Activities
BIKING, CAMPING, INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMS, FISHING, HIKING, HORSEBACK RIDING, OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE, FIRE LOOKOUTS/CABINS OVERNIGHT, HORSE CAMPING
Sequoia National Forest Camping Reservations
Reserve your campsite at these Sequoia National Forest camping areas:
ASPEN HOLLOW GROUP >> Camping Area
Aspen Hollow Group sits at an elevation of 5,300 feet within the Giant Sequoia National Monument, adjacent to Kings Canyon National Park. The campground sits just one mile from Hume Lake, an 87-acre man-made lake in the Kings River Watershed.
BELKNAP >> Camping Area
Belknap Campground sits by a small stream and sequoia grove at 5,000 feet elevation in the Giant Sequoia National Monument. The Tule River and Belknap Creek run through or near the campground.
Big Meadow Campground >> Camping Area
Big Meadows Campground is located 75 miles east of Fresno, California, in the Sequoia National Forest and Sequoia National Monument. The campground sits at an elevation of 7,500 feet and has views of the meadow and surrounding mountains.
Please note, this campground IS NOT within Shenandoah National Park.
BOULDER GULCH >> Camping Area
Boulder Gulch Campground is nestled in the foothills of the high desert at an elevation of 2,650 feet, just a short drive from Lake Isabella. The facility sits in the Giant Sequoia National Monument, offering countless recreational opportunities for visitors.
CAMP 9 >> Camping Area
Camp 9, a year-round facility, rests on the shores of Lake Isabella, a high desert reservoir. Its proximity to the lake and the Upper Kern River makes the facility popular among boaters, rafters and anglers. The camp is also a favorite among RV campers, with ample parking available to accommodate both trailers and motorized watercraft.
CAMP THREE CAMPGROUND >> Camping Area
Camp Three Campground is set amidst oak and locust trees at an elevation of 2,800 feet on the Upper Kern River, offering countless recreational opportunities for visitors.
COVE GROUP >> Camping Area
Cove Group Campground is set an elevation of 6,400 feet, just 18 miles from Lake Hume in California’s Sequoia National Forest. Several trails pass nearby, offering excellent hiking, and streams along the way provide trout fishing. At Lake Hume visitors enjoy swimming, boating, fishing and hiking.
COY FLAT >> Camping Area
Coy Flat is a small, charming group campsite located within the Giant Sequoia National Monument at an elevation of 5,000 feet, near the 4,666-acre Belknap Grove.
ESHOM CAMPGROUND >> Camping Area
Located in the Giant Sequoia National Monument at 4,800 feet in elevation, this facility is nestled among ponderosa pine, cedar, Sequoia and other conifers. This Forest Service campground is part of the Hume Lake Ranger District in Sequoia National Forest. It is located approximately 80 miles northeast of Fresno, CA, near Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks.
FAIRVIEW CAMPGROUND >> Camping Area
Fairview Campground sits in an area dotted with oak and gray pine along the Upper Kern River, a designated Wild and Scenic River, at an elevation of 3,500 feet. The campground, located 13 miles north of Kernville, has 48 paved sites configured around three loops. Some sites have views of or direct access to the river. Picnic areas, vault toilets and drinking water are provided. There is a restaurant next to the campground.
FIR GROUP >> Camping Area
Fir Group Campground sits near Hume Lake in the Sequoia National Forest, amidst pines and at an elevation of 5,250 feet. Hume Lake was built to support a one-time commercial logging operation, and sits in the Kings River Watershed, a region of the Sierra Nevada mountains replete with vast stands of timber.
FRENCH GULCH >> Camping Area
French Gulch Campground sits 3 miles from the western shores of Lake Isabella, a 27-acre reservoir off the Kern River, in the expansive Sequoia National Forest.
FROG MEADOW GUARD STATION >> Camping Area
NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING RESERVATIONS. Frog Meadow Guard Station sits at a meadow’s edge at an elevation of 7,760 feet in the heart of the the Sequoia National Forest and Sequoia National Monument. The cabin is two hours northeast of Bakersfield, California. It was constructed in the mid-1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps as a residence for Forest Service fire patrolmen stationed in the area. The cabin sleeps ten. For larger groups, Frog Meadow Campground is a quarter-mile away and has ten sites that are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
GOLDLEDGE CAMPGROUND >> Camping Area
Goldledge Campground is situated along the Kern River, 10 miles north of the town of Kernville. Hiking, fishing, kayaking and rafting are popular activities. The campground sits within Sequoia National Forest at an elevation of 3,200 feet in an open area with limited shade, overlooking the Kern Wild and Scenic River. Gray pine, scrub oak, grasses and shrubs cling to steep, canyon walls along the river, and cottonwoods and willows dot the riverbanks.
15. GROUSE VALLEY >> Camping Area
Grouse Valley is located in the Giant Sequoia National Monument within Sequoia National Forest. The facility is a complex of two cabins; the Lakeside Cabin and the Hillside Cabin. The Lakeside Cabin is the largest of the two and can accommodate up to 12 people. The Hillside Cabin accommodate up to 10 people. The property is nestled in an open scenic valley, which contains two lakes surrounded by pine and oak trees and a few small fruit and nut orchards. The serenity and open space provided at Upper Grouse presents visitors with a rare opportunity to enjoy the Sequoia National Forest apart from the traditional campground experience.
HEADQUARTERS >> Camping Area
Headquarters Campground is situated along the Kern River, 6 miles north of the town of Kernville. Hiking, fishing, kayaking and rafting are popular activities.
HOLEY MEADOW >> Camping Area
The Sequoia National Forest, located at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada in central California, takes its name from the giant sequoia, the world’s largest tree, which grows in more than 30 groves on the Forest’s lower slopes. The Forest comprises about 1.1 million acres.
Elevations range from about 1,000 to 12,000 feet, creating precipitous canyons and mountain streams with spectacular waterfalls such as Salmon Creek Falls near Fairview and Grizzly Falls on the Kings River.
This remote campground is popular with hikers and people who want to tour the giant sequoias, including the Trail of a Hundred Giants.
HOSPITAL FLAT >> Camping Area
Hospital Flat Campground is situated along the Kern River, 6.5 miles north of the town of Kernville. Hiking, fishing, kayaking and rafting are popular activities.
HUME LAKE >> Camping Area
Hume Lake Campground is a popular facility along Hume Lake, one of Sequoia National Forest’s most visited destinations. The area offers year-round recreational opportunities, including fishing, canoeing, hiking, biking, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
HUNGRY GULCH >> Camping Area
Hungry Gulch Campground sits 3 miles from Lake Isabella in the Sequoia National Forest of California. Visitors enjoy swimming, waterskiing, windsurfing and fishing on the scenic lake. The campground is situated on a pine-covered hillside, 3 miles from Lake Isabella’s western shores at an elevation of 2,640 feet. Many sites have views of Lake Isabella off in the distance.
Sequoia National Forest, located at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada in central California, is named for the giant sequoia, the world’s largest tree, which grows in more than 30 groves on the forest’s lower slopes.
LIVE OAK >> Camping Area
Reservations not being accepted. Live Oak Campground is located across the road from Lake Isabella, a popular destination for boating, windsurfing, fishing and swimming. Lake Isabella sits within Sequoia National Forest, just 6 miles from the town of Lake Isabella.
LIVE OAK SOUTH >> Camping Area
Reservations not being accepted. Live Oak South Campground is located across the road from Lake Isabella, a popular destination for boating, windsurfing, fishing and swimming. Lake Isabella sits within Sequoia National Forest, just 6 miles from the town of Lake Isabella.
LOGGER FLAT GROUP >> Camping Area
Logger Flat Group Camping is situated in the Sequoia National Forest, a short drive from Hume Lake, one of the forest’s most visited destinations. Windsurfing and fishing are popular activities. The campground offers one group site that can accommodate up to 50 people and 30 vehicles or a combination of 20 cars and 10 RVs. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided, but no electric hookups are available.
LONG MEADOW GROUP >> Camping Area
Long Meadow Group Campground is a remote facility within Sequoia National Forest, in the southern portion of Giant Sequoia National Monument. The area is named for the giant sequoia, the world’s largest tree, which grows in more than 30 groves on the forest’s lower slopes.
MOUNTAIN HOME GUARD STATION CABIN >> Camping Area
The Mountain Home Guard Station not available for reservations.
The Mountain Home Guard Station sits in a cluster of firs, pines and Giant Sequoia in the Sequoia National Monument in the Sequoia National Forest at an elevation of 6,000 feet. The cabin is a two-hour drive from Bakersfield, California.
The Guard Station was built in the early 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCCs) as a residence for Forest Service fire patrolmen stationed in the area.The exterior is constructed of redwood board over diagonal sheeting nailed to a standard wooden frame. The cabin still has many original features, including kitchen cabinets and wood floors.
The cabin offers many amenities, including water and propane-powered appliances, but it does not have electricity; guests must bring their own flashlights and lamps.
The nearest store is one hour away, in Springsville, so guests must plan accordingly for their stay.
OAK FLAT LOOKOUT >> Camping Area
The Oak Flat Lookout sits the Greenhorn Mountains in the Sequoia National Forest and Sequoia National Monument, about an hour from Bakersfield, California. Perched at an elevation of 4,900 feet, the tower overlooks the scenic Kern River and Kern River Valley and has panoramic views of the mountains, river and valley.
Oak Flat Lookout was constructed in 1934 to provide fire detection views along the Kern River Canyon. In the early years of the Forest Service, lookouts provided a crucial link in wild land management, often being the only source of communication and fire detection for many miles. The lookout was operational until the 1980s.
There is no electricity or water in the lookout. All provisions, including food, water and bedding, must be carried up 40 steep steps to the tower space or pulled hand-over-hand in a small basket pulley system.
27. PARADISE COVE >> Camping Area
Paradise Cove Campground sits near Lake Isabella in the beautiful Sequoia National Forest. The 11,000-acre lake marks the division between the Upper and Lower Kern Rivers.
28. PIONEER POINT >> Camping Area
Reservations not being accepted. Pioneer Point is a high-desert campground near Lake Isabella in the Sequoia National Forest. The 11,000-acre lake is actually a reservoir, one of California’s largest, and it marks the division between the Upper and Lower Kern Rivers.
29. POSO GUARD STATION CABIN >> Camping Area
The Poso Guard Station Cabin is situated on a mountain top in the Giant Sequoia National Monument in the Sequoia National Forest. Perched at an altitude of 4,480 feet, the cabin is only an hour from Bakersfield, California. The cabin has expansive views of the San Joaquin Valley and surrounding mountains, including Tobias Peak, and is a great base for a forest getaway.
Poso Station Cabin was constructed in 1933 near the small town of Posey to provide a residence for fire patrolmen stationed in that area. The exterior is constructed of board and batten-style paneling nailed to a standard wooden frame. The interior has been modified with paneling, modern sliding glass windows and modern counter tops in food preparation area.
30. PRINCESS >> Camping Area
Princess Campground sits next to a large meadow at an elevation of 5,900 feet in the Indian Basin Grove. The campsite is just 3 miles northwest of Hume Lake.
The 87-acre lake was built to support a one-time commercial logging operation, and is part of the Kings River Watershed, a region of the Sierra Nevada mountains replete with vast stands of timber. The lake now provides countless recreational opportunities for visitors.
31. QUAKING ASPEN >> Camping Area
Quaking Aspen Campground is situated in the Giant Sequoia National Monument near numerous distinctive sequoia groves, including McIntyre Grove and Freeman Creek Grove, at an elevation of 7,000 feet.
32. QUAKING ASPEN CABIN >> Camping Area
Quaking Aspen Cabin is situated in the Sequoia National Forest, about an hour from Springville, California.
The cabin was originally built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps and was used by the Forest Service to house fire patrol, recreation workers and other personnel. Located just inside Quaking Aspen Campground, the cabin is available to rent from mid-May through mid-October.
33. REDWOOD MEADOW >> Camping Area
Redwood Meadow Campground located within Sequoia National Forest, in the southern portion of Giant Sequoia National Monument. The area is named for the giant sequoia, the world’s largest tree, which grows in more than 30 groves on the forest’s lower slopes.
34. SANDY FLAT >> Camping Area
Sandy Flat Campground is set back from the Lower Kern River at an altitude of 2,300 feet near the town of Lake Isabella. Campsites are a short walk from the river, offering countless recreational opportunities for visitors.
35. STONY CREEK SEQUOIA >> Camping Area
Stony Creek Campground sits on the northern side of Hume Lake, about 18 miles from the shore, set amidst Sequoia and jeffrey pines and at an elevation of 5,250 feet. Stony Creek offers nearly 50 reservable campsites, spread out along the creek. Vault toilets, drinking water and an amphitheater are available at the campground.
This facility is operated by Sequoia Recreation, a division of California Land Management and comments are welcome; comment forms are available from campground hosts or online.
36. TILLIE CREEK >> Camping Area
Tillie Creek campground is nestled in oak trees on the shores of Lake Isabella, a popular destination for water activities, especially windsurfing and fishing.
The 11,000-acre lake is actually a reservoir, one of California’s largest, and it marks the division between the Upper Kern and Lower Kern Rivers.
37. Trapper Creek Campground >> Camping Area
Trapper Creek Campground is located in the Crescent Ranger District of Deschutes National Forest. Heavily forested and situated on a small stream that feeds into Odell Lake, this campground is a favorite in the area.
Sparkling lakes, tranquil streams and nearby scenic peaks provide visitors with the perfect backdrop for fishing, boating, hiking and biking throughout the area.
38. WHITE RIVER >> Camping Area
The White River Campground sits in a stand of mature cedar along the banks of the White River at an altitude of 4,000 feet.
The campgrounds are approximately 8 miles from the popular California Hot Springs.
39. WISHON >> Camping Area
Wishon Campground straddles two forks of the Tule River in the Sequoia National Forest, sitting at an elevation of 4,000 feet. A creek runs through the site into the Tule River, which originates in the Golden Trout Wilderness.
40. WISHON CABIN >> Camping Area
Wishon Cabin sits amid oaks and pines in the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains in the Sequoia National Forest. The cabin, perched at an elevation of 3,900 feet, is located at the entrance of the Wishon Campground, about an hour drive from Springville, California.
The cabin was originally built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps and was used by the Forest Service to house fire patrol, recreation workers and other personnel. It is now available for rent year-round, allowing visitors to enjoy the forest and available recreation.
Hiking Trails
Looking for nice hiking areas to take a hike? Choose from these scenic hiking trails:
Johnsondale Bridge River Access Boating Site
Little Boulder Grove Trailhead (East)
Western Divide Ranger District
Little Boulder Grove Trailhead (West)
Related Link(s)
More California Recreation Areas
Welcome to one of the most beautiful National Forests for recreation activities. The Sequoia National Forest is sure to provide a wonderful recreational experience.
Finding a Recreation Area or Activity
On our website, recreation opportunities are organized by districts or activity type. Note the area on our forest you’d like to stay or explore, under the right column heading ‘Areas & Activities’, ‘Find an Area’ select the district that covers that area, then view/select the available recreation activities. Or, choose an activity under the Recreation heading on the left side of the webpage and see where on the forest it is offered. Either way, we’re sure you’ll find exceptional recreation opportunities on the The Sequoia National Forest.
Select the district you plan to visit:
You can learn more by viewing our Recreation Opportunity Guides as well.
Leave No Trace
Remember to “Leave No Trace” when visiting the Forest so everyone can enjoy its scenic beauty for years to come!
