USDA Forest Service · California
Kelty Meadow
USDA Forest Service · California, United States
- Sites
- 18
- Hookups
- 1 with water, 15 no hookups
- Season
- May 14 to September 11
- Max RV length
- 30 ft
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 5,889 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
- KELTY (NFSR 06S020) · crushed aggregate or gravel · suitable for passenger cars
- Lake
- Sierra National Forest
- Address
- CA
- Phone
- 559-642-3212
- Activities
- Camping, Hiking
7 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Kelty Meadow Campground is located in a mountainous area near Bass Lake. This horse-friendly camp is shaded by pine and cedar trees alongside Kelty Creek, with campsites wide and open enough to accommodate small horse trailers, slide-ins, tent trailers or tents.
Recreation
Visitors enjoy horseback riding on logging and forest roads in the surrounding area. Most other recreational activities in the area are centered around Bass Lake.
Bass Lake offers a beach and boat ramp. Popular activities include hiking, swimming, motorized boating, canoeing, kayaking, water skiing, sailing and fishing for bass, trout, bluegill and catfish.
Facilities
Each campsite is equipped with a picnic table, campfire ring and grill. Some sites have hitching posts.
Vault toilets are available. Drinking water is not provided, but a stock water supply is available from the creek.
Natural Features
The Sierra National Forest, located on the western slope of the central Sierra Nevada, is known for its spectacular mountain scenery and abundant natural resources. The terrain includes rolling, oak-covered foothills, heavily forested middle elevation slopes and the starkly beautiful alpine landscape of the High Sierra.
Kelty Meadow Campground is located in the Bass Lake Ranger District at an elevation of 3,400 feet. Bass Lake is a very popular area known for its variety of fish, as well as the bald and golden eagles that make their home here.
Nearby Attractions
A trailhead for the Shadow of the Giants National Recreation Trail is a few miles south of the campground. This 1-mile interpretive trail gives visitors the opportunity to learn about giant sequoias that grow in this forest.
Charges & Cancellations
Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 26° | 13° | 62° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 43° | 25° | 11° | 59° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 45° | 27° | 10° | 73° | 10 of 11 |
| April | 51° | 29° | 6° | 65° | 10 of 11 |
| May | 62° | 38° | 24° | 75° | 3 of 11 |
| June | 74° | 49° | 33° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 83° | 56° | 44° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 81° | 55° | 49° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 74° | 49° | 38° | 83° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 65° | 39° | 21° | 79° | 2 of 10 |
| November | 55° | 33° | 15° | 69° | 8 of 10 |
| December | 45° | 27° | 9° | 61° | 10 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
- Texas Flats · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 4 sites
- Fresno Dome Campground · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi
- Nelder Grove · USDA Forest Service · 2 mi
- Soquel Campground · USDA Forest Service · 2 mi · 24 sites
- Big Sandy Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi
All public campgrounds in California · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-03-11. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.