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Goldledge Campground is situated along the Kern River, 10 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 single-family sites, some of which are designated for walk-to tent camping only. Picnic tables and campfire rings are provided, as are vault toilets and drinking water. 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. 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. Visitors enjoy making day trips to Sequoia National Park and Giant Sequoia National Monument. ADA Access: N
From Bakersfield, take Highway 178 east to Lake Isabella. From Lake Isabella, take Highway 155 around the west side of the lake to the town of Kernville. From Kernville, go 10 miles north on Sierra Way (Mountain 99) to the campground.
Be warned...no shade, rocky and barren. I booked sites 5, 7, 8, 9. We ended up cancelling upon arrival and looked for another area to stay the week. Site 5 too near the restroom (smelly gusts) and rocky for tent.. Site 7 has a couple of small trees (ok). Site 8 next to 7 no trees, rocky area for tents. Sites 9-11 are a good walking distance away from parking lot and over some larger rocks (no shade). Access to river is over large rocks. No beach.
I loved that we had the option of chilling at the water by our site or going to the swimming hole. The water was so chill this year it was an easy innertube ride down the river into the swimming hole. (But most summers I do not recommend going down the river without a life vest.)I jumped off the rock! That was fun! But I highly recommend plugging your nose. I got all waterlogged which made the experience less fun. Campsites are close in proximity but not stacked on top of eachother. The walk-in sites go over seriously rocky terrain making a simple wagon difficult to pull!! They are also very far from the bathrooms.. The plus side of the walk-in sites is privacy from the main road. Especially if you're bad like me and my friends and are noisy late into the night and building small fires hoping no one sees LOL... Nice spot, not too much shade. Bring your canopies, lots of sunblock, and bug spray& centinela candles! The campground host is pretty easy going. There isn't much space for extra cars to park on-site, but there is free parking at the turnout across the road.
Terrible spot... We couldn't even sit at the picnic table. I spoke with the groundskeeper and showed him the pics and he said he wasn't authorized to fix anything without approval. He also said that he knows things need to be repaired at the campground but can't do anything until the say-so is yes... I don't blame this guy, it's not his fault... The place is outright disappointing... Better off at Headquarters...
