U.S. Forest Service · Kern, California Wild and Scenic River · CA

Headquarters

Headquarters viewPhoto · Local staff
OpenStatus
ReservableAccess
42Sites
30 ftMax rig

The place

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. Keep reading

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.

The sites · 42

LoopSiteTypeMax rigElectricADA
A001tent only nonelectric
A003rv nonelectric30 ft
A004tent only nonelectric
A005rv nonelectric30 ft
A006tent only nonelectric
A007tent only nonelectric
A008tent only nonelectric
A019tent only nonelectric
A020rv nonelectric30 ft
A021rv nonelectric30 ft
A022rv nonelectric30 ftyes
A023rv nonelectric30 ft
A024tent only nonelectric
A025rv nonelectric30 ft
A026rv nonelectric30 ft
A027rv nonelectric30 ft
A028rv nonelectric30 ft
A029rv nonelectric30 ft
A030rv nonelectric30 ft
A032rv nonelectric30 ft
A033rv nonelectric30 ft
A034 - Host Siterv nonelectric30 ft
B035tent only nonelectric
B036rv nonelectric30 ft
B037rv nonelectric30 ft
B038standard nonelectric
B039tent only nonelectric
B042tent only nonelectric
B043rv nonelectric30 ft
B044standard nonelectric
C009rv nonelectric30 ft
C010tent only nonelectric
C011tent only nonelectric
C012rv nonelectric30 ft
C013rv nonelectric30 ft
C014tent only nonelectric
C015rv nonelectric30 ft
C016rv nonelectric30 ft
C017rv nonelectric30 ft
C018rv nonelectric30 ft
Yurt002yurt20 ft
Yurt031yurt20 ft

Booking

183 daysBooking window before arrival

Recreation.gov default: most campsites can be booked six months prior to arrival date. Most campgrounds go on sale at 7am PT / 8am MT / 10am ET, but not always; check the facility Seasons and Fees tab. Some locations also offer shorter supplemental booking windows.

Book on recreation.gov

Who runs it

Operated by Rocky Mountain Recreation Company, a private concessionaire (parent: ExplorUS), under permit from the agency.

SRC · Operator link · 2026-08-24

Your representative

This campground sits in CA-20. This member’s public-lands record →

SRC · U.S. Census TIGER · MTJP Scorecard