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Sequoia/Headquarters
Overview
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 unspoiled natural beauty 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.
Location & Surroundings
Situated just a few miles north of Kernville, CA, the park sits in a deep canyon surrounded by steep, granite mountain peaks. The Kern River 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 clear mountain skies for stargazing at night.
Amenities & Park Features
This is a traditional forest service style park, offering a primitive camping experience 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:
- Heavy-duty picnic tables and fire rings at every site for outdoor cooking.
- Access to potable drinking water and vault toilets throughout the grounds.
- Direct paths leading to the edge of the Kern River for fishing or wading.
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.
Nearby Attractions & Things to Do
Outdoor enthusiasts are perfectly positioned for a wide range of mountain adventures. The area is packed with diverse activities for every type of traveler:
- Whitewater rafting and fly fishing on the world-famous Kern River.
- Hiking through the Trail of 100 Giants to see ancient sequoias just a short drive away.
- Boating and windsurfing at nearby Lake Isabella for a different water experience.
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.
Who This Park Is Best For
This park is ideal for self-contained RVers 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 Southern Sierra Nevada trailheads. 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.
Amenities
- Recreational Facilities
- Policies
- Other Amenities & Services
- Recreation Nearby (within 10 miles)
- Facility
- On-Site Rentals
- Sites
User Reviews
John R
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!
Richfisherman Jimenez
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.
Robert Lopez
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.
Jessy V
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!
C Marie
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.
rinl
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.
Martina Cordova
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.
Jen S.
Location is what makes this campground great. I forgot to take any pictures! We were here 4th of July weekend. The water level was great for swimming. The current wasn't strong on the south end, you could float in a tube mostly in place. It was stronger towards the north end. I was in campsite 003 with our 23' trailer Not much shade, but it was a good site. Camp host was really friendly. Bathrooms are stinky, but that's to be expected.
Forest Ferkin
I stayed there in June 2023 (less than a week ago as I write this review). The pros: the campsites tend to have lots of spots for tents, which we used. We were a group of 17 in 3 campsites. The bathrooms, which are vault toilets were very clean and smelled good?? which I didn't expect. The water wasn't in the campsites but wasn't too far. It was quiet at night, and it is so close to the Kern River that it muffles a lot of noise. The bear boxes were in good shape, but we didn't have any problems with animals. The cons: Some of the best campsites were damaged by the high river and are not repaired, just roped off. Lots of the remaining sites are quite sunny. There were no "safe pools" of the Kern nearby, so we stayed out of the river. There were plenty of mosquitos at twilight, so bug spray is highly recommended.
Laura Lowe
We've been coming here for years. It's a great spot for fishing or summer water play. Be watchful for snakes and critters in the summer. The best part is: 1- This spot is open year round allowing us to visit multiple times a year, 2- right around the corner is the River Kern store that's got a little bit of everything including delicious tri-tip sandwiches that we always splurge on, once per visit.