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Best Tent Camping near Bakersfield, CA

434 Reviews

Tent campgrounds around Bakersfield, California include both established sites and dispersed camping areas within nearby national forests and recreation lands. Several options exist for tent campers, including San Emigdio Campground in Los Padres National Forest and Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos, which offers walk-in tent sites about a quarter mile from the parking area. Evans Road Dispersed Camping provides more primitive tent camping experiences in Sequoia National Forest.

Most tent sites in the region have basic amenities, with picnic tables and fire rings available at established campgrounds like Breckenridge and San Emigdio. Vault toilets are present at some locations but absent at dispersed camping areas. Campers should note that fire restrictions are common during summer and fall months due to high fire danger. Access roads to several tent campgrounds require high clearance vehicles, particularly Cherry Creek and Breckenridge campgrounds. Water is limited throughout the region, with most primitive tent sites requiring campers to bring their own supply. A review mentioned, "If you have 4WD and a strong stomach, you can squeeze all the way up the mountain to a beautiful campsite at the end of the trail."

The tent camping experience near Bakersfield varies significantly by elevation and season. Higher elevation sites like Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos offer cooler temperatures during summer months, making them popular retreats from valley heat. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, many campers appreciate the privacy and seclusion at dispersed tent sites along Evans Road. Wildlife sightings are common throughout the region, with one camper noting rattlesnake awareness is necessary at San Emigdio. Most primitive tent sites require adherence to Leave No Trace principles as they lack trash service. Winter access becomes limited at higher elevations, with some areas receiving substantial snowfall, while lower elevation dispersed camping areas remain accessible year-round.

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Best Tent Sites Near Bakersfield, California (28)

    1. Autonomy Farms

    1 Review
    Greenfield, CA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (661) 430-0106

    $30 - $50 / night

    "Check them out and share some pics of your stay on the Dyrt!"

    2. Breckenridge Campground

    5 Reviews
    Bodfish, CA
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (760) 376-3781

    "This is a awesome campground, with just a fire ring and table (if a site has it, if not there's plenty to choose from) there is an outhouse and that it is, no signal unless you go up to the lookout"

    "Cool place to go and chill, just make sure you are prepared for a narrow and bumpy road, also a short dirt trail."

    3. San Emigdio Campground

    2 Reviews
    Pine Mountain Club, CA
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (661) 858-1115

    "No access to showers, but restrooms are clean and have sinks. Beware of rattlesnakes. Lots of cool trails within 15 min walk of camp sight"

    "The information desk and the rangers were kind and nice. I’ll definitely go back again."

    4. Hobo Campground — Sequoia National Forest

    6 Reviews
    Bodfish, CA
    33 miles
    +1 (760) 376-1815

    $28 - $30 / night

    "Due to a bridge wash out and no funds for repair, this beloved campground is closed."

    "Unfortunately, went to camp there last weekend and were informed the bridge has been washed out and camp is closed with no plans to repair the bridge. SO SAD!"

    5. Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos

    6 Reviews
    Pine Mountain Club, CA
    36 miles
    Website

    "At the top of the Cuddy Valley road is a large parking lot (Adventure Pass required) for the hiking trail to the top of Mt. Pinos."

    "Park at the lot up top, then walk about 1/2 mile to campground via dirt path. Plenty of sites. Old rustic bathrooms work well. Picnic tables at each site."

    6. Cherry Creek Campground

    2 Reviews
    Frazier Park, CA
    32 miles

    "This place you can drive up to the site. You can find any place to camp out. There is a small creek but it is really small. Lots of animals in the night."

    "If you have 4WD and a strong stomach, you can squeeze all the way up the mountain to a beautiful campsite at the end of the trail at the top of the mountain."

    7. Remington

    2 Reviews
    Bodfish, CA
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (760) 376-3781

    8. ATV Campground — Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area

    1 Review
    Lebec, CA
    37 miles
    Website

    $10 / night

    9. Evans Road Dispersed Camping

    1 Review
    Posey, CA
    38 miles

    "The 2 on the south side are attainable with careful driving and 2 wheel drive. One site is visible by the road, the other crests a small hill and has limited visibility from the road."

    10. Evans Road Hidden Camp

    1 Review
    Glennville, CA
    37 miles

    "No other campers present so good privacy. Lots of birds, peepers, and late night owls. Quite pleasant."

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Bakersfield, CA

15 Photos of 28 Bakersfield Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Bakersfield, CA

434 Reviews of 28 Bakersfield Campgrounds

  • Jeremiah F.
    Jul. 21, 2020

    Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos

    Great Hike-in campground with nice hiking nearby!

    At the top of the Cuddy Valley road is a large parking lot (Adventure Pass required) for the hiking trail to the top of Mt. Pinos. Off to the other side is a dirt trail on the edge of a meadow, after about 200/300 yards is Chula Vista Campground. The camp sites vary greatly in size and flatness, so check around for the good ones.

    First Come First serve camping, with some great spots overlooking the nearby meadow. The sites were clean and decently spread out, with fire rings and picnic benches.

    It can get pretty windy up here so make sure your tent is staked down well. If you don't have an Adventure Pass, Mountain View Mini Mart in Frazier Park is the closest place i know that sells them. $5 a day, or $30 for the year pass. (you can get a second year pass for only $5).

    Met a guy named Bob and helped set up his telescope in the parking lot, he let anyone who wanted check out the amazing night sky!

    Pros: Free camping!

              Great hiking nearby.

              Shady, clean sites.

              Great sky gazing!

    Cons: Lots of flies, very active during the day.

               Bathrooms were pretty messy. below average for vault toilets. Bring extra TP.

  • Mario M.
    May. 30, 2022

    Los Alamos Campground at Pyramid Lake

    Great for a quick getaway but come prepared

    Tried this campground out for a single day/night of camping for my family of 4.

    Location - 5 out of 5 Great location in terms of close to home (40 minutes from Bakersfield). 1.5 miles from Pyramid Lake for a day trip.

    Campground - 3 out of 5. $20 per night, by all means, this is only regards to the tent camping not the people or bathrooms etc. We camped in Loop 4 camp 72. While I was towards the end of the campground, very little shade was available. Prepare to bring multiple ezups for shade. Tent was easily put up as ground is soft. This camp was overrun by fire ants, so had to carefully move around their nest. There was a small section in between some trees that allowed us to get some shade, maybe even a small tent fits there. Bathrooms are flush toilets and very clean. No showers available to my knowledge. Camping came with a cement picnic table and a fire pit.

    The 2 points off was just because of the shade situation. I did go through the campground all together to see which sites were more shaded and out of all of the sites perhaps 4 had some trees with good shade.

    If you are looking for a weekend getaway from the city, good place to come. Just come prepared with multiple shade apparatus.

    **My pictures were taken after 6pm when the sun is behind the mountains.

  • Aliza N.
    Jan. 24, 2022

    Kern River County Park

    Quiet and lovely

    We stayed here just for a night on our way to Death Valley. It’s super convenient from Bakersfield and nice and quiet, by the Kern River. Clean and calm with some nice sites by the river. All have picnic tables and fire rings. The host was so lovely and let us stay for free in a site that had already been paid for (the folks had left early). We couldn’t believe it! So generous and kind.

  • Dani P.
    Jul. 12, 2019

    Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos

    Hike In Gorgeous Campground with ample space

    Park at the lot up top, then walk about 1/2 mile to campground via dirt path. Plenty of sites. Old rustic bathrooms work well. Picnic tables at each site. Brought my dogs here and they had a blast, plus no ticks found. Plenty of hiking directly around this campground. Stayed here for three nights and found plenty of exploring to do nearby. Highly recommend, especially because there is no fee. Being said, Pack it in and pack it out! Leave No Trace principles are crucial to keep this place beautiful

  • Stephanie F.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 31, 2025

    KCL Campground

    So peaceful, really serene

    It’s a very simple place but I found it so peaceful being surrounded by the golden plains, the breeze through the big shaded eucalyptus trees, and hearing the owls near sundown. Theres also hummingbirds that’ll get up right in your face. I was also the only one at the site so that was nice. The area is clean, vault toilets kinda gross though. Very small campground, a couple drive in sites and a couple walk in sites but each drive in site had a picnic table, fire ring, and a metal pole hook and theres one drinking water spigot for the whole campground. So not bad!! Road was surprisingly smooth majority of way and has some paved parts but there was some washboard parts too. Road to get here was long though about 13 miles from the blm sign. There was paper maps at the sign area. I got 3 bars at the campground with AT&T but was spotty on the drive over.

  • H
    Jul. 10, 2017

    Holey Meadow Campground

    Shaded, quiet, and clean!

    Holey Meadows is a small campground with just 10 sites. We reserved campsite 5 and there was shade all day long, which was good because temperatures during the day were over 90 degrees in the sun. There was a flat spot for our tent and plenty of room to pitch another tent. This site didn't have any neighbors behind it and it was close to the bathroom. It's a short half mile drive down a dirt road to get to the campgrounds. The camp host was friendly and helpful. He suggested a number of activities for us and came around each day/night to check in. He also kept the vault toilets so clean and aired out. Two thumbs up for that. All of our neighbors were really quiet and went to bed early. There's a number of activities in the area to keep you busy during the day - Trail of 100 Giants, the view from Dome Rock, the Noble Waterfall, and the Needles Lookout 5 mile hike. If you are in need of supplies, there's a restaurant / store 18 miles up the road in Ponderosa. We were able to pick up firewood and ice and had a beer on their deck and enjoyed the band. Overall, we were very pleased with our stay and would recommend it to other campers who don't mind no showers. Please note that there is NO drinking water as the description on this site states.

  • Antonio C.
    Aug. 30, 2019

    Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos

    Summer Heat Getaway!

    It’s a nice drive to get to the campground. Nice clean area with lots of space. Love it that’s it’s a Walk in campground so no cars or RVs. Lots of Hiking trails nearby. It’s a lot cooler up here so it’s a nice way to get away from the summer heat. Awesome area for stargazing. The bathrooms could use some cleaning but other than that it’s a beautiful area.

  • Mon M.
    Jul. 2, 2018

    KCL Campground

    BLM site for remote camping

    A small remote site on a BLM land, so it is free but it is a first come first serve site. Not many facilities or gas stations nearby so it may be a good idea to bring extra gas if you plan to explore Carrizo Plains. It is right off of Soda Lake Road, about half a mile from the road at a shady little grove. Went on a windy weekend, but campground was nestled under eucalyptus trees so it helped. There are owls in those trees, so they were hooting loud into the night. Some may like it, but it was pretty loud. There are two restrooms (vault toilets - no water), fire pits and picnic tables. Bring your own water. No trash service so pack in and pack out. Views are nice especially if you get sites facing the open plains. Went in June so it was already fire season so no camp fire was allowed. It was a non-busy weekend, but campers arrived late throughout the evening and it was almost full. Weekdays may be pretty deserted out there. Weather can get very hot so make sure to check weather forecast before heading out.

  • April C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 14, 2023

    KCL Campground

    Great location

    Nice and clean. Vault toilets. There’s water, but not sure if it’s potable, there wasn’t a sign. No trash service, you have to pack it out. There is an area for your horse. Walk in sites, rv/car camp/van/tent sites. It’s first come first serve, no reservations and it’s free.

Guide to Bakersfield

Bakersfield, California, offers a variety of tent camping options that cater to outdoor enthusiasts looking for adventure and relaxation in nature.

Tent campers should check out San Emigdio Campground

  • This campground provides a peaceful atmosphere with clean restrooms and drinking water, making it a great choice for first-time campers.
  • Located in Maricopa, it features picnic tables and allows pets, perfect for families looking to enjoy the outdoors together.
  • With numerous trails nearby, visitors can explore the beautiful surroundings while keeping an eye out for local wildlife.

Tips for tent camping near Bakersfield

  • At Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos, campers can enjoy free camping with shaded sites and fire rings, but should be prepared for limited amenities like no drinking water or trash disposal.
  • For those seeking a unique experience, Autonomy Farms offers a scenic farm stay with access to showers and the option to enjoy campfires.
  • If you're looking for a more secluded spot, Breckenridge Campground is a well-reviewed option with clean facilities and a variety of trails for hiking and exploring.

Tent campers appreciate these amenities

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there free camping available near Bakersfield for tent campers?

Yes, there are several free camping options near Bakersfield for tent campers. Live Oak South — Sequoia National Forest offers free camping for up to 14 days with fairly spaced-out sites that provide good privacy. The area also has off-roading trails throughout. Breckenridge Campground is another free option with basic amenities like fire rings and some tables. There's an outhouse but no cell signal unless you trek up to the lookout. Additionally, there's dispersed camping available along roadways in certain forest areas, but always check local regulations before setting up.

Where are the best tent camping sites near Bakersfield?

For tent camping near Bakersfield, Chula Vista Campground at Mt. Pinos offers a unique experience with spread-out sites and excellent hiking trails. Located at nearly 9,000 feet elevation, it provides a cool escape from summer heat with beautiful scenery and stargazing opportunities. Another excellent option is Rancho Nuevo Campground, a small, peaceful site with Rancho Nuevo creek flowing nearby. The campground features fire rings with steel grated stoves and provides access to Rancho Nuevo Trail, making it perfect for hikers seeking solitude.

What amenities are available at tent camping sites in Bakersfield?

Tent camping sites near Bakersfield typically offer basic amenities. San Emigdio Campground provides clean restrooms with sinks, though no showers, and features various hiking trails within a 15-minute walk. Dutchman Campground (temporarily closed) offers typical mountain camping amenities with fire rings, picnic tables, and outhouses in a scenic mountain setting. Most campgrounds in the area feature picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets or outhouses. Water availability varies by location, with many sites requiring you to bring your own. Cell service is generally limited or non-existent, making these locations ideal for disconnecting.

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