Are you the owner for this park? Make it a featured listing and be seen in the top search results!
Sequoia/Quaking Aspen
Overview
Quaking Aspen Campground offers a serene high-altitude retreat located within the Giant Sequoia National Monument. Situated at an elevation of approximately 7,000 feet, this destination provides a significantly cooler escape during the warm summer months. The park is named for the beautiful aspen trees that mix with massive conifers and surround a lush central meadow, creating a vibrant landscape that changes with the seasons. It serves as an ideal basecamp for exploring the southern Sierra Nevada while avoiding the heavier crowds found in the more commercialized national parks to the north.
Location & Surroundings
Located near the quiet mountain community of Camp Nelson, CA, the campground is accessed via the winding and scenic Highway 190. The drive from the town of Springville takes you through dramatic changes in vegetation as you climb deep into the High Sierra. The surrounding area is characterized by deep canyons, granite outcrops, and thick forests. Visitors will find themselves immersed in a peaceful environment where the Middle Fork Tule River headwaters begin, offering a refreshing mountain atmosphere and exceptionally dark night skies perfect for stargazing.
Amenities & Park Features
This is a traditional forest service facility designed for travelers who appreciate a rustic, authentic outdoor experience. While there are no electric or water hookups available, the park features paved roads and parking spurs that can accommodate many smaller and medium-sized RVs up to approximately 24-30 feet. Essential amenities include potable water, vault toilets, and fire rings with grills. Each site also provides a bear-resistant food storage locker, which is a necessity in this active wildlife corridor. The sites are generally spacious and well-shaded by the dense forest canopy, providing a high level of privacy for campers.
Nearby Attractions & Things to Do
The primary draw for many is the proximity to the Trail of a Hundred Giants, an incredible grove of ancient sequoias located just a short drive away. Hikers can also access the Nelson Trail directly from the vicinity, which winds through giant trees and along mountain ridges. For those who enjoy water activities, the nearby streams offer excellent trout fishing opportunities throughout the season. Additionally, the area is a gateway to the Golden Trout Wilderness, providing miles of trails for backpacking, mountain biking, and horseback riding through pristine alpine terrain.
Who This Park Is Best For
Quaking Aspen is a premier choice for self-contained RVers who prefer dry camping in a natural setting over the crowded amenities of a luxury resort. It is ideal for nature photographers, hikers, and families who want to experience the Giant Sequoia groves in a more intimate and quiet way. If your travel style favors crisp mountain air and direct access to wilderness trails, this campground is a perfect fit. It is also an excellent stop for those traveling the Majestic Mountain Loop who want to explore the southern reaches of the monument in a peaceful environment.
Amenities
- Recreational Facilities
- Policies
- Other Amenities & Services
- Recreation Nearby (within 10 miles)
- Facility
- On-Site Rentals
- Sites
- Hunting Nearby (within 20 miles)
User Reviews
Andrew Corcoran
Stayed at group site A with about thirty friends and it was an almost perfect experience. First of all camp host was great, super nice and helpful with tips about where to go nearby to take a dip in a stream.Bathrooms were some of the cleanest and best smelling pit toilets I’ve ever seen. Still kind of gross, but incredibly clean. Here is what you need to know…bring a wagon! You have to park in a communal parking lot and hike your gear down about 50yards. Not fun, but the grounds are great, and there is a beautiful meadow right next to the grounds. Try to carpool,the lot can fill up.
tiffany jaime
I can’t say enough great things about this place! We just got back home from our camping trip today and I miss it already! This is our second time visiting quaking aspen and this time we rented yurt 28 for a couple of days and it was amazing! Cane with a bunk bed, twin on top full on bottom and a futon that pulls out into a full bed as well! Campsite was clean and shady! The camp host Tim was very welcoming and made our trip a lot better! He gave us directions to the trail of 100 giants. A beautiful tourist attraction with many large beautiful trees! He also said hello to us and other campers as he drove by every day and made sure everyone was good. He constantly made his rounds and takes very good care of the bathrooms and the rest of the camp grounds. We will definitely be coming here every summer!
Kim Leal
We agree with everyone else, Tim is amazing! He has all the info on nearby trails, maps of the area, answers every question you can think of. Just fantastic. As of 6/22/25: -potable water available -vault toilets are well maintained -no food lockers, but also no in-camp bear incidents/sightings in the last few years, per Tim. So we made sure our food was locked in our cars whenever we weren't using it. -If you want cell service briefly, there is a spot about 3.5 miles away off 21S70 as if you're headed to Dome rock. -site #19 had at least 3 relatively flat spots for tents and was nice and spacious. -Firewood is available at camp, at the nearby Camp Nelson general store, and if you're passing through Springville, Gifford's has some. This campground is so peaceful, and near several hiking trails. Would 100% come back here again.
Debbie Sanford
Campground was lovely but after we paid for our first come first served lovely spot we returned from our hike and found a note that our truck and trailer were off the spur This was hysterical in that there was no difference in any sort of our sandy driveway to possibly indicate a boundary of a spur. When our kind host came by again he agreed with me that a spur was not clear at all. Nonetheless he took pictures of our spot and said he had to notify the sequoia national forest who may decide to write us a citation‼️. Ok. I won’t be back or recommend. This place
A L
Wind. Cold, very cold wind. Dropped below 32 at night after a full day of debilitating winds. Otherwise, nice setting. Vault toilets were surprisingly not bad. Long walk from group site A to get water and use bathrooms. Not a whole lot of hiking trails, 2 or so from the campground. Camp host was really awesome and helpful.