Campsite for booking · Kernville

Thunderbird Group Campground

via Recreation.gov Kernville, Kernville, California, United States

Overview

Pitches
3
Pitch types
tent
Season
Not stated: check on Recreation.gov
Check-in / out
14:00 / 12:00

Facilities

  • Dogs allowedListed by Recreation.gov

Policies

PetsYes
SmokingNot stated: check on Recreation.gov
Instant bookingNot stated: check on Recreation.gov
CancellationNot stated: check on Recreation.gov

About this campsite

Overview

Thunderbird Group Campground is situated along the Kern River, 6.5 miles north of the town of Kernville. Hiking, fishing, kayaking and rafting are popular activities. Recreation

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. Facilities

The campground offers three group sites. Picnic tables and campfire rings are provided, as are portable toilets. There is no drinking water available at this facility. Natural Features

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. Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (760) 376-1269. Nearby Attractions

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.

Managed by a US federal agency. Data source: ridb.recreation.gov.

Description supplied by Recreation.gov.

Where you can stay nearby

Campsites, aires and parking within 30 km, from OpenStreetMap.

  1. Chico Flat Dispersed Campground
    Campsite · Kernville, California · FreeToilets
    1.1 km from the pick-up area
  2. Halfway Campground
    Campsite · Kernville, California · Paid
    1.4 km from the pick-up area
  3. Hospital Flat Campground
    Campsite · Kernville, California
    1.5 km from the pick-up area
  4. Headquarters Campground
    Campsite · Kernville, California
    2.1 km from the pick-up area
  5. Corral Creek Campground
    Campsite · Kernville, California
    4.7 km from the pick-up area
  6. Campsite near Kernville
    Campsite · Kernville, California
    5.2 km from the pick-up area

Nearest dump station and water

  1. Service point near Lake Isabella
    Service point · Lake Isabella, California · PaidWaterWaste
    18 km from the pick-up area
  2. Water point near Three Rivers
    Water point · Three Rivers, CaliforniaWater
    85 km from the pick-up area
Pick-up10 kmPlot of OpenStreetMap data
Map of 6 places to stay near Thunderbird Group Campground. CampsiteFull map

Similar campsites nearby

Camp Three Campground

Kernville, CA, California · 730 m away

Campsite · via Recreation.gov

  • Hardstanding pitches
  • Dogs allowed
Price on partner site

Hospital Flat

CA, California · 1.4 km away

Campsite · via Recreation.gov

  • Hardstanding pitches
  • Dogs allowed
Price on partner site

Halfway Group Campground

Kernville, California · 1.4 km away

Campsite · via Recreation.gov

  • Dogs allowed
Price on partner site

Headquarters

Kernville, CA, California · 2.2 km away

Campsite · via Recreation.gov

  • Hardstanding pitches
  • Dogs allowed
Price on partner site

Data: Recreation.gov (RIDB), from ridb.recreation.gov, last updated 13 October 2026. Federal agencies provide this data and are responsible for it; it may be incomplete. Not endorsed by Recreation.gov or the U.S. Government. About this data. Places data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Price on Recreation.gov's site
Check availability on Recreation.gov (opens in a new tab)