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

Thunderbird Group Campground

Thunderbird Group CampgroundPhoto · CLM Staff
Not publishedStatus
ReservableAccess
3Sites
20 ftMax rig

The place

Thunderbird Group Campground is situated along the Kern River, 6.5 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 The campground offers three group sites. Picnic tables and campfire rings are provided, as are portable toilets. There is no drinking water available at this facility. Keep reading

Natural Features The campground sits within Sequoia National Forest at an elevation of 3,200 feet in an open area with limited shade, overlooking the Kern Wild and Scenic River. Gray pine, scrub oak, grasses and shrubs cling to steep, canyon walls along the river, and cottonwoods and willows dot the riverbanks. 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.

The sites · 3

LoopSiteTypeMax rigElectricADA
THUNDERBIRD GROUP CAMPGROUNDGroup 1group standard area nonelectric20 ft
THUNDERBIRD GROUP CAMPGROUNDGroup 2group standard area nonelectric20 ft
THUNDERBIRD GROUP CAMPGROUNDGroup 3group standard area nonelectric20 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