KCL Campground in Carrizo Plain National Monument features stalls for horses as part of its camping facilities. Located about 13 miles from the BLM sign along a dirt road, this free, first-come-first-served campground provides specific accommodations for equestrians. The campground includes horse stalls adjacent to the main camping area, with approximately 7 drive-in sites and 4-5 walk-in tent sites behind the barn. The roads leading to KCL can be rough with washboard sections, making access challenging for larger rigs, though visitors have reported successfully navigating with vehicles up to 26 feet. Great horned owls frequently nest in the eucalyptus trees that provide shade throughout the campground, creating a distinctive ambiance for overnight stays.
Trail access directly from the campground offers riders numerous exploration opportunities throughout the Carrizo Plain. Hikers and horseback riders can enjoy scenic views across the golden plains and rolling hills, with multiple trail options ranging from easy to moderate difficulty. The campground serves as an ideal base for exploring abandoned ranches and notable features like the San Andreas Fault Line, Soda Lake, and Painted Rock, all accessible within riding distance. Water availability can be limited, with the single spigot sometimes running dry or affected by agricultural nitrates, so equestrians should pack sufficient water for themselves and their horses. The remote location offers excellent stargazing opportunities with minimal light pollution, making evening rides particularly memorable during spring and fall when temperatures are most comfortable.
"trail to hill top. Equestrian site for sure."
"There is an area for your horse. Walk in sites, rv/car camp/van/tent sites. It’s first come first serve, no reservations and it’s free."
"It's about a 40 minute drive from the nearest town (and therefore the nearest gas station or market - plan ahead). There is no power, or water."
"There is a bar at the campground entrance if that is your speed, but we took advantage of the winding creek side path behind site 18."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $30 - $154 / night
"Great hikes nearby and the beach is just a short walk away! We saw lots of cute animals during our stay. The campsite pass also gets you free parking at pretty much any beach along the PCH."
"Less than 1/2 mile walk to the beach. Bike or hiking trails."
"We arrived on Saturday 4th of July and all the sites were taken so we decided to drive another 15 miles up the road to a nice shaded location just right off the road."
"I drive up on Old Sierra Madre Road from hwy 166, and it took about an hour."
"Coming from Frazier, CA I was able to access the camp site with a 2012 Chevy Equinox LS FWD (By no means an off-roading vehicle) and return back home with no issues."
"Beautiful drive down grade valley to get to this awesome site. We were looking for a more remote place to camp and this site satisfied all our needs."
"You can hunt fish hike horse back riding and wake up to the sound of birds. I have seen bears and mountain lions so be prepared for that. Never been attacked by them. Bring your own water."
"private road that would be a great way to get to this campground if the gate was not locked talking to the US Forrest firemen across the street they said if that road was open it's about a 15 minute drive"
GuideWhen I pulled in, everyone else was pulling out (Sunday mid morning). So I had the place to myself and my beagles! I've wanted to introduce them to camping and wasn't sure how they would do. It's quiet, peaceful and even beagles were relaxed enough to sleep!
GuideIt’s a very simple place but I found it so peaceful being surrounded by the golden plains, the breeze through the big shaded eucalyptus trees, and hearing the owls near sundown. Theres also hummingbirds that’ll get up right in your face. I was also the only one at the site so that was nice. The area is clean, vault toilets kinda gross though. Very small campground, a couple drive in sites and a couple walk in sites but each drive in site had a picnic table, fire ring, and a metal pole hook and theres one drinking water spigot for the whole campground. So not bad!! Road was surprisingly smooth majority of way and has some paved parts but there was some washboard parts too. Road to get here was long though about 13 miles from the blm sign. There was paper maps at the sign area. I got 3 bars at the campground with AT&T but was spotty on the drive over.
GuideSmall campground for 12 smaller than 30 ft rigs or tents. Most are much smaller. Rough bumpy road for miles ether direction on a first come, first serve campground. Has vaulted toilet with no water or other services. If full, would seek off road area on right just as you approach. Has older building of interest. There was a great horned owl in one of the few eucalyptus trees at the campsite. Quiet and nice area to take a hike or two with pretty nice views if you like the high desert landscape. Warning not to travel dirt roads after a rain as you’re likely to get stuck. Better if you come in from the north side(58) on paved roads, but would limit you to boondocking likely because unable to get to this or Selby campgrounds. Selby is another first-come site to the NW
GuideGreat weekend experience
Legend7 regular campsites for car/ RV camping, and about 4-5 or so walk up sites behind the barn for tents only. There is parking at the barn.
Pretty busy little campground, but if you arrive and all the spots are taken I’d stick around because a lot of picnickers use camping spots for lunch and are gone shortly after. Not only that, but people kind of squeeze in any which way and make a spot for themselves for the night as well, and it was all fine. The campground was so nice and quiet and peaceful - nobody had kids with them so it was just a mellow calm vibe the whole time, so relaxing.
Very friendly and quiet vibes here, we really enjoyed it. Nice walking trails right from the campground as well. Amazing wildflower blooms in spring.
Toilets available, as well as water, but the spigot ran dry when we were here in April.
Zero Verizon coverage, even with the weboost, even from the top of the hill. ATT had good service, good enough for streaming and web browsing.
We made it here in our 26ft class c. The road coming in was rough but doable. I wouldn't try coming in anything bigger, as it was we were the biggest giant thing there. We did fit in our spot along the edge but still felt very big. The middle sites are not level but the ones along the edges were.
Free, 14 day limit. Ranger came through to check on things.
GuideNice and clean. Vault toilets. There’s water, but not sure if it’s potable, there wasn’t a sign. No trash service, you have to pack it out. There is an area for your horse. Walk in sites, rv/car camp/van/tent sites. It’s first come first serve, no reservations and it’s free.
TravelerReyes Creek was great. The drive was nice, very scenic. The campsite was nice but small. Campsites are very, very close together. Some are smaller than others. Especially closer to the creek are smaller. The bathrooms are very clean for a campsite bathroom. Jade was very helpful and informative. She told us about two trails, we did the lighter one that was very nice. I can see this place being very nice in the summer. The weather on the apps are wrong. You have to google a few things to get the right weather. It was much colder than expected at night, woke up to 29 degrees F and ice on my tent and car windows. Other people with us said they had ice in their tent.
ScoutI love this campground, but reserving a site is a pain since there isn't a site map. Here's the sites in the main loop. Hope you all find this helpful!
GuideGreat little spot! I pulled in late at 10pm with my camper van. All the spots were taken except one tent camping spot - but it was super chill so im sure I could have parked in the large pullout just before the designated campground area. Just parked in the parking area of the camp area and slept in van. It was lightly drizzling when I woke up- absolutely beautiful! It was quite and everyone was very respectful. No water on site, people had campfires. Heads up - the road getting there is long and pretty rough, took a star for that - definitely washboard sections- so watch out for that. Happy camping
KCL Campground in Carrizo Plain National Monument offers equestrian-focused camping approximately 13 miles from the main BLM sign. The dirt access road can be challenging with washboard sections, though most vehicles under 26 feet can navigate it successfully. The terrain features golden plains and rolling hills, with eucalyptus trees providing shade throughout the campsite area. Temperatures vary dramatically between seasons, with spring and fall offering the most comfortable conditions for both riders and horses.
Hiking at Reyes Creek: The Reyes Creek Campground offers several hiking options along the creek and into surrounding wilderness areas. "We hiked up hills to watch the meteor shower (great), along the creek for small waterfalls, and a little ways into the wilderness (but there's nice hiking as far as you want to go)," notes Larry M.
Birdwatching opportunities: Bird enthusiasts can spot numerous species throughout the area, particularly at dusk and dawn. "It's a popular place for birdwatchers –the resident owls who roost in the eucalyptus trees above the campsites are very vocal and they inspire daily gazers donning binoculars," reports Michelle M.
Historical exploration: Visit abandoned structures and historic sites near campgrounds. "The abandoned town is a 3 minute walk from camp and really interesting. Some camp spots are right on the creek and the running water is a peaceful background noise for your trip," shares Chelsea B. from Reyes Creek.
Stargazing experiences: Clear night skies provide exceptional stargazing. "The evenings here are spectacular -- very little light pollution so you get a clear view of the night sky and all of the stars. The Milky Way was so vivid and we saw shooting stars the entire evening," explains Chanel C.
Wildlife encounters: KCL Campground offers opportunities to see various wildlife. "So much nature to see around! We saw kangaroo rats, bats, hawks, rabbits, ground squirrels (that are going extinct), and lots of fun insects," states Chanel C. in her review.
Peace and seclusion: Campers appreciate the quiet atmosphere at many horse campgrounds near Tupman. "It's a very simple place but I found it so peaceful being surrounded by the golden plains, the breeze through the big shaded eucalyptus trees, and hearing the owls near sundown," describes Stephanie F.
Road conditions: Access roads to horse camping areas can be challenging. At Miranda Pine Campground, "The dirt road to get to camp is about 10 miles. The road is bumpy but In good condition overall, we made it on a stock height 2wd truck," explains Antonio C.
Water limitations: Bring ample water supplies for yourself and horses. "It's super hot in this part of California during the summer so make sure you pack LOTS of water. There is no water available on the campgrounds or for miles," warns Chanel C.
Weather considerations: Temperature fluctuations can be extreme. "The temperature varies greatly from day to night (90's to 50's when I was there) and there are bugs a plenty, so bring repellant," notes John Y.
Cell service variability: Service is limited but sometimes available. "Surprisingly, my TMobile was fairly consistent 90% of the time and I was able to tether my laptop/kindle to my phone on occasion," reports Michelle M.
Kid-friendly water features: Sycamore Campground provides water access that children enjoy. "The overflow parking was full and there is no cell service, other then that it was a blast we all had a great time the creek made it really fun for the kids and adults too," shares Tammy C.
Bathroom facilities: Plan for basic restroom options at most horse campgrounds near Tupman. "It's a very nice place. It's small and have 4 showers and about 6 flushable toilets. To shower It's by coins and each coin is 2mins," explains Efrain A. at Sycamore Campground.
Educational opportunities: Use the natural surroundings for learning experiences. "The little ghost town at the entrance makes an ideal photo op for the kids and adults too... It truly feels a world away! Super helpful camp host, lots of families and overall a super great time," reports Tammy C.
Site access for larger vehicles: Halfmoon Campground can accommodate some RVs, but preparation is key. "Coming from Frazier, CA I was able to access the camp site with a 2012 Chevy Equinox LS FWD (By no means an off-roading vehicle) and return back home with no issues," notes Jerome A.
Leveling challenges: Many campsites require careful positioning. "Sites on the outside of the main loop offered more privacy, but most appeared to not be very level, and not necessarily well laid out," warns John Y.
Distance from services: Plan for self-sufficiency when bringing an RV to horse campgrounds near Tupman. "No gas stations, stores, shops around for miles. Make sure you come prepared with everything you need unless you're prepared for a long drive on the dirt roads," advises Chanel C.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Tupman, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Tupman, CA is KCL Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 23 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Tupman, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 equestrian camping locations near Tupman, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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