1 campground with availability this weekend
Horse Creek Campground accommodates equestrian visitors with multiple access options including drive-in, boat-in, and hike-in routes. Located near Lemon Cove, this campground provides water hookups and is suitable for both RV and tent camping throughout the year. Each site features a picnic table and access to drinking water. The facilities include toilets, trash collection, and a sanitary dump station. Sites are not perfectly level, so campers should plan accordingly when setting up tents or parking RVs. Bear-proof storage boxes are provided at most sites for food storage.
Horseback riders can access nearby trail systems that connect to the broader Kings Canyon wilderness areas. While Horse Creek Campground does not offer dedicated horse corrals, riders can make arrangements for portable corrals or highlines that comply with park regulations. Alcohol is permitted, and fires are allowed in designated rings when seasonal restrictions are not in place. The campground's location provides convenient access to Grant Grove and Sequoia National Park attractions. During peak season, campsites fill quickly, especially on weekends, so arriving early on weekdays offers the best chance of securing a spot. Nearby Whitney Portal campground offers additional options for equestrians, with similar amenities and access to different trail systems.
"Easy walk to campstore, post office, restaurant, and visitor center. Many trails close by. Very busy in summer. No reservations. Tent only loops available."
"Very quiet but some sledding and hiking activity close by. Sites are a little close to each other, but being so quiet it's not a big deal."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $32 / night
"Typical California foothills hardpan and dead grass sites - large and able to accommodate very long combo rigs and have enough width to disconnect and park adjacent to the towable."
"There are many ways to arrive here, but the most direct and easiest is on California State Highway 180. The park is open, but the office is not, so it’s find a spot and check yourself in."
from $40 - $55 / night
"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
"It’s a great spot, this pin location gets Verizon signal along with some of the higher sites if you pull off the road."
"Some of the sites (75, 76 etc..) look out on Lake Kaweah. It’s clean and well organized. Some highway noise."
Available this weekend
from $20 - $40 / night
"I loved hearing the creek just 30 feet away from my campsite. The views were fantastic and the CG was near the rock formations and trails. Vault toilets clean, no water."
"Near Lone Pine, just off Whitney Portal Road, adjacent to Alabama Hills, so lots of exploring opportunities! Great dark skies for stargazing and photography."
from $10 / night
"Really secluded surrounded by trees, close to bathroom and water faucet. The bathrooms are clean and have toilet paper. Right next to a river, where the sound relaxes you."
"Lone Pine Lake is your first option, about 2.8 miles from the trailhead at Whitney Portal. This is a beautiful little lake, surrounded by pines and imposing granite walls."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $34 - $95 / night
"This is one of my favorite here in sequoia national park south entrance by gen hi way. Park rangers were so helpful at the entrance and they are well organized."
"The lake isn't too cold if you want to rinse or just cool off. Plenty of tree coverage for both some shade and to hang your food."
TravelerCONS: Most sites need some (or a lot) of level help. No RV dump. Pretty popular (so don’t expect privacy). PROS: sequoia is beautiful. You can find some amazing trails.
GuideGreat location, awesome scenery and the sites are pretty nice. The reason for 3 stars is that the toilets are replaced with porta potties ( the machines n ones are locked) and the garbage is over flowing in the dumpster. There was no toilet paper in the women’s “restroom”. That was after the maintenance guy was here.
ScoutBeautiful place to camp!
RangerGreat view of Mt. Whitney! Some sites narrow and/or sloped so selection important especially if have slide-out. Clean concrete floors in pit toilet bldgs. Water available during our stay. Nice hiking trail west side of campground for valley and Whitney Portal views! Paved roads in campground. Easy access to Whitney Portal and town. Overall very nice stay.
RangerWe had a spot on the farthest loop, which was beautiful on a ridge but set us about 600 yards/steps from the nearest restroom, which means going to the loo, brushing your teeth or doing the dishes (there are signs not to do these things at the water taps that are closer) all set you back at least 10 minutes if you're not self-contained. Also note the campground has no showers.
RangerHeavy winds for most of the day, but less in the evening. Beautiful views of the mountains. Well spaced spots, clean restrooms and plenty of availability even when arriving Saturday around noon of labour day weekend
RangerThis is an older campground with fantastic views of Mt. Whitney. When I say older, I refer to narrow driveways and sites close to one another. The narrow driveways mean that if you have a camper or RV, you will not have a lot of room immediately out of the door. Maybe that's important to you, maybe not-just an FYI. Every site appears to have a tree capable of providing shade. There is a host on site. It has the standard amenities-table, fire ring w/grill, water & restrooms. The North Fork of the Lone Pine Creek runs along the north side of the campground and sites are available along side it. Most of these are tent sites. Site 39 sits right at a nice little pool in the creek & I saw trout in this pool. (it is a tent site) People in the campground were fishing. It wasn't crowded and most folks seemed to spend just one night.
TravelerWe stayed at site 67. When bookibg, we were worried it was too close to neighboring sites but it turned out ok. The flattest spot for our giant tent was down the hill and it felt very private. All the sites in our section (66, 67, 68) had sloped parking spots. If you have an RV or sleep in your car, be sure to bring levelers.
The only water was a large sink outside of the bathroom. You could screw a hose to the faucet if needed.
The bathroom was close but not too close. The women’s has 2 stalls and a sink. Bring your own hand soap and hand towel.
We weren’t at the site much during the day so I can’t say for certain if it stays shady during the day but there are many trees. We never needed our canopy.
Azalea allows dogs and the barking echos quite loudly through the campground.
ScoutWe stayed a week here, at first it was good, nice enough place. Our spot was a lot of sand. The bathrooms were full of cobwebs and spiders. The website looks promising, offering a pool, jacuzzi and restaurant. There is no restaurant, the pool doesnt get covered so its filthy, and the "jacuzzi" was filled with algae.
We came on a friday night, the quiet time is not enforced. The river was nice, however the entire length of it was taken up by boats. We hardly found a spot to swim in. We were located in site 10, at the very end in a cul de sac type lay out. Its a gated park so you need a code to enter. We locked our bikes up every single night and the one and only night we forgot, 2 out of our 4 bikes got stolen (mine and my partners, the kids were left) We asked for the surveillance as our site was in direct view of the camera and the office had told us their cameras all of a sudden stopped working around midnight but were working again that morning. Such a strange coincidence! They didnt seem apologetic. We had permanent residence come to talk to us and said they've never had theft issues, if you looked around most people had their personal belongings out every night. The place was very suspicious, I'd check out other options but also if staying a quick night it would be ok. Its right off the highway and really easy to get back on the road. We found a little lizard, and little frogs. However there is cockroaches running everywhere.
The people we met there, and the residents were so awesome, which is why it got 2 stars. The staff however, not so much.
Do not leave belongings unattended!!
Horse Creek Campground sits at the transition between the Sierra foothills and Kings Canyon wilderness, offering equestrian access at elevations ranging from 1,800 to 2,200 feet. The campground experiences hot summers with temperatures frequently exceeding 95°F and mild winters that rarely drop below freezing. Most campsites require some terrain adaptation due to the natural contours following the lake basin's topography.
Trail riding to Kings Canyon: Access Kings Canyon wilderness trails directly from Horse Creek Campground, where riders can connect to extensive backcountry routes. "Horseback riders can access nearby trail systems that connect to the broader Kings Canyon wilderness areas," though portable corrals or highlines are needed since the campground lacks dedicated horse corrals.
Winter camping at Grant Grove: Camp at Azalea Campground during off-season for a quieter experience with reduced fees. "We decided to come in the off season in February and we got lucky with weather. Low tonight is only supposed to be in the upper 30s. Very quiet but some sledding and hiking activity close by. Sites are a little close to each other, but being so quiet it's not a big deal. One bathroom is still open and the general store and restaurant are right around the corner. Plus, only $10 a night!" according to Lydia H.
Hiking to alpine lakes: Trek to scenic lakes from nearby trailheads for day adventures. "The lake isn't too cold if you want to rinse or just cool off. Plenty of tree coverage for both some shade and to hang your food," notes Elliott B. about Monarch Lakes Backcountry Sites, which provides "fantastic scenery" and "plenty of flat smooth areas to set your tent."
Bear-safe food storage: Most sites provide secure storage options for food. At Azalea Campground, Becky O. mentions, "Large bear storage boxes" are available, which helps campers comply with wildlife regulations without bringing specialized equipment.
Access to Grant Tree trails: Campers appreciate hiking options directly from campsites. "Good trails to village and grants tree," reports Mark M. about site #106 at Azalea Campground, while Annie C. adds there's "a nice trail from the campground that leads to the General Grant Sequoia Grove, and a really nice trail through the Sequoia Grove."
Reliable water sources: Western Big Meadow Road Camping Area offers functional amenities despite its remote location. "Higher sites are pretty private and have enough sun coverage for solar, the ones by the road get traffic passing by daily. Montecito Bay Lodge just down the road has an all you can eat buffet Breakfast/Lunch $9 Dinner $20," notes therealquaid D.
Uneven terrain challenges: Many sites require leveling equipment for comfortable camping. At Horse Creek Campground, Connor N. observed: "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."
Summer heat considerations: Temperatures frequently exceed 100°F during summer months. "This is a great 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," warns Matt B. about Horse Creek.
Limited bathroom facilities: Some campgrounds have restricted bathroom access, especially in winter. Jacob D. points out that "in the winter time azelea only has one bathroom building which depending on your location can be a huge drag as our site was pretty far away from it."
Best tent sites for children: Look for level, shaded areas away from steep drop-offs. "Crystal springs campground adjacent has more trees, more shade," reports Mark M. about camping near Azalea Campground, which helps protect children from intense sun exposure during summer months.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Teach children about local wildlife safety and viewing ethics. "There were TONS of trails immediately accessible from most camp sites, and a short walk from the rest," shares Connor N., while another camper noted the abundance of "mountain squirrels running around the campground frequently" that are "so cute and entertaining to watch."
Drinking water access points: Sequoia RV Park offers reliable water sources and family amenities. "Lots of room to get around. Grassy large spots with full hook ups. Close to King Canyon and other attractions," according to Rick L., making it convenient for families needing consistent access to water and facilities.
Leveling requirements: Bring substantial leveling blocks for most sites. "Spot#106. Unlevel, but most in this area are not level.#107 not bad," reports Mark M., highlighting a common challenge for RVs throughout horse campgrounds near Hartland.
Dump station availability: Check seasonal status of sanitation facilities before arrival. At Tuttle Creek Campground, Leonard H. notes: "Great views all directions... Most sites are very close to level. Packed dirt roads around campsites in good condition. Picnic tables have pole to hang lantern. Good spacing between most sites. Dump station closed until May. Clean pit toilets in weather protected buildings."
Cell service considerations: Verizon generally provides the most reliable coverage. "Campground has potable water, flush toilets, sinks for doing dishes, dumpsters/recycling, and Verizon service was fair/good throughout our stay," according to Connor N. at Azalea Campground, which helps RVers stay connected even in remote locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Hartland, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Hartland, CA is Azalea Campground — Kings Canyon National Park with a 4.6-star rating from 33 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Hartland, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 22 equestrian camping locations near Hartland, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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