill Campground so we couldn’t actually stay at this site.

We came on a weekday for two nights and it was surprisingly empty at the campground. There was only one other person there so it was very quiet and relaxing. We were in #7 and it looked like the fire pit had been replaced recently so the grill was easy to use. Even though it was warm during the day it cooled down at night so it was perfect campfire weather. There was plenty of shade from the trees around the campground. The only thing that was really annoying that kept me from giving this Campground five stars is the fact that there were so many flies! Probably because of the vault toilets, which were regularly cleaned, but still stinky vault toilets.

Amazing views. Quiet mid week when I was there in July. Kinda tough to find tent level sites. Closest campground to trails to the top of the summit. Pit toilets were clean. Remember to bring your own water. About a 20 min drive to nearest grocery and gas.

Overall, we had a nice weekend at Mt. Pinos Campground & enjoyed our stay. It's hard to complain about escaping triple-digit temperatures for weather that was nearly 20 degrees cooler in the mountains! Our campsite was spacious, offered plenty of shade, & gave us enough room to spread out comfortably. We also met some great people during our stay, which made the experience even more enjoyable. There are lots of opportunities for mountain biking if that's your thing. While we skipped the biking, I did enjoy the short hike up to the Mt. Pinos Summit. The reason we're giving this campground 3 stars comes down to the bathrooms & the lack of camp hosts. The vault toilets were, without question, the worst we've ever experienced. The chemical smell was nearly unbearable, & the number of flies was absolutely disgusting. The vaults appeared to be nearly full, & because our campsite was right next to the restroom, any time the doors were left open & the breeze blew our way, relaxing in our tent or camping chairs became pretty unpleasant. Honestly, if our campsite hadn't been so open & centrally located, I would have preferred digging a hole at our campsite. Another downside is that there aren't any camp hosts staying at Mt. Pinos Campground. The camp hosts are stationed down the mountain at McGill Campground instead. We stopped by McGill and honestly wished we had booked there. They had at least two active, friendly camp hosts, and their vault toilets were a night-and-day difference—clean, well-maintained, free of swarms of flies, and they smelled like what you'd normally expect from a properly maintained vault toilet. If it weren't for the restroom situation, we'd happily return because the campground itself is beautiful, quiet, & a great escape from the summer heat. Unfortunately, the bathrooms were enough to make us think twice. Next time there's a heatwave, we'll likely give McGill Campground a try instead or bring our own portable compost toilet.

I wanted to share my feedback on the campsite we recently visited. Overall, it is a small and intimate site with only about 19 to 20 spots. Our particular spot was very close to the bathrooms. Although I didn't think much of it when making the reservation, it became an issue once we arrived. The vault toilets smelled quite bad and do not flush, so I would highly recommend bringing your own portable toilet option. Despite the bathroom situation, it was a very peaceful and relaxing experience. The park ranger was also pleasant and helpful. My husband and I loved the location and would definitely recommend it. We plan to visit again, though we will likely choose a different campsite number next time.

Love this place for the views and trail access. This campsite has room for one slightly slated tent and additional room for more with more slant.