Facilities

Club House

Laundry Room

Swimming Pool

Hot Tub

Fitness Center

Game Room

Rec Hall

Pavilion

Exercise Room

Restroom/Shower

Restroom Only

Shower Only

Restaurant

Groceries

RV Supplies

ATM Machine

WiFi

Dog Park

Cocktail Lounge

Dog Washing Station

Pit Toilet

Snack Bar

Play Ground

Sites

Water

20 Amp

30 Amp

50 Amp

Sewer

Cable TV

Services

Escort to Site

Self-Service RV Wash

Metered LP Gas

Firewood

Fishing Supplies

Pet Supplies

Onsite Rentals

Worship Services

Golf Carts

Fishing Guides

Onsite RV Service

Staffed RV Wash

Fishing Licenses

Complimentary Breakfast

Recreational activities in or near the park

Recreational Activities

Archery Range

ATV Riding

Biking

Boating

Body Of Water

Casino

Climbing

Dock

Driving Range

Fishing

Golf

Heated Pool

Hiking

Horseback Riding

Horseshoes

Kayaking

Lawn Bowling

Mini Golf

Paddle Boats

Pickle Ball

Putting Green

Ramp

Sauna

Shuffleboard

Snow Sports

Splash Pad

Swimming

Tennis

Wading Pool

Water Slide

Water Sports

Water Umbrella

Whitewater Rafting

Policies

RV Age Restrictions

Pets Welcome

Pet Restrictions

Pet Restriction on Quantity

Pet Restriction on Breed

Pet Restriction on Size

No Pets

Tent Camping Allowed

Folding Tent Campers Allowed

No Tents

No Overnight Guests

<h2>Overview</h2><p>Sequoia/Headquarters provides a rustic camping experience along the banks of the Kern River within the Sequoia National Forest. This location serves as a primary gateway to the southern Sierra Nevada mountains for those traveling through central California. Travelers seeking an authentic escape will appreciate the <strong>unspoiled natural beauty</strong> and the constant sound of the rushing water nearby. It is a place where the focus remains entirely on the rugged landscape and outdoor recreation rather than modern resort luxuries.</p><h2>Location & Surroundings</h2><p>Situated just a few miles north of <strong>Kernville, CA</strong>, the park sits in a deep canyon surrounded by steep, granite mountain peaks. The <strong>Kern River</strong> is the primary feature of the area, flowing directly past the campsites and offering cool relief during the warm summer months. The high desert ecosystem meets the alpine forest here, creating a diverse ecological transition that is home to various wildlife species. Visitors can enjoy the cool river breeze during the day and exceptionally <strong>clear mountain skies</strong> for stargazing at night.</p><h2>Amenities & Park Features</h2><p>This is a traditional forest service style park, offering a <strong>primitive camping experience</strong> that prioritizes the natural environment and a quiet atmosphere. The spacious layout allows for a sense of privacy among the native brush and oak trees that characterize the riverbank scenery. Key features include:</p><ul><li><strong>Heavy-duty picnic tables</strong> and fire rings at every site for outdoor cooking.</li><li>Access to <strong>potable drinking water</strong> and vault toilets throughout the grounds.</li><li>Direct paths leading to the edge of the <strong>Kern River</strong> for fishing or wading.</li></ul><p>This setup encourages a slower pace of life where visitors can disconnect from technology and enjoy a simple outdoor lifestyle without the distractions of city life.</p><h2>Nearby Attractions & Things to Do</h2><p>Outdoor enthusiasts are perfectly positioned for a wide range of mountain adventures. The area is packed with diverse activities for every type of traveler:</p><ul><li><strong>Whitewater rafting</strong> and fly fishing on the world-famous Kern River.</li><li>Hiking through the <strong>Trail of 100 Giants</strong> to see ancient sequoias just a short drive away.</li><li>Boating and windsurfing at nearby <strong>Lake Isabella</strong> for a different water experience.</li></ul><p>For those looking for a bit of local culture, the town of Kernville offers charming shops, local breweries, and history museums just minutes away from the park entrance.</p><h2>Who This Park Is Best For</h2><p>This park is ideal for <strong>self-contained RVers</strong> who enjoy dry camping and want to be fully immersed in the sounds and sights of the forest. It is a top choice for active families who enjoy water-based activities and hikers looking for a convenient basecamp near the <strong>Southern Sierra Nevada trailheads</strong>. If you value a quiet, scenic atmosphere and direct river access over resort-style amenities like swimming pools or high-speed internet, this destination is a perfect fit for your travel style.</p>



The Sequoia Headquarters is located in Kernville, California, a small mountain town in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains. The headquarters is a historic building that was built in the late 1800s and is now home to the Sequoia National Forest Headquarters. The building is a two-story, wood-frame structure with a large porch and a balcony. Inside, visitors can find a variety of exhibits and displays about the history of the Sequoia National Forest, as well as a gift shop and a cafe. The building is surrounded by a large park with picnic tables, a playground, and a walking trail. The Sequoia Headquarters is a great place to learn about the history of the area and to enjoy the beauty of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

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Sequoia/Headquarters

Plan your Kernville, CA trip to Sequoia/Headquarters. Enjoy a rustic riverfront experience near the Kern River, ideal for rafting and dry camping adventures.

Sequoia/Headquarters Park in Kernville, CA

Such a great campsite! I took my son here and we really enjoyed our time up there. It’s right on the river and really nice for fishing or just relaxing.

Cool campground. For most cases spots are spacious. Quiet, clean, with nice camp hosts. Rodney and Candice were awesome and do a great job keeping it clean. Basic vault toilets but were not gross. Would stay again

We were at Headquarters campground at Kern River. Randy was the campground host employee and he was very rude to me and my group. We appeared to be bothering him when we asked questions. Camp host Randy has zero people skills and should not be a campground host if he acts rude to campers. The restrooms were filthy and had no toilet paper. There were no campfires allowed at camp which is very disappointing to campers. I will never camp there again and neither should anyone else, unless you like rude camp hosts like Randy. No campfires!  Not good for campers. Go elsewhere campers and fishermen!
David (Trout Dude Angler)

The restrooms here are vaulted toilets and you can imagine what that's like "Stinks!". Toilet paper was provided in the restroom but the restroom itself was dirty, especially the door handle, one of which didn't lock.

The camp host "Randy" had minimal to no people skills. He was rude and even insulting. People like that do not need to be running a campground PERIOD. He insulted you if you had not seen the "Fire Ban" notice at the front gate.

Yes, there was a fire ban so my group could not have a campfire for 2 days. That was a real real bummer especially because the weather was cold and rain.

There must have been a motorcycle/bikers rally or something because for the entire weekend no matter where we went we heard motorcycles, all day til evening! I go camping to get away from the city and be in peaceful  nature. Nope, not that weekend.

I won't be going back to Kern River period!

Headquarters campground wasn't that nice.we had a little trash at our campsite when we got there. The bathrooms were duty. The Camp Host Randy was very rude. Like he hated tending to people by asking questions. Another camper told us that he was. Then we experienced it. Please get another camp host. He is not a people person and does not keep up on cleaning the bathrooms. I think he just there for the free stay.

Had a great weekday camping trip at this location. There's lots of different campsites to pick from, some are right up against the Kern river and some are close to the highway, I recommend scouting the area to see which campsite you prefer. I picked spot 35 since it had a lot of shade and a nearby artery of the main river. I was surprised that there were not a lot of bugs, flies, or mosquitoes during my trip. Lots of bats at night to eat the bugs and plenty of quail and other birds everywhere too. One thing that was unpleasant though were the restrooms, the heat of the day just stews everything and it's a terrible smell, I recommend bringing your own portable commode or toilet.

Went here for the first time 2 weeks ago and it was such a great time! I love camping and I went with 2 other families, which we got 2 spots next to each other and there was a trail that lead right down to the river! All camping neighbors were friendly, and the patrol person of the campgrounds was so nice and accommodating! We will definitely be back! We fished a little and got to enjoy the river and all! Definitely recommend!

We stayed in one of the yurts. It was clean and appeared to be well kept. As was the camp ground as a whole. While vault toilets are not my favorite they were the cleanest and least smelling I’ve encountered. The host was kind and informative. The site was larger than I had expected.

I honestly wish this review was a better outcome because my friends and family have been coming here for 10 years. We stayed from the 25 to 28 of july and this year has been the worst one yet. Apparently this campground got under new management and things changed. Let me just say it is the worst hosts ever and kept threatening that the ranger would be coming over to check on everyone if we didnt quiet down. We had not even been too loud and this happened on the last night we were staying. I know their job is to check around that no one is breaking rules but please, who needs to be circling and checking on everyone every 5 minutes. Not just that but the fact that she would bother about something or anything she could find. We felt as if this vacation was ruined because of these hosts. We had been asked to take stuff down because we couldnt be hanging anything off the trees but there were many people around who had more than one thing hanging which were hammocks. When it came to the rules’ curfew, it says that all music and things had to be turned off. While it was still 9:40, the host cane over to say we were making everyone miserable and that we were breaking rules by not turning it off. Let me remind you it was 9:40, not 10:00 so we still had a right to continue with our music and fun for 20 more minutes but she had assumed it was 10:00 already. She spoke to us very badly and didnt even let us explain ourselves and that we were not in the wrong. After all this, we all went to sleep and once laying to rest, we could hear people laughing very loud and blasting music at 2 in the morning. So many things were horrible and also the fact that were was no toilet paper in the bathrooms so we had to find something to use. After all this, Having to constantly abide by the rules which we were already doing, the host ruined our whole vacation. I hope management changes soon because it was not it. All other years were amazing and this one just happened to be the worst of them all. Worst management of this camp and hopefully they find somewhere else to bother every 5 minutes.

been coming here with family and friends for 10 years and have never had any complaints until this year with a horrible camp host. she complained about every little thing to us, made us take down ropes when others also had some in their camp. we had music playing before curfew and she still came to complain that we were too loud at 9:51pm. she was arguing with everyone at the campground: worst host we’ve had.

This year was our first time camping  in the site loved it

Always a great times at Headquarters
Can't wait to return

Nice place. Great camp host! All sites are close to the river and it's absolutely beautiful!

Reviews

Sequoia/Headquarters

User Reviews