Accessible via paved road, Paradise Cove provides lakeside camping on Lake Isabella with sites accommodating RVs up to 40 feet. The Forest Service campground operates year-round at $36-$38 per night, with reservations available through the standard booking system. Water and sewer hookups serve RV campers, while tent sites spread across the relatively flat terrain sloping toward the water.
Sites sit directly on the lakeshore, allowing campers to drive up and set up within steps of the water. The open layout offers little shade, with some sites receiving full sun by afternoon. Wind frequently picks up across the lake, requiring secure guy lines and tent stakes. Mandi R. found "clean bathrooms and clean shower house here" during an off-season visit when campground hosts provided area maps.
The campground fills during peak season, reducing privacy between sites. A hotel and saloon operate across the road, providing dining options but also potential noise. Morning brings bird calls, while road traffic remains audible given the easy access location. Campers can explore campgrounds near Sequoia National Forest throughout the broader region.
For those preferring more secluded settings, South Fork Recreation Site sits less than a mile northwest with a different atmosphere.
Description
Overview
Paradise Cove Campground sits near Lake Isabella in the beautiful Sequoia National Forest. The 11,000-acre lake marks the division between the Upper and Lower Kern Rivers.
Recreation
This year-round campground is near Lake Isabella, one of California's largest reservoirs. Water activities such as swimming, water skiing and wind surfing are popular. The lake is known for trout fishing during the colder months. Other species include black and white crappie, bluegill, catfish and largemouth bass.
Facilities
The campground has 46 sites that are divided into two sections. The upper section has back-in camp sites, and the lower section has side-by-side parking. All camp sites have a view of the lake.
Natural Features
The Sequoia National Forest, located at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada in central California, takes its name from 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, and 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.
Nearby Attractions
The campground provides a great base for day trips to the Trail of a Hundred Giants and numerous Sequoia groves in the Giant Sequoia National Monument. You cannot access Sequoia National Park with a day trip. The Giant Sequoia Mercantile offers a wide variety of books, maps, gifts, local art, camping supplies and other merchandise.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (760) 376-1269.
Warning 2 Alerts are In Effect
There are 2 alerts for this campground. Camp safely!
Warning 2 Alerts are In Effect
There are 2 alerts for this campground. Camp safely!
Fire Restrictions**Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 551 and 36 C.F.R. 261.50(a), and to protect natural resources and provide for public safety, the following acts are prohibited within the Sequoia National Forest. This Order is effective from August 11, 2026, through November 30, 2026.**1. Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire, except in the designated Campfire Areas listed in Exhibits A or B. 36 C.F.R. 261.52(a).2. Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building or within the areas listed in Exhibits A or B. 36 C.F.R. 261.52(d).3. Operating an internal combustion engine, except on a designated National Forest System road, trail, or within the areas listed in Exhibits A or B. 36 C.F.R. 261.52(g).4. Welding, or operating an acetylene or other torch with an open flame, except within the areas listed in Exhibits A or B. 36 C.F.R. 261.52(h).Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. 261.50(e), the following persons are exempt from this Order:1. Any Federal, State, or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or fire fighting force in the performance of an official duty.**2. Persons with a valid California Campfire Permit are not exempt from the prohibitions listed above. However, persons with a valid California Campfire Permit may use a stove or lantern that uses gas, kerosene, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel and has a shut-off valve, or a propane-fueled campfire pit with an on/off switch (wood-burning campfire pits are prohibited) in an area at least five feet from any flammable materials.**3. Persons with a valid 2026 Forest Products Removal Permit (fuelwood permit) from the United States Forest Service are not exempt from the prohibitions listed above, but may operate an internal combustion engine off National Forest System roads and trails only to the extent necessary to cut fuelwood, provided the cutting of fuelwood is done in compliance with the terms of the fuelwood permit.4. Persons with a Forest Service non-special use written authorization to conduct non-recreational activities, such as harvesting timber or forest products, or grazing livestock, are exempt from Prohibition Nos. 3 and 4, to the extent allowed by the written authorization.These prohibitions are in addition to the general prohibitions contained in 36 C.F.R. Part 261, Subpart A.A violation of these prohibitions is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or both. 16 U.S.C. 551 and 18 U.S.C. 3559, 3571, and 3581. This Forest Order supersedes Forest Order 0513-26-05, signed on June 9, 2026.
- To protect natural resources and provide for public safety, the following acts are prohibited below 5,000 feet in elevation within the Sequoia National Forest.1. Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire, except in the designated Campfire Areas listed in Exhibits A, B or C. C.F.R. 261.52(a).2. Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building or within the areas listed in Exhibits A, B or C. 36 C.F.R. 261.52(d).3. Operating an internal combustion engine, except on a designated National Forest System road, trail, or within the areas listed in Exhibits A, B or C. 36 C.F.R. 261.52(g).4. Welding, or operating an acetylene or other torch with an open flame, except within the areas listed in Exhibits A, B or C. Alert Start Date: June 10, 2026 Alert End Date: November 30, 2026
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsParadise Cove is located in California near Lake Isabella
Directions
From Bakersfield, California, take Highway 178 east to the town of Lake Isabella. Staying on 178 east, travel approximately 3 miles to Paradise Cove Campground.
Coordinates
35.649569 N
118.42702 W
Connectivity
- T-Mobile5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 17 usersLast on 11/8/26
- VerizonLTESome CoverageVerified by 6 usersLast on 11/8/26
- AT&T5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 1 userLast on 11/14/25
Connectivity
- T-Mobile5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 17 usersLast on 11/8/26
- VerizonLTESome CoverageVerified by 6 usersLast on 11/8/26
- AT&T5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 1 userLast on 11/14/25
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
- Boat-InSites accessible by watercraft.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
Features
For Campers
- Trash
- Firewood Available
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Drinking Water
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Sanitary Dump
- Sewer Hookups
- Water Hookups
- Big Rig Friendly
Drive Time
- 53 min from Bakersfield, CA
- 1 hr 51 min from Visalia, CA
- 1 hr 59 min from Hanford, CA
- 2 hrs 21 min from Fresno, CA




















