Parks & Recreation

Welcome to Inyo County Parks & Recreation!

The County of Inyo will reopen the lake for water-related activities after the discovery of harmful blue-green algae blooms on Tuesday October 1st, 2024.

The Inyo County Department of Environmental Health has determined that Diaz Lake can be re-opened after recent water quality testing results. Results indicate that the algae bloom has reduced to a Tier 1 CAUTION level. This caution level can still be hazardous for pets that may drink water from the lake and recommendations remain in place to wash off with clean water after entering the lake. The conditions at Diaz Lake are being closely monitored and the public will be notified when the risk has fully subsided.

Blue-green algae – a common cyanobacterium – exist all over the world and are generally harmless unless certain conditions, such as increasingly warmer waters, cause a rapid accumulation of blooms in a water body. The algae produce toxins that can be harmful to humans and animals when they come into contact with the affected water.
In humans, exposure to blue-green algae can cause the following health effects if they touch, swallow, or inhale airborne droplets of the water: stomach pain, rash, headaches, coughing, watery eyes, nose irritation, and sore throat. According to the Center for Disease Control, more serious symptoms such as liver damage, seizure, and irregular heartbeat can occur.
Animals – including pets, livestock, and wildlife – can fall extremely ill or die if they swim in or consume large amounts of contaminated water. Symptoms include vomiting, loss of energy, stumbling and falling, and seizures.

You can make a reservation for all campgrounds at reserveamerica.com.

Inyo County Parks and Recreation offers outdoor recreation by providing and maintaining fifteen parks and campgrounds for our residents and visitors. All of the County operated campgrounds include flowing creeks in a rustic setting to enhance the camping experience.

Inyo County Parks and Recreation operates several lower elevation campgrounds that offer fishing and the creeks are regularly stocked with trout during the fishing season. Each campground is readily accessible from U.S. Highway 395.

Pleasant Valley Campground provides year-round fishing in the Owens River and the Diaz Lake Campground offers an 80-acre lake for fishing and water sport recreation. Fishing license is required. Shore fishing is allowed all year round.

The Millpond Recreation Area offers over 120-acres of park setting. The park amenities include a new disc golf course, tennis courts, play equipment, a gazebo for special events, softball fields, horseshoe pits, and a ten-acre pond for swimming and fishing and a beach area with covered picnic ramadas.

We cordially invite you to enjoy all of our parks and campgrounds.