Camping cabins near Cantil are the charming alternative to a tent or a yurt. The Dyrt can help you find the best cabin camping destinations for your next trip. You're sure to find the perfect cabin for your California cabin camping excursion.
$39 - $340 / night
$40 - $75 / night
The Oak Flat Lookout sits the Greenhorn Mountains in the Sequoia National Forest and Sequoia National Monument, about an hour from Bakersfield, California. Perched at an elevation of 4,900 feet, the tower overlooks the scenic Kern River and Kern River Valley and has panoramic views of the mountains, river and valley. Oak Flat Lookout was constructed in 1934 to provide fire detection views along the Kern River Canyon. In the early years of the Forest Service, lookouts provided a crucial link in wild land management, often being the only source of communication and fire detection for many miles. The lookout was operational until the 1980s. There is no electricity or water in the lookout. All provisions, including food, water and bedding, must be carried up 40 steep steps to the tower space or pulled hand-over-hand in a small basket pulley system.
Birdwatching and stargazing from the tower or the mountaintop are popular pastimes. For guests who wish to visit an operating lookout, Breckenridge Lookout located southeast of Oak Flat is open during the summer months.
The lookout tower has panoramic views of the mountains, the canyon and the river.
$75 / night
$20 - $50 / night
10 Acre Desert Afforestation Project
Only 1.5 hours from Los Angeles, our camping site is a poetic tree planting project in the unincorporated desert of Los Angeles County.
We rent out our unique tiny home, the Starry Night Skoolie, in order to raise funds for our tree planting efforts.
100% of your booking goes directly to hauling water, planting trees, protecting the garden, and maintaining it’s growth.
__
The Starry Night Skoolie
Our cute tiny home has a very warm, loving, and inviting feel. We curated our air conditioned skoolie to attract nature lovers and adventurous explorers looking for a homey retreat in the desert.
You will experience true hospitality during your stay—it feels a lot like staying at a friend’s secret clubhouse in the middle of nowhere. Because of this, our unique tiny house is one of the best kept secrets in the desert.
—
Activities
Plant a desert pine or a desert fruit tree.
Come to one of our black new moon stargazing workshops.
Invite your friends for a bonfire and hammock party.
Bring your special someone for a romantic candlelight dinner underneath the stars.
Enjoy quality time with your family and play games inside the bus.
You can even come by yourself to relax with a quiet, private, luxurious self-care stay.
The Starry Night Skoolie is perfect for a special one-night evening…but guests who stay longer often tune into the slow, healing rhythm of the desert by the second day.
—
Starry Night Sky
One of our "extras" is a 20-minute guided workshop and meditation on how to relax and enjoy the view of the starry night sky.
Out here, away from the smog and light pollution of Los Angeles, you can see:
✨ The Big Dipper
✨ The Little Dipper
✨ Polaris (The North Star)
✨ The Milky Way
✨ And much, much more!
Lay down in the hammock and fall asleep while you watch the magnificent starry sky reveal itself to you, sparkling before your eyes.
—
Skoolie Accomodations
✅ 100% Solar Powered
✅ 1 Full Bed
✅ Air Conditioner (window unit)
✅ Fast WiFi
✅ Shower + Sink (well water)
❌ Hot Water (under construction)
✅ Toilet (compost)
✅ Kitchen (camper stove, convection oven, hot plates, pots, pans, tea kettle, dishware, utensils, refrigerator)
🪲 There are flying insects and moths in the desert that are attracted to lights at night
✅ 600W of Solar Panels power 2 LiFePo4 12v batteries; plus, there are 2 extra power stations for your glamping needs
__
Sustainability + Stewardship
100% of your booking goes towards cultivating, maintaining, and watering our desert trees. You can help us reach 40,000 trees in 10 years by booking a stay! 🌲
—
Vacation Views
Our property is located just over the mountain butte range. It is normally extremely silent, but on occasion you will hear a distant generator or an airplane. Some nights, you can hear music playing or fireworks going off in the very, very far distance. You will be able to see clear skies, 360 degree mountains in the distance, and pure desert without any main roads.
Our land is a Stargazer’s Paradise. Visitors have seen the biggest comets of their lives out here. Every night, the sky lights up with an incredible view of constellations, shooting stars, and even the Milky Way galaxy.
__
Privacy
The property is enclosed within a wire fence, and there is a locked farm gate at the entrance. It feels very quiet because we are hidden by a slight hill that conceals us from the main road; this means people driving by will not be able to see you.
We have security cameras located on the fencing of the property, as well as one near the door of the bus. We will cut the feed to make sure that you maintain 100% of your privacy.
__
Wildlife
Lizards, beetles, dragonflies, grasshoppers, moths, butterflies, bees, birds (especially crows), chipmunks, ants, and mice have visited our garden.
At night, desert insects--no mosquitoes or roaches!--will be attracted to the lights. If you do not like bugs, make sure to turn off all the lights. This includes candles, headlamps, and the solar lights. You can also set aside a large light away from the skoolie, so that the insects will be attracted to it instead of to the bus.
There is an owl that has taken residency in a nearby joshua tree. We’ve seen its long white wingspan at night.
We feed stray dogs who are dumped in the area. They have not bothered anyone during their stay, as they are extremely cautious of strangers. One dog, Rainey, is particularly attached to our garden. He came after a huge rainstorm in June. My daughter and I were on the skoolie, listening to the thunder and watching the rain and thunder. This new dog showed up while we were pointing at a rainbow. I call him Rainey, Rainbow, and Rain Dog. He is the garden’s protector.
Early in the morning, you can hear the roadrunner calling from a nearby joshua tree.
We have also seen/heard a rattlesnake, a scorpion, and a baby coyote.
__
Nearby Attractions
- Sattleback Butte State Park: Water, Hiking, climbing, picnic, camping, restrooms.
- Butte Valley Wildflower Sanctuary: Water, Wildlife, hiking, socializing, theater, swimming, classes, fitness, restrooms.
__
Social Media
$10 - $80 / night
Legend
Campground is nice overall. Sites are close together and site 4 has a small uphill to back into which if you have a RV or heavy camper your going to scrap hard backing in. Overall nice campground.
ScoutCamp James is a clean, spacious park. All sites are well kept, with access to clean bathrooms and coin operated showers. Staff is friendly and available when needed. Prices are a tad high but expected with a clean upscale Campground. Didn't expect a 3 night minimum charge the weekend after Labor Day but couldn't find a Campground with availability in a short time so we rolled with the 3 day requirement . A friendly family of bears made their presence at night as the trash cans were ransacked in the morning and my boyfriend came face to face with a skunk while walking our dog at night. Overall it's a beautiful park right on the Kern River and we would stay again if we could get one of the few riverfront spaces.
Guide
Overall nice site with full hookups & wi-fi/cell. Had a nice shade tree but it can be real sunny without one. Laundry right on site! Close to lake Isabella and all of the Kern. Great for last minute reservations too, online booking works
GuideExcellent spots right on the Kern River. So many things to do and the campground resort is ran good, no issues at all. Full hookups, close to everything.
ScoutFirst time at camp James - it was awesome. Helpful friendly staff, super clean, and amazing camp sites! Will definitely be coming back!
ScoutThis place is amazing. Clean campground, friendly staff and amazing views. This place is a must visit
ScoutWe pulled in after 7pm and had to call the after-hours line. We got in and set up camp. Nice wide driveways no issues for turning the rv around and parking. Very clean and nice park. The staff came to us after 10pm because we had music on and asked to turn it off so I just turned it down very low. No other issues or problems. We like the camp grounds and are planing a trip for April 2022.
RangerOur family has been going to Camp James for over 10 years, and it's easily our favorite campground in California. The campsites are clean, shaded by trees, and it's right on the riverfront. During the high season, it's fun to watch kayakers and whitewater rafters screaming down the rapids. But our favorite time to go is in late July and August, when you can float down the river in an inner tube. There is great trout fishing right off the property, and the bathrooms have always been well kept and clean. I love all the little streams running through the property too, which gives it such a peaceful vibe. They do rent cabins as well. Staff has always been attentive and friendly. There is a small store on the property that sells fishing gear, snacks and other goodies.
I made a video about the campground here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz3l6VbZz14
GuideExcellent family spot. Beautiful well kept grounds. Clean showers and bathrooms. Polite guests. Respectable to after hour policies. Ground keepers make sure everyone is happy. Full hook up sites make it easy. Shaded tent sites make it comfortable. Camp store make it convenient. Walking distance to town and store. Kern river Brewing company is the family favorite. Pizza Barn delivers to you while riverside.
GuideAt first we were a bit disappointed but overall it turned out to be a good location for going to the Trail of 100 Giants and the Kern River. The WiFi didn’t work and the bathroom only had two showers. It needs to be updated but it was clean and the people were nice.
ScoutEverything was great about this campground. Showers, phones service, WiFi, showers and locks with passcode on the bathroom doors and a pool just to name a few things. Weather was great and we loved everything about staying here.
ScoutCamp sights are very close to one another not much privacy. The RV sights with full hooks up are further away from the river about 200 yards. The campground is very clean and well maintained. Kernville is less then a mile away were you can get gas diesel groceries firewood or anything else you might have forgotten.
Traveler
The riverfront sites are primo! A short stroll and you’re in Kernville. Small, Nice parks
GuideFirst time to the Kern River. Loved it. We were there August 1-6. The River was a little low but it was perfect for us with our 5 year old son. We were able to float down the river in our inner tubes safely. We were told May to June the river is very high in this area. We also fished in the river. Our camp site was great. We stayed in site 81 in our class C RV. Corner site on a creek that ran through the campground. The creek was great to sit in to escape the heat and float down. Lots of kids and dog friendly. The WIFI was good to stream TV and ATT cell service was good too. The sites had power, water and cable TV hook up. There is a dump station in the campground. They clean and rake all camp sites after each use and they enforce the 10:00pm quiet time. It is a short walk/ride to Kern River Brewery. Or it is about a hour drive to Trail of 100 Giants Sequoia Trees. Can’t wait to stay here again.
ScoutThis is the best camp ground we’ve ever stayed. The views are fantastic, the atmosphere is perfect. Near the town and hot springs, not too far from a ski resort. The perfect place.
GuideThis Campground is not near the river or the lake water. It does have a pool though! LOL.
We were just glad we brought a vehicle so we could leave to explore the river and sequoia trees!
We did have shade and full hook up. There’s a water feature that sprays water in the air and a playground. There was a store and laundry I think! We really didn’t spend much time there.
I’ll never go back there only because I prefer to be on water.
The photos are not from the campground but these shots are some of what you can see in the area.
TravelerWe stayed here June 2019 and absolutely loved it. We had site 80 which is back up right on the small Creek that runs right thru the middle of the grounds. The kids loved tubing down it all day. In front of us was the river. Gorgeous views. The grounds are very well maintained, they collect trash every morning, there is a small store inside the office in case you forgot anything. The town of Kerrville is a just a couple minutes up the road with little shops and things to do. This campground even offers activities for the whole family, movie night, bingo, even rock painting. This will be our go to campground every year.
GuideIn my opinion, they have the best “On the river sites”, and all those sites make a cul de sac down on the river. So if you have a large group you can all take up those spots and pretty much have your own area. If not, you can just reserve and make some great friends. The river is rushing by literally at your back door. There are little house/cabins also. Even if you don’t camp in those sites, the whole campground is very nice and well kept. Some of the pics were taken right at our site.
ScoutA great place to relax in the heat right down the road from Lake Isabella. They have a wonderful pool and splash pad for the kids. The staff was amazing! They have pizza and a small bar to relax in. Most of the sites have shaded trees. They do movie nights and pancakes on certain days. A wonderful little place.
LegendKern River is a great place in the hot California Desert. This place has everything to make you feel at home. Several large sites for tents or RV's , bathrooms with full showers, a pool, splashpad and water play area. They have these weird Banana bikes which were fun. I was in complete heaven when I saw the coffee bar! There is a big pavilion with cooking areas for everyone!
This is close to several nearby attractions. They offer great wifi services. Great places if you have little ones. so much to do and all of the staff was wonderful.
They have Cabins too! I didnt stay in them but they are pretty cute.
GuideWe love these campground. We go every year during the summer! Nice clean small campground. Book way in advance though. You can get a site right on the river with no sewage hook ups or get all hook ups off the river. You can even rent a cabin. Really close to town. Take a ride down the river in your tube and walk back. So much fun!
TravelerWe decided to take last minute trip to Kernville and were able to find a campsite very easy here. Kernville is right along the Kern River which is absolutely beautiful. There are plenty of breweries in the town, hiking nearby and great food. Overall this was a really fun experience!
It was pretty hot when we went, however cooled off nicely in the evening.
ScoutNice campground that is kept up very well. Depending on the level of the river it can be very noisy. Great if you want to be right next to the river.
GuideWe took our RV here and had a great time. We brought our dog and some family members with us. Great place but they need larger stalls in the bathrooms. I like the free air they provide for you to be able to fill the tubes.
Guide
This is a great spot to camp but you will need a 4-wheel drive to get there. The road is very sketch for the last mile to get to the lookout. There is an outhouse but no water. Not a lot of great hiking but the view of the lookout is pretty amazing.
GuideWow. Literally thousands of earwigs everywhere. We sprayed with the ultra toxic bug spray left behind, then returned and swept them up. Stayed up most of the night fighting them off. The views from the tower were stunning, the road approaching steep (no passenger cars), but what we remember most are bugs, bugs bugs everywhere!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Cantil, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Cantil, CA is KRS RV Resort@Camp James with a 4.4-star rating from 14 reviews.
What is the best site to find cabin camping near Cantil, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 6 cabin camping locations near Cantil, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
