4 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Horse camping near Alpaugh, California includes Horse Creek Campground and Horse Creek, though neither offers dedicated horse corrals according to available data. Both campgrounds feature drinking water, picnic tables, toilets, and trash disposal. Horse Creek Campground accommodates tents, RVs, and glamping with boat-in, drive-in, and hike-in access. Horse Creek allows both tent and RV camping with electric hookups and fifty-amp service for larger rigs. The campgrounds maintain a 4.1 and 3.4 rating respectively. Campers report that sites at Horse Creek Campground are generally not level, which may present challenges for horse trailers and camping setups.
Trail access is available from both locations, though the lake level at Horse Creek varies seasonally and affects shoreline camping. Sites are spacious and well-spaced from each other at Horse Creek Campground, providing adequate room for vehicles and equipment. No hookup sites are available at Horse Creek Campground, but fresh water and a dump station are on-site. The campgrounds experience hot summer temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, making spring and fall preferable for equestrian visitors. Rangers patrol regularly for security, and some sites offer views of Lake Kaweah and surrounding mountains. Visitors should be aware that bathroom facilities at both locations have been reported as outdated or under maintenance at times.
"We are working out way north through CA and Horse Creek was in a convenient spot. Site very clean and well managed and overall its a pretty spot. Only 2-3 large and dispersed bath rooms."
"The tap outside the building didn't work and neither did the water fountain. The host was not there for check-in."
from $20 / night
Check Availability"The sites themselves are nice, located in a grassy meadow around a reservoir This is the most grass we have seen in several months."
"Some of the sites (75, 76 etc..) look out on Lake Kaweah. It’s clean and well organized. Some highway noise."
from $20 - $40 / night
Check Availability"There are trails to hike. FYI, there is no cell reception and no provided wifi. Personally I think that’s a good thing 😬."
from $25 - $45 / night
Check Availability
GuideWe are working out way north through CA and Horse Creek was in a convenient spot. Site very clean and well managed and overall its a pretty spot. Only 2-3 large and dispersed bath rooms. A number of large groups around the site which looks fun but it felt more like an urban park than being in nature.
TravelerWe chose this campground to be an easy "getting back to camping" campground since it was supposed to be developed and even have showers.
Cons: The central restrooms/showers have been non-operational for over a year based on the maintenance log of the porta potty. While the porta potty was well maintained, there were no hand wash stations or anything to make up for the loss of sinks and showers. The tap outside the building didn't work and neither did the water fountain.
The host was not there for check-in. Thankfully, we ran into a very kind maintenance worker that gave us the predator rundown for the area and told us how to get to our site. The host eventually showed up, but was not there for at least 5 sets of campers who were trying to check in.
Nearly every campsite has a major hill, so most will not have a good flat area for a tent. Site 61 is flat and a couple of others have flatter grounds, but many will have you sleeping on an angle.
Cons Site 61: The previous group was very disrespectful of the site and left glass shards everywhere. We had to sweep it away from our tent site and kept finding more as we were using our site. It was especially a problem since we brought our dog, so eventually we just laid tarps out to let her walk on instead of the dirt for her safety.
No shade at all. While most other sites had trees or an aluminum awning to provide some sort of shade, Site 61 had nothing. Thankfully, we planned for that, but definitely worth mentioning for other campers. Most sites on the inside of the loop had good tree coverage, so if that's what you're looking for definitely book one of the inner loop sites like 63.
For those looking to be fully removed from the world, you should know this campsite is RIGHT off the highway, so there is traffic and some headlights if drivers have their brights on. That didn't bother us, but we've lived off of major streets for years, so we tune it out pretty well.
Pros: There was running water, but you had to find it near other campsites. (Closest one to ours was near Site 63, which was very convenient)
Pros Scenery: The stargazing is beautiful. There is some limited light pollution emanating from the other side of the foothills, but because you are surrounded by foothills you get some good, dark surroundings to really appreciate the stars. Similarly, the sunrise and sunset were slightly late/early because the sun was contending with the surrounding hills. When the sun was rising over the hills, there was a beautiful glow to them.
Pros Site 61: You have absolutely no neighbors, which gives you more privacy and the ability to face out in any direction and enjoy the scenery.
Predators: Coyotes, rattlesnakes, meat bees (bring cheap canned meat to set out during the day and they will leave you alone for the most part)
Cool Wildlife: Various birds, though I was never able to get a good enough look to identify them. There were also bats at night that really helped with the bug problem and created a cool ambience while stargazing. My husband loved listening to them hunt!
Overall: We enjoyed the site, but were extremely grateful that we are redundancy packers. If we didn't have our extras, we probably would not have had a good time since it was 100+ degrees every day we were there and the grounds weren't totally as advertised. (Toilets, showers, etc)
GuidePros: Nicely designed tent sites, plus flush toilets and (free!) showers. Absolutely gorgeous views of Kaweah Lake in the foothills of Sequoia NP. Convenient location also, as it is on the road into Sequoia; it takes about an hour to get from the campground to the park entrance. I think this campground is also a nice alternative to staying in Sequoia; it didn't seem bears were at all a concern here, while they are in the park. It was a nice alternative to tent camping alone in an area bears frequent.
Cons: Outdated facilities - the toilet/shower house was in rough shape and not really clean. There was also a steep hill to walk up to the bathhouse that had been partially washed out, so somewhat of a hazard. Additionally, one of my nights there I got no sleep whatsoever because there was a group of young guys partying all night. And it was the works - loud music, yelling, swearing, vulgar language, and because the campground is pretty open and in a valley, it echoed throughout the entire campground. Definitely one of the downsides of 'unstaffed' campgrounds that only have a host on site; these guys were breaking every apparent campground regulation and were allowed to do so. I would say one other weird thing about this campground is that they have signs that say they close the gates after 9 pm, and their exit has tire spike strips! One night I went into the nearest town for dinner, but I was stressed about getting back by 9 pm. It's probably the first campground I've ever encountered that, and it's really weird.
I'm torn on whether I'd stay here again.. maybe, if there weren't any other campgrounds in the area.
ScoutThis is a great Corp of Engineer Campground just minutes from Sequoia National Park. Sites are big and well spaced from each other. No hook up but fresh water and a dump station are available at the campground. Two well located bathrooms with good showers at no additional cost. During the summer months the Rangers put on a Campfire program at the campground every Saturday evening. When the lake is full you can walk right up to the waters edge and actually boat in for camping. The staff (Camphosts and Rangers) are friendly, knowledgeable about the local areas and go out of their way to assist campers. Highly recommend this campground especially if visiting Sequoia National Park.
RangerWe spent 2 nights here on our way to Sequoia/Kings Canyon NP. The spot was nice, right on the lake with nice mountain views. Sites were generally not level as it is situated on the hill down to the lake. Bathrooms were messy and half were out of order due to a maintenance project. The RV Dump station was also unavailable (same reason). During peak season I'm sure this is a great spot, but at the time of our visit it was a bit out of sorts. If we pass by again in the future we'll give it another try.
LegendSort of weird setup, with no same-day reservation and don't come by and see if any sites are unreserved and available. It seems you must reserve online 24 hours in advance, so it's not surprising that there are a lot of other rules here. The gates close at 9:00 p.m. The sites themselves are nice, located in a grassy meadow around a reservoir This is the most grass we have seen in several months. Water levels are high right now, and some sites are actually flooded but you can enjoy fishing, swimming, and boating in the reservoir. Each site seems to have a picnic table and a fire ring with a grill on it. Some sites have shade awnings. There are both pull through and back in and tent only sites. Communal pump out, trash, recycling, and water is available. It looks like they are using porta-John's and flush toilet facilities. The showers only run for a few seconds and you have to keep hitting the button to get more water, but it is hot. Good T-Mobile coverage. Very close to Sequoia National Park. Short drive to Three Rivers or Visalia for resupply. This campground is a bargain.
TravelerThis is a small place with very few campers. Some of the sites (75, 76 etc..) look out on Lake Kaweah. It’s clean and well organized. Some highway noise.
RangerPark on grass mostly but nice quiet place with room to walk and explore
GuideStayed here for a couple nights, the warm weather has been quite appreciated. No wind either. Lots are spacious and all have a great view. Supposedly the lake is full up to here at other times in the year. For now it’s quite the ways but you can see it far off near the dam.
The Alpaugh area campgrounds offer practical options for outdoor recreation in central California's San Joaquin Valley. At 200 feet elevation, the region experiences hot summer temperatures regularly exceeding 100°F, making spring and fall the preferred camping seasons. Lake Kaweah water levels fluctuate dramatically through the year, affecting shoreline accessibility and camping conditions at nearby sites.
Fishing and water recreation: Lake Kaweah provides seasonal fishing opportunities when water levels permit. "This spot is great if you want to be right by the water. The campsite is sometime filled with water so it is a seasonal thing. Be careful for snakes in this area," notes Angel C. about Horse Creek.
Hiking nearby trails: Several campgrounds connect to hiking routes with varying difficulty levels. "There are trails to hike. FYI, there is no cell reception and no provided wifi. Personally I think that's a good thing," reports Michael P. about QuailValley.
Stargazing opportunities: The foothills location creates excellent night sky viewing conditions. "The stargazing is beautiful. There is some limited light pollution emanating from the other side of the foothills, but because you are surrounded by foothills you get some good, dark surroundings to really appreciate the stars," shares Brittney J. about Horse Creek Campground.
Mountain views: The surrounding terrain provides scenic vistas from many campsites. "Sites very clean and well managed and overall its a pretty spot. Only 2-3 large and dispersed bath rooms. A number of large groups around the site which looks fun but it felt more like an urban park than being in nature," explains Jim M. about Horse Creek Campground.
Wildlife watching: Various native species inhabit the area, creating wildlife viewing opportunities. "There were also bats at night that really helped with the bug problem and created a cool ambience while stargazing. My husband loved listening to them hunt!" notes Brittney J. about Horse Creek Campground.
Relative seclusion: Some sites offer more privacy than others. "This is a small place with very few campers. Some of the sites (75, 76 etc..) look out on Lake Kaweah. It's clean and well organized. Some highway noise," reports Alison S. about Horse Creek.
Seasonal closures and flooding: Water levels determine site availability throughout the year. "A good campground from late fall to mid spring. In the summer this campground gets flooded from the rising lake waters of lake kaweah, which is fine because it is blazing hot in the summer," explains Matt B. about Horse Creek.
Limited shade at certain sites: Tree coverage varies significantly between campgrounds and specific sites. "No shade at all. While most other sites had trees or an aluminum awning to provide some sort of shade, Site 61 had nothing. Thankfully, we planned for that, but definitely worth mentioning for other campers. Most sites on the inner loop had good tree coverage," notes Brittney J.
Uneven terrain challenges: Many sites require leveling equipment for comfortable camping. "Sites are generally not level as it is situated on the hill down to the lake. Bathrooms were messy and half were out of order due to a maintenance project," reports Connor N. about Horse Creek Campground.
Visit during cooler months: Heat poses significant challenges during summer. "Nice campground on the lake but too hot 100 plus degrees in the summer. Available depending on water level of the lake. Decent fishing and great for boating and watersports," advises Robert S. about Horse Creek.
Bring extra water containers: Drinking water access points may be limited or under maintenance. "There was running water, but you had to find it near other campsites. Closest one to ours was near Site 63, which was very convenient," shares Brittney J.
Check bathroom status beforehand: Facility maintenance varies throughout the year. "Outdated facilities - the toilet/shower house was in rough shape and not really clean. There was also a steep hill to walk up to the bathhouse that had been partially washed out, so somewhat of a hazard," warns Ashlee L. about Horse Creek.
Prepare for limited hookups: Water and electrical availability varies by location. "It has bathroom, shower, fire ring and a picnic table with shade. Got a little T mobile signal. Need to check in with the ranger when arrive," mentions Kimmy S. about Horse Creek.
Scout for level sites: Most campgrounds in this area feature sloped terrain. "Still a bit of a mess after the flooding and no staff. Very scenic and beautiful though. Sites are not very level so come prepared," advises Josh M. about Horse Creek.
Check gate hours: Some campgrounds enforce strict entry/exit times. "They have signs that say they close the gates after 9 pm, and their exit has tire spike strips! One night I went into the nearest town for dinner, but I was stressed about getting back by 9 pm," notes Ashlee L.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Alpaugh, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Alpaugh, CA is Horse Creek Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 10 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near Alpaugh, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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