- Aug 30, 2022
- 19 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Camp Three Campground by Kern River
We’ve tried a few different campgrounds in the Sequoia National Forest, but this one is our favorite! Right along Kern River, this spot is great for a summertime getaway for couples or for a group of friends to get out of the city for a few days. But beware: it's a completely different experience if you visit on a drought year or a rainy year!
CONTENTS
Where is Camp Three Campground?
Camp Three Campground is located only 10 minutes up the road from the small town of Kernville, CA, which is approximately a 3-hour drive north of Los Angeles, just inside the Sequoia National Forest. Even though it’s so close to the town, you rarely feel like it, allowing you to disconnect from the world (and your mobile network) without losing the convenience of getting anything you need a short distance away.
Even though it is in the Sequoia National Forest, do not confuse that with the Sequoia National Park, which is where you’ll see the gorgeous Giant Sequoia trees. But the scenery in the National Forest is still beautiful! You can expect mountains, trees, boulders, wildlife, and the Kern River, just not the huge trees (and no National Park entrance fee either).
How to Get to Camp Three Campground
As you drive north out of Kernville along Sierra Way, which turns into Mountain Highway 99, look for the sign on the right side of the road for Camp Three Campground, and the campground entrance will be across the street from it on your left. It's not far past Headquarters Campground as you're driving north, but if you pass Chico Flat Campground, you've gone too far. Google Maps has previously shown Camp Three Campground at the wrong location, which we reported and got fixed, but just in case, you can use the map above to find the exact spot of the campground entrance.
Pro Tip: You probably won't have cell reception once you leave Kernville or while you're in Kern Canyon coming over from Bakersfield, so make sure you have your map downloaded on your phone before you go.
As you’d expect for any camping trip, you will need a car. If you don’t have a car (or need a bigger one to fit all your stuff), we recommend finding inexpensive car rentals through Turo. We aren't sponsored by them; it's just the service we use.
If you’re starting in Los Angeles like us, then Camp Three Campground is a 3-hour drive north (following I-5) through Bakersfield to Kernville. There's an alternate route that takes CA-14 north through Palmdale and past Red Rock Canyon State Park that's also nice, but you'll miss the views in Kern Canyon (more on that in a second).
We recommend getting to Kernville around 1pm for lunch at the Kern River Brewing Co. before heading the last 10 minutes up the road to the campground, where check-in technically starts at 2pm. If there’s no one staying in your campsite the night before you, it would probably be fine to get there earlier to start setting up camp before it gets too hot, but lunch at the brewery beforehand has become something we really look forward to!
Between Bakersfield and Kernville, you’ll drive through the dramatic Kern Canyon. Even though Bakersfield is rather flat, the landscape changes very suddenly as you enter the canyon, with towering mountains and tall rock faces hugging one side of the winding road while the other side falls away to the Kern River below. This section of the drive is one of our favorite parts of going camping in this area because it is so beautiful! Just make sure that whoever is driving is going to be comfortable with it, because it can be harrowing at times. Remember to take it slow, because there aren’t a lot of guardrails in places where there honestly should be, and if there’s a local behind you wanting to go faster, there are a few turnoff points where you can pull over and let people pass if needed. This stretch of two-lane road lasts for 12 miles before it opens up a bit more again, so take your time, be safe, and enjoy the scenery!
Side Note: On years when California had an extra rainy winter, Kern Canyon Road may take extra time due to maintenance. Kern River can flood onto the road at a few low points and rock slides can cause severe damage too, so don't be surprised if it's shut down to 1 lane at times with someone directing traffic to let each direction pass, one at a time.
If, for whatever reason, Kern Canyon is closed to all through traffic, which happened to us when we were driving up on our most recent visit, the drive up the 14 from Los Angeles and then the 178 heading west into Kernville also has some nice scenery. Plan to make a quick stop at Red Rock Canyon State Park to marvel at the rock formations and use the vault toilets if needed. Click here to open Google Maps for the exact spot we like to stop. Then enjoy spotting TONS of Joshua Trees along the 178 and prolonged views of Lake Isabella as you drive the rest of the way into Kernville.
Take a close look at the water level in these two photos. The large rock in front of Adam is the same rock in both pictures! One is from June 2022 during a drought and the other is from 2025 after a rainy winter.
About Kern River
Kern River is a Wild and Scenic River, which is an official designation enacted by the U.S. Congress to preserve certain rivers in their natural form. This means that Kern River cannot be dammed and must be left in its free-flowing condition. While this designation is a great thing to have, it also means that Kern River is wildly different depending on what section you visit, as well as how much rain California has gotten that year. Some areas are shallow and safe to wade into, while other areas are used for white water rafting tours.
The current of Kern River can be extremely dangerous at times, especially the summer after a rainy winter, and has previously caused multiple people to drown. Right around the time we went camping here the first time, when the river was relatively low, a young girl fell off her inflated tube somewhere closer to town while enjoying the river with her family and was nearly strangled by her ill-fitting life vest. Luckily, a man fishing on the edge of the river saw it happen and immediately jumped in to save her, so the story had a happy ending, but it just goes to show that safety in this river is not to be taken lightly.
With that being said, we had a fantastic time in the section of Kern River by our campsite when we visited on a drought year. There were large boulders throughout the river that we climbed on and we were able to wade through water that went up to maybe 3ft deep - just be cautious of the current mixed with the very rocky river floor. Wear water shoes, walk slowly, keep a very close eye on any little ones, and don’t go in if you’ve had a lot to drink. However, in summers after a rainy winter, Kern River grew significantly and a small tributary formed on the edge of our campsites, and that became our hangout spot for while the river itself was too dangerous to swim in.
Kern River is a fantastic place to cool off during the summer months as long as you’re staying safe; we even took a few small water guns and had a blast! It’s a beautiful area, so enjoy it!
Facilities and Rules at Camp Three Campground
These are some things I think we all need or at least like to know about before we go to any new campground, so here’s what to expect at Camp Three:
Tents, RV's, and Camper Trailers Welcome
This campground has 52 paved campsites that are all tent and and RV/trailer friendly. Max vehicle length is 40ft at 6 of the campsites, and the rest vary for shorter lengths. Click here to see our detailed video of campsite tours along the western side of Camp Three Campground so you can find your perfect spot.
Water
There are several water spigots throughout the campground (look near the bathrooms if you’re having a hard time finding one), but our experience in this area has been mixed with whether or not that water is clean. On our most recent visit, the water was clean and safe to drink, but we recommend talking to the camp host first before you use it just to be safe. The other option is to bring all the water you’ll need, not only for drinking but for washing hands and dishes too. And remember, worst case scenario, you can drive 10 minutes back into Kernville to buy water, although it may be a little more expensive than the grocery store where you live. We usually go to Sierra Gateway Market in Kernville for anything we need, which is also a good place to buy firewood.
Fire Restrictions and Firewood
Whether or not you'll be allowed to have a campfire generally depends on how much rain the area has gotten. Of the 4 times we've camped in this area, we were allowed to have fires for 3 of them. You can look for alerts and current conditions on this page of the Forest Service's website.
Each campsite has its own fire ring with a grill, although the styles vary pretty widely in this campground. You can buy firewood in Kernville for around $10 per bundle, but the camp hosts actually came around and sold us some directly at our campsite during our last visit for the same price, so that was convenient! (Just make sure you bring a little cash.) Remember that you should not bring firewood from more than 10 miles away and you shouldn't be gathering it around your campsite either.
Before your trip, you'll need to obtain a free California Campfire Permit online, even if you will only be using a propane stove. It only takes a few minutes and will teach you the proper way to put out your campfire to prevent wildfires. Please don't skip this!
It’s important to respect the fire restrictions and to pay attention to the simple permit requirements because wildfires are a very real problem in California. Every year, acres upon acres of our beautiful state burn due to someone’s carelessness, so please do your part to keep this beautiful area safe from wildfires.
Cooking
Each individual campsite has its own picnic table and a fire ring with a grill. While the fire ring grill set-up differs from site to site, they all had something that would work from what we saw. Just remember that you should not rely on the campfire for cooking in case fire restrictions prohibit you from having one. Take a propane stove just in case.
Bear Boxes and Food Storage
Every campsite also has its own bear box (or it should), which you should absolutely use. While we’ve never seen a bear in this area, we have seen skunks several times, and they are BRAVE. They will get into your trash, even if you’re sitting close by, so use the bear box - especially at night - and do not leave any food out on your picnic table, in a cooler that isn’t bear-proof, and especially not in your tent. You should never feed any wildlife, including birds and chipmunks; it's not good for them!
Bathrooms
There are multiple vault toilets available throughout the campground. “Vault” toilets are like porta-potties but are permanent structures, so there’s no flushing and you do NOT want to drop anything in there accidentally. We've never noticed a bad smell coming from the buildings there, even in nearly 100° heat. There’s no handwashing available though, so make sure you bring hand soap and clean water for that, plus some hand sanitizer.
Parking
Each campsite is supposed to have space for up to 2 cars at the site, but we have seen one site that only has space for 1 vehicle. Parking space is something we look at in our campsite tours in this video. 1 vehicle (including a towed trailer, if you have one) is included in the campsite reservation, and the 2nd car will cost $8 per night, payable in cash to the camp hosts when you arrive. There is no overflow parking available for additional vehicles, so you would need to book a second campsite.
Trash and Recycling
There is a large dumpster at the campground entrance where you can take all of your trash on your way out (just remember to store it in your bear box overnight and when you're not actively at your campsite), but they unfortunately do not have a similar recycling bin. We would love to see them add one in the future because we always end up with at least one big trash bag full of empty cans by the end of our camping trip.
Glass
Glass containers are not allowed at this campground, in Kern Canyon, or at Lake Isabella. This is to protect the area from broken glass for the sake of campers, wildlife, and the health of Kern River, so make sure to bring canned beverages instead of bottles.
Camp Host
Camp Three Campground is actually run by Rocky Mountain Recreation Company, which means that there should always be a camp host on-site to help you, answer questions, and make sure everyone is staying safe. Unfortunately, the camp host wasn’t present during our first 2 visits, which were during off-peak weekdays. We didn’t have any problems that we needed help with, but it would have been nice to know that they’re there just in case (especially when some of our neighbors built a fire during a burn ban). During our last visit, however, some new camp hosts, Bill and Carrie, were there and very friendly with us, so that was an encouraging sign of good changes at Camp Three Campground.
Our Experience
We go camping for the Summer Solstice every year, and sometimes we've made it a group trip with some friends, which Camp Three Campground is perfect for! We first tried to find camping by the beach for a friends trip, but those sites book up WAY ahead of time so we had to look elsewhere. Some friends introduced us to this area in 2021, so we figured it's a good alternative! We would have the river instead of the ocean, and it wouldn't be as crowded, but it would be a longer drive to get there.
Our first time visiting Camp Three Campground was during a heat wave, but we were able to find shady spots to set up our tents and the cool Kern River offered the perfect distraction from the heat. We took water guns and everybody got into it! A few friends even brought some pool floaties, and the river was low enough during that trip that it was safe to use them. In more recent years, you would have to find a spot in the tributary to use a pool floatie instead of the river.
On our first visit, since we had 7 adults in our group sleeping in 5 tents, we booked 2 campsites side-by-side. While we probably could have all crammed together with our tents into 1 campsite, it was nice to have the space to spread out for a little more privacy. Besides, each campsite only has space for 2 cars to park and we had 4.
To pick out our specific campsites, I looked extensively at the map on the reservation website, satellite view of the campground on Google Maps, plus photos from CampsitePhotos.com, which is an excellent resource for basic information about campgrounds all over the United States. I knew that I wanted 2 campsites next to each other with plenty of space for the 5 tents, at least some shade, and I wanted us to be as close to the river as possible. For all of that, I discovered that the west side of the campground would be best. The campsites on the east side of the campground are close to the main road, so you hear and see cars fairly frequently. Not like in the city obviously, but enough to keep you from feeling fully disconnected from the outside world. And the campsites in the middle rarely have shade. To make it easier for you to pick your perfect campsite, we filmed tours of all the western campsites at Camp Three in 2025, which you can watch below...
We ended up booking campsites 23 and 25, and 25 remains our favorite! That’s the site that had access to Kern River when the water level was low via a 2-minute walk on a worn path through some trees to our own little private beach. Campsite 27 also has access to the same spot on the riverbank, so we shared it with a few strangers on the first night, but they packed up and left the next morning, leaving the entire space just for our group the whole next day. We ended up spending the Summer Solstice exploring the river, climbing on boulders, having water gun fights, relaxing on the sand, and enjoying a picnic lunch there on the small beach.
However, when we returned for the Summer Solstice the following year, our little beach was buried under 8-ish feet of water, as Kern River had drastically grown after the rainy winter 5 months prior. Instead, we were greeted with a small, freezing cold stream practically IN our campsite, that had broken off from Kern River. (Remember how we said Kern River is a designated Wild and Scenic River? This is what happens naturally when rivers grow!) Since we could tell that Kern River was obviously too dangerous to wade into, we chose to hang out at the stream in our campsite instead that year. When we returned in 2025, that tributary was still there in our campsite, just not quite as high.
Water shoes are highly recommended to wade into Kern River and its tributaries. This area is very rocky and has a lot of big boulders to climb on, which can be a lot of fun and is way easier with water shoes. We bought some inexpensive ones off of Amazon for our first Caribbean cruise, so now we take them camping too and they work perfectly! They will also help protect you if someone were to break the no-glass rule and take beer bottles down to the river. We’ve never had a problem with that here, but just in case. Don’t take glass to Kern! Keep your drinks to cans only, please, for everyone’s safety.
The weather in the Sequoia National Forest can be a bit unpredictable, as there has been a sudden wind/rain storm every time we’ve camped there, but the rain has never been significant enough to affect us much. However, make sure all of your tents are securely staked down so they don’t struggle against strong winds. We watched someone have to chase down their tent one afternoon during a sudden storm the first time we camped in this area, and unfortunately, we left our friend’s pop-up shade tent out overnight once and sudden winds bent it while we slept, so it had to be tossed. For the most part in the summertime though, you can expect highs in the mid 90s and lows around 60. The river water is pretty chilly and will help you stay cool, so this is the perfect summer camping spot even if there’s a heat wave!
We are always glad to have our Frogg Togg towels for extra cooling power while we're camping here; they help us stay cool without having to continuously dunk our entire bodies into the river. The water guns we took were just cheap things from a dollar store and they were a huge hit with our adult friends! When we camped here with friends and their young kid, the kid had a great time digging in the mud along the tributary in our campsite too, so there are lots of toy options you could take to have fun with.
Not all campsites have direct access to the river, so if the campgrounds are packed, I wouldn't be surprised to see strangers from the other campsites wandering through your camp to get to the river to join you, at which point it might get a little crowded. We prefer to go camping on weekdays when we can because they’re less busy so we usually have the place to ourselves. We have rarely seen other campers at Camp Three Campground on weekdays, which is one of the reasons we love it!
Even though there’s plenty of clear space at campsite 25, we set up our tent in a small clearing just inside the tree line so it would stay in the shade for practically the entire day. Shade is another thing that not all campsites at Camp Three have, so it’s just another reason to make sure you book a campsite on the western side (closest to the river). This is also a good campground to set up a hammock.
When the water level was low, we would spend our day at the river and then bring everything back to camp to make dinner and hang out before going to bed. Honestly, the river is far more enjoyable to explore during drought years, but we recognize that the higher water level actually makes for an environmentally healthier river. Also, if the river is lower, chances are higher that campfires will not be allowed because wildfires can catch more easily. With low temperatures around 60 in the summertime, you don’t need a campfire to stay warm, but of course it’s a bummer to go camping and not have a fire! See the fire restrictions section above for where to find this info before you go, but know that it may not always be accurate. The first time we went camping in this area, everything online pointed to us not being allowed to have a campfire, but when we got there, the camp host said that it was fine as long as we had a California Campfire Permit. We weren’t so lucky on the next trip, as there was a "no campfires" sign posted at the campground entrance, but we made do without and were not uncomfortable.
With or without a campfire, be aware that there are skunks in the area, and they are not afraid of you. Hang your trash bags from a tree, as high as you can easily reach, because the skunks will try to get into them - even if you’re sitting close by! We’ve had encounters with skunks almost every time we’ve camped in this area, so keep the trash off the ground and put it away in your bear box or in the dumpster at the campground entrance ASAP. Keep your dogs on a leash, especially in the trees and especially at night. We once experienced having a family member’s well-trained dog get sprayed by a skunk just outside their suburban home in Illinois because she suddenly chased after it in the dark. We couldn’t even tell what was happening until it was too late, and just believe us when we say that it is not something you want to experience for yourself. So if you see a skunk, LEAVE IT ALONE. Do not attempt to chase it, throw anything at it, or any other nonsense.
We have also seen California ground squirrels, blue herons, and many other birds in the area, and even a bunch of frogs on the years with higher water levels. Mosquitoes can also be a problem at night, so come prepared. And the skunks. Always the skunks.
Recommended Packing for Camp Three Campground
While there’s obviously a lot of things you need to pack for a camping trip, here are a few things that you will definitely need for Camp Three Campground and some other things that will make your trip a lot more enjoyable:
Water shoes for walking in the river
Swimsuits
Beach towels
Water toys - we got some simple, cheap ones at a dollar store and they were a big hit with our friends!
Cooling towels - we use Frogg Toggs
Do NOT take glass to this area - keep your beer, soda, and whatever else to cans please!
Sunscreen (always!)
Propane stove for cooking - do not rely on cooking over a campfire in case of fire restrictions
California Campfire Permit - even if fire restrictions say no campfires, you should still have this for using propane stoves too
Water bucket and small metal shovel - these are required per your campfire permit
Water for drinking (at least half a gallon per person, per day). We have had mixed experiences with the water being clean enough to drink in this area, and while it has gotten better over the years, we still take at least some drinking water, just in case.
Tub for washing dishes - they specifically ask that you do not wash dishes at the water spigots. We found some at a dollar store.
Pot or kettle for boiling water to wash dishes, again, just in case the water isn't clean.
Hand soap and hand sanitizer
Sanitizing wipes or a tablecloth (and clips!) for your picnic table
Trash bags with handles so you can hang it from a tree
Pop-up shade tent to go over your picnic table - while several campsites have plenty of shade, your picnic table is rarely under it and cannot be moved
Small cooler that’s easy to carry down to the river - you will not want to lug your big cooler down there!
Bug spray and a bug zapper if you have one
Don’t forget your first aid kit!
If you’re interested in getting our full packing checklist for camping, send us a message and we can put something together to share!
How to Make a Reservation at Camp Three Campground
Before you start packing, make sure you go onto Recreation.gov to reserve your campsite. The campground is only open from early May through mid-September because it can get really cold and/or rainy there in the off-season. Campsites usually require a reservation, but it is sometimes first-come-first-serve for last-minute availability. For a weekend trip, you may need to reserve a spot several months ahead of time, so as soon as you know when you want to go, check if you can make your reservation.
Reservations are opened up on a 6-month rolling basis, so if your dates are more than 6 months away, check their Seasons & Fees tab to see when the next reservation release is happening.
Each campsite is $36-$38 per night for up to 6 people and 1 car, and you can expect a reservation fee around $4 per campsite, per night. Taking a group of friends and splitting the cost is the best way to do it! Assuming you're not towing anything, there is space at almost every campsite for a second car, but it will cost an additional $8 per night, payable in cash to the host upon arrival.
If you need to change your reservation, there may be a $10 fee, depending on the changes you’re making. Cancellations will be refunded minus a $10 fee and any other additional fees paid upon booking, up until the day before your reservation starts. Canceling the day before your arrival will also incur a fee of the first night’s stay.
Our Verdict of Camp Three Campground
Camp Three Campground is one of our favorite campgrounds in California so far! It’s not crowded and has plenty of shade and privacy from other campers if you pick the right campsites. The scenery is beautiful and the river will keep you cool in the summertime. All around, we highly recommend Camp Three Campground!
Quick Reference Guide
What | |
Where | In the Sequoia National Forest 3 hours north of Los Angeles through Bakersfield 1 hour northeast of Bakersfield 10 minutes up the road from Kernville |
How to Get There | Car only |
Time Commitment | We recommend at least 2 nights so you’ll have enough time to enjoy the river |
Cost | $36-$38 per campsite, per night, plus a small online reservation fee around $4 per campsite per night |
Reservation Info | Make online reservations before you go on Recreation.gov Reservations may be required several months in advance, especially for weekend trips. Some first-come-first-serve availability may be open for last-minute trips. Tents, RV's, and camper trailers all welcome Each campsite can accommodate up to 6 people |
Best Campsites | 25 (where we stayed), 23, 37, and 45. Click here to see detailed campsite tours. |
Facilities | Vault toilets and water spigots throughout the campground. Each campsite has a fire ring with a grill, a picnic table, a bear box, and space for 2 cars to park. |
Know Before You Go | A California Campfire Permit is required even if you’re only using propane stoves for cooking. Cleanliness of the water varies in this area, so take your own drinking water. Cell service is minimal at the campground, but you can drive 10 minutes into town for a signal if needed. |
Our Verdict | Highly recommended. This is one of our favorite campgrounds in California that we return to again and again! |
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