USDA Forest Service · California
Thunderbird Group Campground
USDA Forest Service · California, United States
- Sites
- 3
- Hookups
- 3 with water, 3 no hookups
- Season
- May 14 to September 11
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 2,867 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- THUNDERBIRD (NFSR 24S55) · native material · high clearance vehicles
- Lake
- Sequoia National Forest
- Nearest town
- KERNVILLE
- Address
- PO BOX 1640, KERNVILLE, California, 93238
- Phone
- 760-376-1815
3 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Thunderbird Group Campground is situated along the Kern River, 6.5 miles north of the town of Kernville. Hiking, fishing, kayaking and rafting are popular activities.
Recreation
Hiking, fishing, kayaking and rafting are popular activities in the Upper Kern River area.Click here to learn more about the area, including safety and permitting requirements and a listing of local outfitters.
Facilities
The campground offers three group sites. Picnic tables and campfire rings are provided, as are portable toilets. There is no drinking water available at this facility.
Natural Features
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.
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.
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 and Grizzly Falls.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (760) 376-1269.
Nearby Attractions
The Cannell Meadow National Recreation Trail begins just north of Kernville. The trail stretches 11.5 miles as it climbs through mixed pine and fir forest to Cannell Meadow and a historic Forest Service cabin built between 1904 and 1909. Hikers are awarded beautiful views of the Kern River Valley along the trip.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 58° | 39° | 30° | 77° | 2 of 11 |
| February | 58° | 39° | 19° | 76° | 4 of 11 |
| March | 60° | 42° | 24° | 88° | 4 of 11 |
| April | 67° | 46° | 35° | 81° | 0 of 11 |
| May | 77° | 56° | 41° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 89° | 66° | 44° | 104° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 97° | 76° | 62° | 107° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 96° | 73° | 62° | 105° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 88° | 65° | 49° | 97° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 80° | 53° | 39° | 93° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 70° | 46° | 31° | 82° | 1 of 10 |
| December | 60° | 40° | 29° | 76° | 2 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Camp Three Campground · USDA Forest Service · 0 mi · 55 sites
- chico Flat Campground · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi
- Hospital Flat · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 36 sites
- Halfway Group Campground · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 5 sites
- Headquarters · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 42 sites
All public campgrounds in California · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.