Best Tent Camping near Hanford, CA
Tent campsites around Hanford, California include several established options within driving distance of the city. Camp Ikigai Animal Sanctuary offers 100 walk-in tent sites with amenities including drinking water, toilets, showers, and picnic tables. North Fork Confluence provides dispersed camping areas for tent campers approximately 55 miles northeast of Hanford near the Sierra Nevada foothills, though permits are required and facilities are minimal.
Most tent campgrounds in this region feature dirt or gravel surface pads with minimal site preparation. Crystal Springs Campground in Kings Canyon National Park, located about 60 miles northeast of Hanford, provides tent-only sites with fire rings and picnic tables but lacks drinking water and showers at individual sites. Campers planning overnight stays should pack adequate water supplies or water filtration systems, especially at primitive sites. Summer temperatures often exceed 90°F in lower elevations, while higher elevation sites provide cooler conditions. Fire restrictions are common during dry summer months, particularly at dispersed camping areas.
Walk-in tent sites generally offer more seclusion and natural surroundings than drive-in options. A recent review noted that Crystal Springs Campground "was very spacious with picnic tables and pit fires, with restrooms not too far from any site." Tent campers accessing North Fork Confluence should prepare for primitive conditions with no established facilities. Dunlap Canyon Retreat provides tent camping options approximately 50 miles northeast of Hanford with access to walking trails and a pond. Many tent sites throughout the region serve as convenient base camps for day hikes into nearby Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks, where visitors can explore giant sequoia groves and mountain landscapes. Higher elevation tent campgrounds typically close during winter months due to snow accumulation and freezing temperatures.