Best Campgrounds near Tupman, CA

Join the fun near Tupman. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Tupman is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Find the best campgrounds near Tupman, CA. Read reviews from campers like you and find your perfect campsite.

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win

Best Camping Sites Near Tupman, California (100)

    1. Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area

    14 Reviews
    Tupman, CA
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (661) 868-7000

    "Great spot next to the lake. Very windy at times. Lost of gopher holes in the soil."

    "Camped here for a night to break up my drive from LA to SF."

    2. Bakersfield River Run RV Park

    25 Reviews
    Bakersfield, CA
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (661) 377-3600

    $42 - $49 / night

    "Nice park adjacent to a great bike trail of 50+ miles. The river is not always running as in some of the pictures. Gravel pads concrete patios surrounded by grass."

    "The hot tub jets massaged my neck and shoulders after driving for several days. The site has a recreation room and outdoor grill with picnic tables. The location is close to 99 but not too loud."

    3. KCL Campground

    22 Reviews
    New Cuyama, CA
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (661) 391-6000

    "This rustic campground offers an arid natural beauty with endless walking."

    "Carrizo Plains National Monument is the largest single native grassland remaining in California in SE San Luis Obispo, and my husband and I have been wanting to visit."

    4. Orange Grove RV Park

    24 Reviews
    Edison, CA
    27 miles
    Website
    +1 (661) 366-4662

    $43 - $54 / night

    "My wife and I were driving back from Utah and decided to drive as far back home as we could and didn't have anything booked for our return trip."

    "Bathrooms, showers, laundry and numerous dog walks. A large "clubhouse" sporting a pooltable. Easy trailheads in town shown on All Trails app."

    5. Bakersfield KOA Journey

    5 Reviews
    Bakersfield, CA
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (661) 833-9998

    6. Kern River Campground

    20 Reviews
    Lebec, CA
    29 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)."

    7. Bear Mountain RV Park

    4 Reviews
    Greenfield, CA
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (661) 834-3811

    $40 - $46 / night

    "The area is quiet enough, but you can definitely hear the soft whir of cars on the highway close by."

    8. Kern River County Park

    12 Reviews
    Edison, CA
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (661) 868-7000

    "For $32, you can get a site off the river and have a little camping pit and picnic table and you’re around other RVs and it’s good."

    "Close to 2 lakes ming and hart Park."

    9. A Country RV Park

    5 Reviews
    Edison, CA
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (661) 363-6412

    "Convenient park adjacent to freeway but the noise is minimal. Clean park and bathrooms. Nice place to spend a night."

    "This is close to the freeway, it's gated and clean. We stopped in for a night on our way to Tennessee, it seems like a good place to spend a few days or even weeks."

    10. Carrizzo Plain National Monument Dispersed

    3 Reviews
    Maricopa, CA
    22 miles
    Website

    "At the mentioned location we soon encountered a sign saying the motorized vehicles are prohibited from that point on."

    "I didn’t see anyone else around, nor did I see any wildlife, so it was very quiet and peaceful. The stars were also quite visible with minimal light pollution."

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 100 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win


Recent Reviews near Tupman, CA

296 Reviews of 100 Tupman Campgrounds


  • 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.

  • 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!!

  • Rali A.
    Jul. 21, 2025

    Mcgill Campground And Group Campground

    Worst experience ever! BEWARE!

    Our experience at McGill Campground in Frazier Park was incredibly disappointing and concerning. We arrived around noon and began setting up our site. Around 1:30 PM, the campground host(an older gentleman from Iran) came by and asked if we were aware of the rules. We said yes, and he reminded us that music must stop by 9:30 PM and everyone should be asleep by 11:30 PM-- which we respected. Later that afternoon, my husband attempted to fly his drone to explore the area. We had already checked all relevant federal regulations and confirmed that drone use is allowed in national forests(unlike national parks). However, the host immediately came over, aggressively telling us drones were not permitted and insisting we check their website. We did-- and found nothing that prohibited drones as he claimed. There were also no signs anywhere indicating this restriction. At 9:21 PM, the same host entered our camp-- visibly intoxicated-- and started yelling at us, claiming we were disturbing the peace. We were quietly eating dinner; there was no music and no loud noise. His behavior escalated quickly, and he even threatened to use pepper spray on us, which was shocking. For more detailed content, I also want to mention that he spent most of the day across from us drinking at another campsite, and we witnessed him argue with other campers as well, seemingly without cause. At 9:30 PM, he said he would call the police. By 1:00 AM, law enforcement arrived, woke everyone up, and told us we had to leave because the host"wanted us gone." We explained that most of our group had been drinking(except me), and driving at that hour would be unsafe and illegal. Despite this, some of our friends were arrested for refusing to leave and spent 12 hours in jail. This experience was beyond unacceptable. What was meant to be a relaxing outdoor weekend turned into a traumatic ordeal because of an aggressive, intoxicated host abusing his authority. I will strongly caution anyone considering a stay at McGill Campground. I would never be back there after everything that happened. I will also file an official complaint against the staff at the park.

  • MThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 17, 2025

    Morrow hill dispersed

    Beautiful and quiet spot

    We had a great and quiet night up there in our 21ft RV. But the road is a little tricky and we almost wouldn't have driven there. Make sure, you really stay at the place up the hill (coordinates) otherwise the landlord will clarify that you're on private property ;) Great view in the morning, beautiful. Would def come back

  • 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.

  • Jonathan E.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 27, 2025

    Carrizzo Plain National Monument Dispersed

    Peaceful and Beautiful

    I visited in January on my way to the Bay Area and loved this campsite. I didn’t see anyone else around, nor did I see any wildlife, so it was very quiet and peaceful. The stars were also quite visible with minimal light pollution. The area is hilly and beautiful with enough flatness and openness to pitch a tent without issue.

    It was about 15 degrees (F) colder than was forecasted (20 F vs 35 F) at night, so be prepared to be a bit chilly if visiting during the winter.

    All in all, great site and I would definitely return if I need a place to camp in the area again.

  • Gert K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 1, 2025

    Carrizzo Plain National Monument Dispersed

    Beautiful and peaceful

    Beautiful hilly landscape. Despite the absence of trees or bushes for shadow, we had a wonderful evening here, on our way to santa barbara. At the mentioned location we soon encountered a sign saying the motorized vehicles are prohibited from that point on. We drove a bit further down the main road than the gps location suggests, and took the next road to find a spot. The area map with zones for dispersed camping is not too clear, but it seems that you can camp to a certain distance from the main road, and this distance varies. After taking the next road, we found a simple semi-prepared spot. Some warm breezes in the evening, silent night with great views of the night sky.


Guide to Tupman

Camping near Tupman, California, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and well-maintained campgrounds. Whether you're in a tent or an RV, there are plenty of options to enjoy the great outdoors.

What to do:

  • Fishing and tubing: The Kern River Campground is perfect for those who love water activities. One camper shared, "We had a blast here... tubing, fishing... a great time still."
  • Hiking: Explore the trails around KCL Campground. A visitor mentioned, "Nice walking trails right from the campground as well. Amazing wildflower blooms in spring."
  • Orange picking: At the Orange Grove RV Park, you can pick your own oranges. One happy camper said, "The pick your own oranges was a fun touch."

What campers like:

  • Clean facilities: Campers appreciate the cleanliness at places like Bakersfield River Run RV Park. A reviewer noted, "Everything in this campground is 5 stars... Clean, grassy, bath houses and laundry."
  • Spacious sites: Many enjoy the roomy spots at Orange Grove RV Park. One camper said, "Large sites, semi-private with orange trees, pool, clubhouse, laundry, dog areas and VERY clean."
  • Friendly staff: The welcoming atmosphere at Kern River Campground is a highlight. A visitor remarked, "Collin our camp host was fantastic."

What you should know:

  • Noise levels: Some campgrounds, like Kern River Campground, can have noise from the river. A camper mentioned, "Winter runoff and water is high and fast."
  • Basic amenities: At KCL Campground, be prepared for limited services. One reviewer stated, "Vault toilets are kept clean, but bring your own tp if you arrive after the weekend."
  • Reservations: Many campgrounds operate on a first-come, first-served basis. A visitor at KCL Campground advised, "If full, would seek off-road area on right just as you approach."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Choose spacious sites: Look for campgrounds with larger areas, like Orange Grove RV Park. A family shared, "The facilities are clean, the showers are warm, and they even have an exercise room."
  • Plan for activities: Make sure to have fun activities lined up. One camper at Kern River Campground said, "We all got to stay together... super beautiful and relaxing."
  • Pack snacks and drinks: Keep everyone happy with snacks. A visitor at Bakersfield River Run RV Park mentioned, "They have a waiting list for monthly rates."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check site sizes: Make sure your RV fits the campground. A camper at Mt. Pinos Campground noted, "Amazing spot for vans or tents but anything bigger, check out McGill campground right up the road."
  • Be ready for rough roads: Some campgrounds have bumpy access roads. A visitor at KCL Campground warned, "The road getting there is long and pretty rough."
  • Bring extra supplies: Many campgrounds, like Kern River Campground, may not have all the amenities. A camper mentioned, "There is an area for your horse... it's first come first serve, no reservations and it’s free."

Camping near Tupman, California, is a great way to enjoy nature and create lasting memories. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there's something for everyone in this area.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Tupman, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, Tupman, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 100 campgrounds and RV parks near Tupman, CA and 11 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Tupman, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Tupman, CA is Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area with a 4.1-star rating from 14 reviews.

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

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 11 free dispersed camping spots near Tupman, CA.

What parks are near Tupman, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 15 parks near Tupman, CA that allow camping, notably Carrizo Plain National Monument and Los Padres National Forest.