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Best Tent Camping near Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

963 Reviews

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks feature numerous tent campsites scattered throughout their mountainous terrain, ranging from established campgrounds to remote backcountry sites. Buckeye Flat Campground offers tent-only camping with picnic tables, fire rings, and bear boxes for food storage, while Twin Lakes Trail Campsites provide more primitive tent camping opportunities at higher elevations. The Weaver Lake area, accessible via a 3-4 mile hike, offers backcountry tent camping with stunning lakeside views but requires more planning as it lacks developed facilities.

Most tent campgrounds in this region require careful preparation, particularly regarding food storage in bear country. Atwell Mill Campground provides tent sites with drinking water, toilets, and trash disposal, though it sits at the end of a narrow, winding road that takes 1-1.5 hours to navigate. The Crystal Springs area offers group tent sites with picnic tables and fire rings but lacks showers and may have seasonal wasp activity in warmer months. A camper noted, "We got in at 10pm and were still able to find a free site," highlighting the occasional availability even during busy periods.

Areas farther from visitor centers typically provide more seclusion for tent campers seeking a quiet wilderness experience. Dispersed tent camping options exist near Hume Lake Road, though these primitive sites lack amenities and require self-sufficiency. High-elevation backcountry tent sites like those at Twin Lakes (elevation 9,000 feet) offer extraordinary views but get cold at night and require proper equipment. According to one visitor, "The sites maintained a feeling of privacy" even in busier campgrounds like Buckeye Flat. Cold Springs Campground provides tent sites with drinking water and toilets, and remains open from May through October when weather conditions permit access to these higher-elevation tent camping areas.

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Best Tent Sites Near Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (61)

    1. Weaver Lake Trail Campsites

    3 Reviews
    Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, CA
    3 miles

    "Maybe this is just a Southern Californian desert rat talking, but there is something very satisfying about hiking in and having a water source at your first night’s location."

    "Easy 3-4 mile hike to beautiful weaver lake. Camp sites are spread out through out the side of the lake. Even spots with no amenities but an awesome lake."

    2. Buckeye Flat Campground — Sequoia National Park

    4 Reviews
    Three Rivers, CA
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (559) 565-3714

    $22 / night

    "This is a really cool little campground near the entrance of Sequoia National Park. The sites are tent only, so no hookups or anything like that. Pretty nice sites though, a lot of space."

    "Great camping spot, dogs allowed on leash. Clean restrooms. Respectful neighbors. Would come back!"

    3. Canyon View Group Sites — Kings Canyon National Park

    5 Reviews
    Hume, CA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (559) 565-3341

    $50 - $70 / night

    "There was restrooms fire rings and tables. At night you have to store your food in the bear box because there are bears in this area. It was 18 dollars a night"

    "Each site had 4 bear boxes which was plenty for our group. Bathrooms were kept clean."

    4. Dunlap canyon retreat

    7 Reviews
    Dunlap, CA
    16 miles
    +1 (408) 761-2610

    $40 - $150 / night

    "Great location to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park about 30 mintues to giant Sequoias! The property was wonderful, very quiet, and peaceful."

    "Just 25 minute drive to the entrance of National Park.  But did enjoy staying in campground with nice walking trails around the property and peaceful pond to canoe. "

    5. Crystal Springs Campground — Kings Canyon National Park

    3 Reviews
    Hume, CA
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (559) 565-3341

    $50 / night

    "Camp ground was very easy to find, very spacious, picnic table, pit fire, restrooms are not too far & not too close to any site, flushing toilets and showers are not too far away located next to the"

    "Great camp sites. we got in at 10pm and were still able to find a free site. it is so close to the General Grant so we didn’t have to get in the car, we just made it a long hike."

    6. Twin Lakes Trail Campsites — Sequoia National Park

    1 Review
    Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, CA
    6 miles

    "6ish mostly uphil trek to the twin lakes campsite. Campsite sites are very nice with bear boxes and a locker toilet. Whole area is at about 9,000 ft elevation so it gets cold and the views are unreal"

    7. Cold Springs Campground — Sequoia National Park

    8 Reviews
    Three Rivers, CA
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (559) 565-3341

    $32 / night

    "To access the campground, you drive across a bridge and locate the camp site that you want (first-come, first-served). Tent camping only."

    "Recommend getting a site not directly by the bathrooms because they are vault toilets and the smell tends to drift."

    8. Atwell Mill Campground — Sequoia National Park

    2 Reviews
    Three Rivers, CA
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (559) 565-3341

    $32 / night

    "This primitive campground is amazing! There were hardly any people and some fellow campers told us it wasn’t even crowded on Memorial Day weekend."

    "There are still a couple sequoias nearby that you can hike right up to, but even cooler are the giant stumps left over that you can right next to."

    9. Hume Lake Rd Overlook Dispersed

    1 Review
    Hume, CA
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (559) 338-2251

    10. Camp ikigai Animal Sanctuary 501c3

    1 Review
    Dunlap, CA
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (844) 424-4424

    $39 - $69 / night

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

52 Photos of 61 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

963 Reviews of 61 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Campgrounds

  • g
    Sep. 3, 2018

    Dorst Creek Campground — Sequoia National Park - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    Awesome campgrounds

    Center point for touring sequoia and kings canyon national parks. Free shuttle to take you all over the park. Great stream running through campgrounds upper and lower sections. Great hikes from campground. Especially, Muir groves and lookouts, breathtaking views. We also hiked lost groves which was very special hiking through meadows and going across streams. Saw many deer groups. Clean campsites and especially restrooms. We got to see two female bears walking at a distance from campground. Wildlife management team came and made sure bear stayed in it's nature areas. fun to watch and learn how they track bears and keep visitors informed on how to store our items with smells inside metal bear boxes. we had a amazing family vacation in one the most beautiful places on earth. the sequoia groves had great signage and easy trails to walk.

  • AThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 16, 2021

    Big Pine Creek Campground

    Creek side paradise

    I stayed here May 10-12th with my two dogs. I chose a site right along the creek which was wonderful to fall asleep to the sounds of rushing water. Many sites are quite spacious and offer a sandy area for tent set up. Most sites have a picnic table, fire pit, & metal bear box for food storage. Vault toilet available that were surprisingly clean. Camp host was friendly and had firewood on site available for purchase for $8/bundle. The website lists nightly rate as $21/night but when I arrived the sign had been updated to $23/night. This was the perfect basecamp for some day hikes up Big Pine Creek Trail to some beautiful blue lakes.

  • Roberto R.
    Aug. 22, 2016

    Lodgepole Campground — Sequoia National Park

    Sequoia

    Amazing views all around the campgrounds. If you want to get of away from the city this is the place to be...Love it.

    Lodgepole Campground itself is located in the beautiful Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in the central California region next to the amazing Sierra Nevada. Lodgepole is near the Kaweah River.

    The Giant Sequoia Forest it's a thing of beauty and the famous General Sherman Tree - the world's largest tree is an incredible experience to see up close.

  • Caroline N.
    Jun. 20, 2021

    Sunset Campground — Kings Canyon National Park

    Wonderful Campground, Avoid 32 &34

    Great location, centrally located for exploring both Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks.

    Nicely shaded spots and the higher elevation is nice for cooler nights during the hot summer months.

    Great views of the sunset from the back of the campground.

    Grant Grove Village is very close by with market and restaurant.

    We stayed in site 32 which was probably the worst spot in the campground. Very hilly spot with one flat spot for a tent right next to neighbors picnic table and fire pit. Both 32 & 34 are tent only spots and right on top of each other. The other sites nearby were much more flat and looked much nicer.

  • Mary S.
    Feb. 18, 2021

    Potwisha Campground — Sequoia National Park

    Campsite 13

    We camped at site 13 between 2/12 and 2/14. There were restrooms and a large sink that is useful to dump bear attracting water located pretty close.

    The campsite itself is fairly large. I would say it lends itself more to tent camping than car or RTT camping. The site is located on a significant slope, this includes the paved parking area and the grass. There are a fire pit, bear box and picnic table located at the site. Be wary, when we went there were numerous large holes that were definitely a trip hazard.

    While there were rangers and employees of the park driving around, there were no actual rangers at the kiosk. Additionally, there wasn't a reservation list posted.

  • D
    Aug. 1, 2018

    Dorst Creek Campground — Sequoia National Park - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    No complaints!

    This was a beautiful campground. The only thing negative I could say about this campground is that a lot of the campsites are very close to each other. But if you choose wisely, as my friend and I did, then I have no complaints. Surrounded by trees and wildlife, we were visited by deer and entertained by a family of quails as we sat around our fire. Our campsite had a fire ring with a grill, two picnic tables and a bear box. The restrooms, which had flush toilets, were clean and well maintained. There was potable water near our campsite and an additional bear box was nearby if needed. There were also trash bins, including separate waste bins for recycling glass and plastics nearby. There was no cell reception in the campground but there was a pay phone next to the ranger station where you check into camp. Though I do not know if it was in working condition so I would not rely on it. If you were planning on hiking to some of the less traveled spots in the park, this campground was nice because there were several trails that you could access from within the campground.

  • C
    Sep. 6, 2020

    Horseshoe Meadow Campground

    Beautiful and spacious

    This is a walk-in campground designed primarily for the backpackers who use this as a jumping off point for trips. There are campsites spread around the meadow with picnic tables and bear boxes.The campsites are spread well apart under the pines. The parking encircles the large, flat meadow. The area is just gorgeous. It’s a great spot to get away from summer heat at 10,000 feet. Vault toilets, water spigots. Lots of hiking.

  • Sharon C.
    Jul. 25, 2017

    Lodgepole Campground — Sequoia National Park

    Sequoia Upper Lodge

    We went to the Lodgepole Campground-Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park and stayed for 3 nights at Site: 130. Check-in Time is 12:00 PM and Check-out Time was also 12:00 PM.

    This was a great site especially if you have kids with you. We had a 4 and 6 year old with us and the bathroom was super close to the site. The site was also close to the creek and little pools formed to dip your feet in... water was cold at the end of August! Loved the fire pit and the table and our camping neighbors were super friendly.

    The site was also walking distance to the shuttles that takes you to the various areas of the majestic and beautiful national park: Morro Rock, General Sherman Tree, Museum center, etc. We even saw bears while we were in the shuttle.

    The kids loved seeing deers, chipmunks and the bears from inside the shuttle. There was a bear's bathing pool that I wanted to check out but we didn't get to... NEXT TIME FOR SURE 😊

  • Laura M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 31, 2021

    Inyo / Lower Grays Meadow Campground

    Beautiful mountain views

    Beautiful small campground at the foot of the mountains, easily accessed from the small town of Independence and about 45 min drive north to Bishop.  

    Campground is currently open (March), but in winter operation mode. No water, no host, no firewood, and no fees.  Campground open date is April 25, not sure when winter season starts. Price is $25 when open.

    There are toilets but they are closed at this time and there are porta potties instead.

    There are trash bins that are unlocked, but the website says that there is no trash service during the winter season so be prepared to pack out your trash if needed.

    Each site has a picnic table, a fire ring, and a bear box. Some sites have a cool rock oven/stove.  Each site has a unique configuration, some being more private and surrounded by brush, and some more out in the open.

    A really nice small creek runs behind the campground.

    We arrived on a Monday in late March and had the entire place to ourselves for a night.  The next day several other campers showed up.

    Cell service is very iffy, especially for Verizon and T-Mobile. AT&T mostly had 1-2 bars of 4G.  However, just a few miles down the road on the way to Independence there is excellent service from all carriers. 

    Really nice campground. $25 seems a bit high but this would be a great place to stay while exploring the surrounding mountains.

Guide to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Tent camping near Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in stunning natural beauty while enjoying a variety of outdoor activities.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

Some prices for tent camping range from $12 to $20

Tent campers should check out the amenities

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Kings Canyon campgrounds offer tent camping facilities?

Kings Canyon National Park offers several excellent tent camping options. Canyon View Group Sites provide tent camping facilities with amenities including restrooms, fire rings, tables, and required bear boxes for food storage. The sites are first-come, first-served and cost approximately $18 per night. For a more primitive experience, Ya-gub-weh-tuh Campground also accommodates tent campers within the park. Most Kings Canyon campgrounds feature tent pads, picnic tables, and fire rings, with access to vault toilets nearby. Remember that proper food storage is essential throughout the park due to bear activity.

Is tent camping available near lakes in Kings Canyon National Park?

Yes, tent camping is available near several lakes in and around Kings Canyon National Park. Ward Lake Campground, though technically in the adjacent national forest, offers beautiful lakeside tent camping with about half of its sites positioned directly along the water. Each site includes a picnic table, fire pit, and bear box with plenty of shade trees. For a more unique experience, Dunlap Canyon Retreat provides tent camping near two lakes on private property, located about 30 minutes from the national park. For backcountry enthusiasts, Weaver Lake Trail Campsites offer hike-in tent camping opportunities near alpine lakes within the greater Kings Canyon wilderness area.

Are there campgrounds with showers in Sequoia National Park?

Most campgrounds within Sequoia National Park do not offer shower facilities. Cold Springs Campground in the Mineral King area, for example, provides basic amenities like picnic tables, fire pits, and bear boxes, but no showers. Similarly, primitive sites like Horseshoe Meadow Campground offer vault toilets and water spigots but lack shower facilities. For showering options, you'll typically need to look outside the park boundaries at private campgrounds or use public shower facilities in nearby communities. Some visitors staying multiple days bring solar shower bags as an alternative solution while enjoying the park's natural surroundings.

What are the best tent camping sites in Sequoia National Park?

Buckeye Flat Campground is a standout tent-only option near the entrance of Sequoia National Park. The sites are spacious and well-designed specifically for tent camping with no hookups. Fire restrictions may apply during summer months due to dry conditions. Another excellent choice is Atwell Mill Campground, a primitive campground that offers a more secluded experience. Located at the end of a narrow, winding road (about 1-1.5 hours from the main highway), it remains uncrowded even during holiday weekends. Both campgrounds provide the quintessential Sequoia experience with proximity to giant trees and hiking trails.

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