Best Campgrounds near Glennville, CA

Sequoia National Forest surrounds Glennville, California, providing diverse camping environments from riverfront sites to mountain settings. The area includes several campground options like Rivernook Campground and KRS RV Resort at Camp James, which offer full hookups for RVs alongside tent camping areas. Dispersed camping opportunities exist at locations such as Keyesville Recreation Area and Evans Road, where primitive sites provide alternatives to developed facilities. Several campgrounds in the region feature access to the Kern River, a popular draw for visitors seeking water recreation opportunities alongside their camping experience.

Access to camping areas varies based on location and season, with many forest roads becoming difficult to navigate during winter months or after heavy rainfall. Rivernook Campground and other developed sites typically remain accessible year-round with paved entrances, while dispersed areas may require high-clearance vehicles. One camper shared that "This camp is pretty hidden. If you're coming from Glennville it's the first camp you will run into... When you finally turn on you will follow the dirt road for 15 minutes and you will be going down in elevation from where you started at highway 155." Fire restrictions are common during summer and fall months, with complete bans possible during high fire danger periods. Cell service is inconsistent throughout the region, with better coverage near developed areas and limited to no service in remote dispersed camping locations.

Campers frequently mention river access as a significant advantage of camping in the Glennville area. The Kern River provides opportunities for swimming, fishing, and rafting at numerous sites. Several visitors noted that riverside campsites fill quickly during summer months, particularly at Camp Three Campground where proximity to swimming spots is highly valued. Shade availability varies significantly by location, with some campers reporting that "this camp gets very dry during the summer so pick your spot wisely because shade is a must." Wildlife sightings, including bears, are reported at some campgrounds, particularly those near forest boundaries. Noise levels tend to be minimal at more remote sites, though campgrounds near OHV areas may experience increased activity, especially during weekends and holidays.

Best Camping Sites Near Glennville, California (163)

    1. Rivernook Campground

    27 Reviews
    Kernville, CA
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (760) 376-2705

    $45 - $75 / night

    "We tent camped and our site was close to the rv hook up sites. The rv sites have two different sizes and hookups. Tent sites had access to running water."

    "We loved this river spot even though we were next to one of the smaller parts rather than the main river. If you can try and get one near the main river as it is more picturesque. "

    2. Leavis Flat Campground

    9 Reviews
    California Hot Springs, CA
    11 miles
    Website

    "This small roadside campground is a lovely spot, tucked between a hillside and Deer Creek running year round right at the edge of the campground."

    "There is a market close by Incase you forgot something, when you go back on the road make a right and at the intersection make another fight and ir should take you to the market."

    3. Keyesville Recreation Area Dispersed

    11 Reviews
    Lake Isabella, CA
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (661) 391-6000

    "You can park RVs right next to the water but it gets very busy, there are more secluded spots accessible to even Class A rigs further down."

    "Access to the river is closed as of 26 January, still plenty of dispersed places down the road to camp. Bathrooms and trash dump and lots of trails to ride bikes!"

    4. KRS RV Resort@Camp James

    14 Reviews
    Kernville, CA
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (760) 376-6119

    $39 - $340 / night

    "Our 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."

    "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."

    5. Sandy Flat

    10 Reviews
    Bodfish, CA
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (760) 376-1815

    $34 - $136 / night

    "Again the campground was great and we were pretty close to the river which was awesome. But stay away from site 9. We’ll definitely be back but will be at one of the others."

    "We appreciated the proximity to the hot springs.

    Our site was pretty big, but that was not the case for some of the other sites which looked small or close to other sites. "

    6. Chico Flat Dispersed Camping - Partially Closed, See Description

    10 Reviews
    Kernville, CA
    15 miles
    Website

    "Each site is private-ish and they won’t be walking through your site to drop in, you’ll just see groups of people float by your area, once they drop in close to the first site on the north end."

    "There's great access to the national forest and the little town of Kernville is so cute and friendly."

    7. Stine Cove Recreation Site

    15 Reviews
    Weldon, CA
    20 miles
    Website

    "Toilets and trash at entrance. The dam is being rebuilt so the water is real low. Easy to drive along the beach until nobody else is around."

    "I appreciated the rough feel of the lake and how close the road was. There is a restroom and a dump bin at the entrance which locked this spot in for convenience."

    8. Hobo Campground — Sequoia National Forest

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

    $28 - $30 / night

    9. Kern River Campground

    20 Reviews
    Lebec, CA
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (661) 868-7000

    $20 / night

    "This campground was clean, well maintained, and convenient location if you want to explore the Kern River up into the mountains."

    "You can hear jet boat noise from the adjacent lake from time to time. No WiFi but good Verizon LTE (25-30 Mbps) and decent AT&T 4G (10-15Mbps)."

    10. Evans Road Dispersed Camping

    1 Review
    Posey, CA
    6 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."

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Recent Reviews near Glennville, CA

660 Reviews of 163 Glennville Campgrounds


  • french M.
    Sep. 5, 2025

    Stine Cove Recreation Site

    Stine Cove

    I'm looking for a campsite near water and a nice mountain view, will definitely add Stine Cove to my next trip list.

  • Kenneth P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 1, 2025

    Balch Park Campground

    Fantastic Family Campground

    This is a historic campground. With 1000 year old trees and history of logging. Good fishing and hiking all around the area. Nice hosts and most people are respectful of the area.

  • Michael H.
    Aug. 17, 2025

    Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park Campground

    Very nice grounds

    Clean, newer type of space. Free showers for campers, and the price is cheap for a developed site. $20 for regular, $30 for an RV. Bathrooms are clean, water hookups, covered tables, and a dump station. Also seems pretty low usage. Saturday in Aug and we were the only ones. Reasonable cell on mint, T-Mobile and spectrum. If the trains and small freeway weren't close, it would be 5 as a site. It's central valley so hot in the summer with a bit of breeze and flat.

  • K
    Aug. 14, 2025

    Kern River Campground

    Reservations

    You must register and reserve a campsite before 4 PM local. The website directs you to an unsecured website. I pressed on through and got a human on the phone, so far so good. The total was $35.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 8, 2025

    Sequoia National Forest Quaking Aspen Campground

    Awesome campground

    This campground is a great area for yourself to be immersed into the forest. We arrived on a Sunday and there were first come first serve campgrounds available. We stayed one night but there were plenty of spots to choose from. The roads around the campground are drivable for all type of cars. Due keep in mind you will need a to obtain campfire permit online before you arrive depending if there are fire restrictions or not. There is no service within the campground so make sure you have everything available to you. There are 2 hikes nearby but unfortunately one of the hikes, Freeman Creek Trail, was closed due to restoration work being done at the time. Definitely would recommend if you plan a little trip into Sequoia National Forest.

  • mThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 4, 2025

    Kern River Campground

    Loud neighbors

    My sister and I arrived on a Tuesday and left on a Wednesday. We had slot 50. Our neighbors were blasting music all day non stop. It was beautiful campground and perfect location next to the river, it was just the blasting of music that was really rough to deal with. Would totally visit again and just pray the neighbors can be quiet!!

  • Kim L.
    Jul. 17, 2025

    Sequoia National Forest Quaking Aspen Campground

    Quiet, well maintained, with a knowledgeable host

    Tim is amazing! He has all the info on nearby trails, maps of the area, answers every question you can think of. Just fantastic. 

    As of 6/22/25:

    • potable water available-vault toilets are well maintained-no food lockers, but also no in-camp bear incidents/sightings in the last few years, per Tim. So we made sure our food was locked in our cars whenever we weren't using it.
    • If you want cell service briefly, there is a spot about 3.5 miles away off 21S70 as if you're headed to Dome rock.
    • site#19 had at least 3 relatively flat spots for tents and was nice and spacious.
    • Firewood is available at camp, at the nearby Camp Nelson general store, and if you're passing through Springville, Gifford's has some. 

    This campground is so peaceful, and near several hiking trails. Would 100% come back here again.

  • eThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 8, 2025

    Dome Rock Dispersed Camping

    Closed in Late March

    Beautiful drive up to the spot, unfortunately still closed in late March.

  • Barry G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 6, 2025

    Orange Grove RV Park

    Great overnight stop

    This park is a repurposed orange grove with plenty of fruit trees between sites. We had 20/30/50 amp power, water and sewer. There is Avery nice, clean, but sort of small pool. I didn't check out the restrooms or showers but everything around here is very clean. There seem to be quite a few longer-term campers, but all the rigs were nice and the campsites were clean. I would definitely stay here again if I had something going on in Bakersfield or in transit to another location. The park was not crowded and plenty of sites were available.


Guide to Glennville

Camping near Glennville, California, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.

What to do:

  • Fishing and tubing: The Kern River Campground is a great spot for fishing and tubing. One visitor shared, "We had a blast here... tubing, fishing... a great time still." The river is perfect for cooling off on hot days.
  • Hiking: Explore the trails around California Kern River Park. A camper noted, "Great view of the Kern River! Clean, quiet, good vibes," making it a nice place to hike and enjoy nature.
  • Wildlife watching: At California Kern River Park, you can spot various wildlife. One reviewer mentioned, "Great birds along the river, lots of ducks and egrets," which adds to the park's charm.

What campers like:

  • Clean facilities: Campers appreciate the cleanliness at places like KRS RV Resort@Camp James. A visitor said, "Campground is nice overall... clean bathrooms and coin-operated showers."
  • Spacious sites: Many enjoy the roomy campsites at Orange Grove RV Park. One reviewer stated, "Large sites, semi-private with orange trees," which makes for a pleasant camping experience.
  • Friendly staff: Campers often mention the helpful staff at Bakersfield River Run RV Park. A guest noted, "The staff are great," which can make a big difference during your stay.

What you should know:

  • Noise levels: Some campgrounds, like Rivernook Campground, can get noisy. One camper expressed disappointment, saying, "No one enforced the 10pm quiet time... it was super loud until about 1am."
  • Limited amenities: At places like Stine Cove Recreation Site, amenities can be sparse. A visitor mentioned, "It’s all open so don’t expect too much privacy or shelter from the wind."
  • Reservations recommended: Many campgrounds fill up quickly, especially during peak seasons. A camper at California Limestone advised, "Get your reservation in early," to secure a good spot.

Tips for camping with families:

  • Choose spacious sites: Look for campgrounds with larger sites, like Orange Grove RV Park. A family shared, "Big level gravel sites with an orange tree on each space," which is great for kids to play.
  • Plan for activities: Make sure to have activities lined up. One family at Kern River Campground enjoyed tubing and fishing, saying, "We all had such a great time."
  • Bring bug spray: Some areas can have bugs, especially near water. A camper at Sandy Flat reminded others to "bring river/water shoes and some decent bug repellent."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check site sizes: RVers should pay attention to site sizes. A visitor at Bakersfield River Run RV Park noted, "The spaces are a little tight but ok."
  • Be prepared for noise: Some RV parks can be near busy roads. A camper at Success Lake mentioned, "There is very few campsites with shade," and noted the noise from the nearby highway.
  • Utilize amenities: Look for parks with good amenities. One RV traveler at KRS RV Resort@Camp James appreciated the "clean, spacious park" with access to showers and laundry.

Camping near Glennville, California, has something for everyone, from families to RVers. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Glennville, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, Glennville, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 163 campgrounds and RV parks near Glennville, CA and 34 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Glennville, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Glennville, CA is Rivernook Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 27 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Glennville, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 34 free dispersed camping spots near Glennville, CA.

What parks are near Glennville, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 20 parks near Glennville, CA that allow camping, notably Sequoia National Forest and Kaweah Lake.