Do you enjoy camping but don't want to rough it? Glamping is a great option. Find all the best glamping sites for your Lake Isabella, California camping adventure with The Dyrt. Whether you're looking for a quiet location in the woods or a site closer to all the action, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect glamping spot.
$39 - $340 / night
Every one of our extra-long, pull-thru sites offers the shade of two or more leafy orange trees. With their snowy white trunks and fragrant, flavorful fruits, the trees form a 40-acre oasis of shade and serenity in Bakersfield’s desert climate. And guess what? You can pick all the sweet, delicious oranges you want. Swim, hike, and explore at California’s most unique destination – Orange Grove RV Park.
$43 - $54 / night
Camp Three Campground is set amidst oak and locust trees at an elevation of 2,800 feet on the Upper Kern River, offering countless recreational opportunities for visitors.
Hiking, fishing, kayaking and rafting are popular activities in the Upper Kern River area.
The Sequoia National Forest, located at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada in central California, takes its name from the giant sequoia, the world's largest tree, which grows in more than 30 groves on the Forest's lower slopes. The Forest comprises about 1.1 million acres, and elevations range from about 1,000 to 12,000 feet, creating precipitous canyons and mountain streams with spectacular waterfalls, such as Salmon Creek Falls near Fairview and Grizzly Falls on the Kings River. Gray pines, scrub oaks, grass and dry climate shrubs cling to steep, canyon walls while cottonwoods and willows line the river's edge.
The Cannell Meadow National Recreation Trailhead is just north of Kernville. Day trips include the Sequoia National Park, Trail of a Hundred Giants, and numerous sequoia groves in the Sequoia National Monument. The Giant Sequoia Mercantile offers a wide variety of books, maps, gifts, local art, camping supplies and other merchandise.
For facility specific information, please call (760) 376-1269.
$34 - $147 / night
Hungry Gulch Campground sits 3 miles from Lake Isabella in the Sequoia National Forest of California. Visitors enjoy swimming, waterskiing, windsurfing and fishing on the scenic lake.
Visitors enjoy fishing, swimming, water skiiing and windsurfing at Lake Isabella, which covers 11,000+ acres on the Kern River and has over 38 miles of shoreline. Anglers will find black and white crappie, bluegill, blue and channel catfish, largemouth bass and rainbow trout. Trout fishing is also available in area streams. Please click here for safety and permit information. Many hiking opportunities can be found around Lake Isabella and along the Kern River.
The campground is situated on a pine-covered hillside, 3 miles from Lake Isabella's western shores at an elevation of 2,640 feet. Many sites have views of Lake Isabella off in the distance. Sequoia National Forest, located at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada in central California, is named for the giant sequoia, the world's largest tree, which grows in more than 30 groves on the forest's lower slopes. The forest comprises about 1.1 million acres. Elevations range from about 1,000 to 12,000 feet, creating precipitous canyons and mountain streams with spectacular waterfalls such as Salmon Creek Falls and Grizzly Falls.
The Kern River is a short drive from the campground and offers hiking and fishing opportunities.
For facility specific information, please call (760) 376-1269.
$34 - $36 / night
Our private campground is right on the Kern River and has all of your favorite family camping amenities. Looking for something to do? We have activities for the whole family! Whether you are excited about rafting on the world famous Kern River, cruising the trails on a mountain bike, or just joining us for a quiet weekend of camping and relaxing we welcome you to Mountain and River Adventures.
Our camp is privately owned and has 37 camp sites, with plenty of elbow room. MRA’s tent camping sites provide access to deluxe restrooms, hot showers, potable drinking water located conveniently throughout camp, picnic tables, and fire pits. Located along the banks of the Kern River, you can enjoy immediate river access for fishing, our horseshoe pits, shuffleboard court, volleyball, or you can just relax in our shady grove after a great day of adventures on the Kern River.
Our day use area, fondly known as Bud’s Grove is a popular event venue with the Kern River Valley locals. For larger groups, consider renting our group gathering area, Bull Run Pavilion, and granite boulder outdoor amphitheater.
$54 - $250 / night
Headquarters Campground is situated along the Kern River, 6 miles north of the town of Kernville. Hiking, fishing, kayaking and rafting are popular activities.
Hiking, fishing, kayaking and rafting are popular activities in the Upper Kern River area. Click here to learn more about the area, including safety and permitting requirements and a listing of local outfitters.
The campground sits within Sequoia National Forest at an elevation of 2,800 feet in an open area overlooking the Kern Wild and Scenic River. Some sites overlook the river and lie in the shade of oak, juniper and cottonwood trees. Sites sitting further from the river are more open and have little to no shade. Sequoia National Forest, located at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada in central California, is named for the giant sequoia, the world's largest tree, which grows in more than 30 groves on the forest's lower slopes. The forest comprises about 1.1 million acres. Elevations range from about 1,000 to 12,000 feet, creating precipitous canyons and mountain streams with spectacular waterfalls such as Salmon Creek Falls and Grizzly Falls.
For facility specific information, please call (760) 376-1269.
The Cannell Meadow National Recreation Trail begins just north of Kernville. The trail stretches 11.5 miles as it climbs through mixed pine and fir forest to Cannell Meadow and a historic Forest Service cabin built between 1904 and 1909. Hikers are awarded beautiful views of the Kern River Valley along the trip. Visitors enjoy making day trips to Sequoia National Park and Giant Sequoia National Monument.
$34 - $106 / night
Halfway Group Campground is situated along the Kern River, 4.5 miles north of the town of Kernville. Hiking, fishing, kayaking and rafting are popular activities.
Hiking, fishing, kayaking and rafting are popular activities in the Upper Kern River area. Click here to learn more about the area, including safety and permitting requirements and a listing of local outfitters.
The campground sits within Sequoia National Forest at an elevation of 3,200 feet in an open area with limited shade, overlooking the Kern Wild and Scenic River. Gray pine, scrub oak, grasses and shrubs cling to steep, canyon walls along the river, and cottonwoods and willows dot the riverbanks. Sequoia National Forest, located at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada in central California, is named for the giant sequoia, the world's largest tree, which grows in more than 30 groves on the forest's lower slopes. The forest comprises about 1.1 million acres. Elevations range from about 1,000 to 12,000 feet, creating precipitous canyons and mountain streams with spectacular waterfalls such as Salmon Creek Falls and Grizzly Falls.
For facility specific information, please call (760) 376-1269.
The Cannell Meadow National Recreation Trail begins just north of Kernville. The trail stretches 11.5 miles as it climbs through mixed pine and fir forest to Cannell Meadow and a historic Forest Service cabin built between 1904 and 1909. Hikers are awarded beautiful views of the Kern River Valley along the trip.
$57 - $232 / night
Redwood Meadow Campground located within Sequoia National Forest, in the southern portion of Giant Sequoia National Monument. The area is named for the giant sequoia, the world's largest tree, which grows in more than 30 groves on the forest's lower slopes.
Touring the Sequoia National Monument is the area's most popular activity. Hikers enjoy the Trail of a Hundred Giants as it wanders through the ong Meadow Giant Sequoia Grove. Other points of interest within the sourthern section include the Belknap Grove and the Freeman Grove.
Sequoiia National Forest comprises about 1.1 million acres. Elevations range from about 1,000 to 12,000 feet, creating precipitous canyons and mountain streams with spectacular waterfalls such as Salmon Creek Falls and Grizzly Falls. The campground sits at an evelvation of 6,400 feet, near trails that wind through gian sequoia groves, climb up mountains and meander along wild rivers.
Trail of a Hundred Giants
For facility specific information, please call (661) 455-6010.
$34 - $106 / night
Scout
A 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.
GuideOverall 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
Legend
I do a lot of camping, this one is a great campground if you want to go swimming, waterskiing, windsurfing, fishing, or just enjoy the beautiful scenic views of Lake Isabella. If this campground is full check out my other review on Boulder Gulch. These camps do get full on holidays and in the summer so always reserve in time. Also what I do like about this site is that they have flushed toilets lol the host is always nice and welcoming. Also your phone will have some service but just make sure to turn it off and enjoy being out in nature. That’s the whole point right 😁. But other than that awesome camp, very clean and only some camps offer shade not all.
CONS: when it does get full, obviously there will be so many people and it does get loud and noisy. People will be playing loud music.
RangerReview
Made reservation on Recreation.gov. Arrived at 4pm. Sites are said to be assigned upon arrival. Camp host was the only tent found pitched in the entire campground. It’s during the pandemic and some places are closed. Campground sign said full. Yelled to see if anyone was there in the campsite and no answer from the camp host. Left a voicemail with campground to let them know my name and reservation info and I have was going to look for a spot. Picked a spot with shade - very few available. Some trees, but not large Sequoias like you may expect since it’s near the Sequoia National Forest. This place is desert hot and might be a bit miserable for folks to just hangout here. There’s no hookups. It’s near Lake Isabella. Went to bed and didn’t see a camp host that evening. ANTS!! So many ants in my camper in the morning. Ack!! Talked to a waitress in town and she says the campground I was at is known for an ant problem. Had to get diatomaceous earth at the hardware store in town along with ant traps galore now that my camper was overrun. Find out from the locals this campground has a reputation for being bad. I had to reconsider my plan to stay there and went elsewhere... so frustrating.
GuideOur experience here was really frustrating for multiple reasons, but for the sake of this review I will try to highlight what is important for other campers to know. We had a bad experience from the beginning when we arrived at Hungry Gulch and were blown off by the camp host for asking who we could ask some questions of since we had made a reservation online at Recreation.gov and it was unclear what to do since there are not assigned camp spots. Since we had a kayak lesson to get to we called the Sequoia Recreation line and were told that we could pick any empty campsite, put our tent there and then it was OK to leave and the camp host would come along later to check our reservation (again which was done online so we had no other proof besides our email). We pitched our tent, went off for our kayak lessons, and when we got back to the campsite around 9 pm there was another family in our site and our tent was gone! The camp host took down our tent and gave our spot to someone else because we "didn't have the proper tag and hadn't checked in with him,"which of course we tried to do. So, I had to go find him and explain to him how I had done exactly what I was told by Sequoia Recreation and then he had to drive around for 15 minutes to find us a new spot and didn't even offer to help us put our tent back up that he had taken down (at what was now almost 10 pm). We were surrounded by people playing really loud music on a speaker on one side, another group that was drunkenly yelling on another and loud road noise. Someone came around the sites at like 10 pm and of course everyone was quiet for all of 5 minutes and then we didn't see anyone else after that checking on things. At 12:30 am we had enough, asked both groups to be quiet and while it helped some, both were still making lots of noise. After a long day of kayaking I was exhausted and gave up. We packed up our site at almost 1 am and left out of sheer frustration and ended up having to get a hotel in Bakersfield just to get some sleep. Beware of this campground and know that they're tricky with their sites. There are not a ton of bathrooms and the sites on the periphery of the campground are really close to the road with lots of noise. There are some sites with shade but not many. I am giving it 2 stars for location and proximity to Kern River activities and Lake Isabella.
Guide
We stayed here in October after the yurts had been taken down which was no bother to us when you’re surrounded by the most magnificent trees in the world! This also meant there were no crowds and we had practically the entire campground to ourselves. Highly recommend going later in the year. The trail of 100 Giants is right across the street!
Legend
This is a stunning campground. It is just a short (very steep) hike from The Wheel Meadow Grove of Giant Sequoias. It is great for large groups of students and lots of opportunities for wildlife viewing. The trail going from the campground down to the trees is a great Mtn Biking trail. Loads of turns and beautiful views. The bathrooms sometimes have black widows so be careful! But the sites are great and there are even yurts if you are interested in that.
ScoutIt was a very peaceful and calm campground on the I stayed in one of the yurts. It was very clean and there is a bunkbed with two full size beds and another separate full size bed. The bathrooms were also kept very clean. I didn’t get a chance to go hiking in the area, but there are trails nearby. There is no service but it is about a 5 minute drive from a cafe/store/lodge that has Wi-Fi. I was in site 28. Sites 6-10 looked amazing for tent camping.
TravelerRelatively small campground. Camp host was nonexistent. Lots of trees in most campsites. The non yurt sites didn’t have bear lockers. Fire ring was in rough shape. Loud neighbors first night. Second had techno from group site until late. Ponderosa general store was going to be my go to for firewood but it had burned down. So foraged for wood and picked up some at the campground at trail of 100 giants. Vault toilets were clean and stocked. Water spigot scattered around campground. No cell service on Verizon or wifi. Would come back here.
TravelerWe arrived very late at night so no one was working but was able to grab a spot by booking at the front drop off pillar - u just fill out the paperwork and add cash in it and drop it in the pillar.
Sadly there werent any only tent sites left so we just took a site with a yurt but only used the tent we had. The host was okay with it the next morning and was very kind explaining and giving us some info on the area.
They had a little gift shop which had medicine which was a life saver. I was coming up with something the day after arrival but the med from gift shop cleared it up in a few hrs. Definitely made the rest of the stay much more enjoyable.
When we were about to leave we found out our car died from using the portable alternator but host was kind enough to help out with a jumpstart and even helped cleaned the battery leak with a bottle of coke he took from the gift shop. He cleans the sites in the morning and does what he can with the restrooms.
Definitely recommend.
LegendIMPORTANT recreation.gov and reserveamerica.com both list this campground as having water. That is NOT TRUE. There are no water fill up sites. There are also NO BEAR BOXES despite claims otherwise and the requirement that food be kept in them. Bears do frequent the area and are know to be numerous within a mile of camp.
**
Do you like shopping at REI’s parking lot sale? You might love Redwood Meadow Campground in Sequoia National Park. At 6500 feet of elevation and 40 miles from the nearest convenience store it should be far enough out there to minimize the crowds. However, it is located directly across from the trailhead to the Trail of 100 Giants, a 1/2 mile walking tour of some of the biggest trees Sequoia has to offer. Let me be clear, this is not a hiking trail. This is a tourist stop. You’ve been warned. And with a name as cool as “Trail of 100 Giants” plenty of people who are outdoorsy just enough will make the trip. I know what you’re thinking, “Why all this trail talk? Isn’t this a campground review?”
Yes, it is. But the campground and the trail’s proximity have intertwined their destinies. If you are lucky enough to get one of the 13 camp sites, a combination of tent, van or yurt, you’ll be able to step across the road and have your morning coffee on a bench looking up at a maze of overturned sequoia roots shading a gurgling brook, or up at a tree so tall and so wide it is hard to fathom. You’ll also be dealing with the literally, 1000s of tourists who have come to see the trail over a three day weekend (strong recommend for a middle of the week site. Those tourists will have cars that overflow the parking lot, they will use your camp’s vault toilets, and they will continually be stepping out at random into the road or stopping abruptly on the the trail. They will impact your campsite experience. In fact, the camp is currently constructing a yurt general store to provide additional amenities to trail and camp visitors.
The campground consists of an outer and inner ring. The inner ring sites ate all decent size but lack any semblance of privacy. They are pretty much open to each other, but with plenty of tall ass trees providing some shad and blocking a bit of line of sight. Sorry neighbor trying to see around that tree while we tested our new camp shower. The effects of recent forest fire are evident everywhere. In our site (005) There where large piles of ash and charred stumps remain. A year ago fire ravaged areas nearby and this location was only nicked by blaze but the effects are lasting. It makes for a dusty overall camp. Prep for a good vehicle wash afterwards.
The outer ring is where it’s at. Particularly, along the West side of the camp where the river runs behind the sites, and the tree cover is a little thicker. The sites here (particularly 004, 006, 008) are far away and down hill from the roadway. They looked pretty idyllic and we were a bit envious that we didn’t have access to the river.
In the evenings the trail visitors had gone back to where they came from and our small park was left with a smattering of campfires, the sounds of the river and the dark shadows of towering trees between which stars sparkled and parts of constellations teased. Those evening fires were aided by the plentiful amount of dry wood on the ground with a hatchet, like the kick-ass one from CRTK we excited to try out for the first time, you could easily put together enough wood for your visit. We had brought some but took advantage of the dry brush for starter and to keep things going when we were running low.
This summer Nick and Katylyn from Jersey are the hosts. They are only a few days on the job but handling the crowds like pros. They have plenty of helpful tips (Nick has been here before) and were more than helpful. Even with the crowds they were on the ball with the pit toilets, site maintaining etc.
At the Trail of Giants the Sequoia’s all seem to have faces, and histories so long you can feel the a dignified weight settle in the stiller moments of the early morning when the masses have not yet awoken from their slumbers or the evening when their whiskeys are being poured. Those moments make a visit to this camp more than worthwhile. And during the day when they trail is filled past capacity you merely need to head a few miles in any direction and pull off at a forest road or trailhead that is completely free of visitors on even the busiest days to experience the park as a wilder, free place than we can find most of the time in our day to day lives.
Pro-Tip 1: There are two sets of toilets. The one to the rear of the camp is hidden from the entry and not used by trail visitors. It is also shaded making for a better experience than the one closer to the front of camp.
Pro-Tip 2: Kern River Brewing Company. Have lunch there, and beer. Then go to the general store across the street for everything from meat and cheese to hiking boots and rifles. Campfire wood is only $5/bundle and includes more than most bundles we’ve seen anywhere.
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.
Ranger
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. 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
ScoutThe campsite is really nice if you looking to get away from big crowds. You have to get there early if you want to get a shaded site. Working toilets were a plus and you have room to work with when setting up your gear. The lake or river you do need to drive too which is the only negative remark I have.
ScoutThis is the absolutely most horrible experience I have ever had. There was a group of people that were listening to loud music and singing till 6AM and we could not sleep. We tried talking to them, they said they would only listen to the ranger. Ranger stopped by but nothing changed. At 5 AM we went back to the ranger, but he sent us away. We could not sleep a single minute. Group was extremely aggressive and absolutely horribly loud. Most disappointing was that ranger did nothing and ignored us.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
ScoutThis place is amazing. Clean campground, friendly staff and amazing views. This place is a must visit
ScoutFirst time at camp James - it was awesome. Helpful friendly staff, super clean, and amazing camp sites! Will definitely be coming back!
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!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Lake Isabella, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Lake Isabella, CA is KRS RV Resort@Camp James with a 4.4-star rating from 14 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Lake Isabella, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 17 glamping camping locations near Lake Isabella, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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