USDA Forest Service · California
French Gulch
USDA Forest Service · California, United States
- Sites
- 1
- Hookups
- 1 with water, 1 no hookups
- Season
- January 1 to October 24
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 2,651 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 2
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile good · AT&T good · Verizon good (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- FRENCH GULCH REC. AREA (NFSR 26S47) · bituminous surface treatment · moderate degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Sequoia National Forest
- Nearest town
- KERNVILLE
- Address
- P.O. BOX 1640, KERNVILLE, CA, 93238
- Phone
- 760-376-1815
- Activities
- Camping, Picnic Shelter
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
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.
Recreation
Visitors can enjoy swimming, water skiiing and wind surfing at Lake Isabella. There is also excellent trout and bass fishing at the lake and in other nearby streams.
Facilities
French Gulch can accommodate groups of up to 100 guests. A marina and boat ramps are available at Lake Isabella, just to the southeast.
This facility is operated by ExplorUS and comments are welcome; comment forms are available from campground hosts or online.
Natural Features
Located at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada in central California, the Sequoia National Forest 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, and 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.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 58° | 40° | 30° | 77° | 2 of 11 |
| February | 59° | 40° | 22° | 77° | 4 of 11 |
| March | 61° | 43° | 26° | 90° | 3 of 11 |
| April | 69° | 47° | 35° | 83° | 0 of 11 |
| May | 78° | 57° | 43° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 90° | 68° | 45° | 104° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 98° | 78° | 62° | 107° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 97° | 75° | 63° | 106° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 89° | 66° | 50° | 98° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 80° | 53° | 38° | 94° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 70° | 46° | 30° | 83° | 1 of 10 |
| December | 60° | 40° | 29° | 77° | 3 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
- Pioneer Point · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 80 sites
- Main Dam Campground · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi
- Hungry Gulch · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 81 sites
- Boulder Gulch · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 65 sites
- Auxiliary Dam · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 4 sites
All public campgrounds in California · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-06-13. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.