USDA Forest Service · California
Headquarters
USDA Forest Service · California, United States
- Sites
- 42
- Hookups
- 42 with water, 40 no hookups
- Season
- Year-round
- Max RV length
- 30 ft
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 2,792 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- HEADQUARTERS C.G. (NFSR 24S21) · bituminous surface treatment · moderate degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Sequoia National Forest
- Nearest town
- KERNVILLE
- Address
- PO BOX 1640, KERNVILLE, CA, 93238
- Phone
- 760-376-1815
- Activities
- Camping, Rafting
39 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Headquarters Campground is situated along the Kern River, 6 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
Headquarters Campground offers a mix of standard, RV and tent-only sites. Picnic tables and campfire rings are provided, as are vault toilets and drinking water.
Natural Features
The campground sits within Sequoia National Forest at an elevation of 2,800 feet in an open area overlooking the Kern Wild and Scenic River. Some sites overlook the river and lie in the shade of oak, juniper and cottonwood trees. Sites sitting further from the river are more open and have little to no shade.
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.
Visitors enjoy making day trips to Sequoia National Park and Giant Sequoia National Monument.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 59° | 40° | 30° | 78° | 2 of 11 |
| February | 58° | 40° | 19° | 77° | 4 of 11 |
| March | 61° | 42° | 25° | 89° | 4 of 11 |
| April | 67° | 46° | 35° | 82° | 0 of 11 |
| May | 77° | 57° | 42° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 89° | 67° | 44° | 104° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 97° | 76° | 62° | 107° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 96° | 73° | 63° | 105° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 89° | 65° | 49° | 98° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 80° | 53° | 39° | 93° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 70° | 46° | 31° | 82° | 1 of 10 |
| December | 60° | 41° | 30° | 77° | 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
- Halfway Group Campground · USDA Forest Service · 0 mi · 5 sites
- Camp Three Campground · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 55 sites
- Thunderbird Group Campground · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 3 sites
- chico Flat Campground · USDA Forest Service · 2 mi
- Hospital Flat · USDA Forest Service · 2 mi · 36 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.