Connectivity
- T-Mobile5GGood coverageVerified by 7 campers · Apr 15, 2026
Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.
Campground
Headquarters
Sequoia National Forest, California
About this campground
Headquarters Campground is situated along the Kern River, 6 miles north of the town of Kernville.
The campground sits within Sequoia National Forest at an elevation of 2,800 feet in an open area overlooking the Kern Wild and Scenic River.
Headquarters Campground offers a mix of standard, RV and tent-only sites.
Map
Loading map
- Latitude
- 35.796301° N
- Longitude
- 118.450008° W
Know before you arrive
Access, sites & campground features
Official facility and campsite inventory, supplemented by clearly marked community reports when the official listing does not publish the detail.
Access
- Drive-in
- Boat-inCommunity report
- Hike-inCommunity report
- Walk-inCommunity report
Site types
- Tent sites
- RV / trailer sites
- Yurts
- Standard campsites
Features
For campers
- Toilets
- Showers
- Drinking water
- Picnic table
- FiresUse only when the current order allows flame
- ADA access
- Alcohol allowedCommunity report
- Trash serviceCommunity report
- Pets allowedDogs are allowed in developed Forest Service recreation sites when restrained, crated or caged, or on a leash no longer than six feet. Posted site restrictions still apply.
- Reservable
For vehicles
- Back-in sitesCommunity report
- Sewer hookupsCommunity report
- Water hookupsCommunity report
Official campground guide
Plan with the full campground details
Facility information, site rules, booking windows, and published rates. Source snapshot checked Oct 18, 2026.
Overview
Headquarters Campground is situated along the Kern River, 6 miles north of the town of Kernville. Hiking, fishing, kayaking and rafting are popular activities.
Facilities
Headquarters Campground offers a mix of standard, RV and tent-only sites. Picnic tables and campfire rings are provided, as are vault toilets and drinking water.
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.
Natural Features
The campground sits within Sequoia National Forest at an elevation of 2,800 feet in an open area overlooking the Kern Wild and Scenic River. Some sites overlook the river and lie in the shade of oak, juniper and cottonwood trees. Sites sitting further from the river are more open and have little to no shade.
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.
Activities & amenities
What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.
Available activities
- Camping
- BoatingRafting
Amenities and facility features
- Vault or pit toilets
- Showers
- Potable water
- Picnic tables
- Site fire ring or grillUse only when the current order allows flame
- Vault Toilets
- Water
Recreation sites
Published inventory grouped by site type. Individual sites can have stricter limits.
RV Non-Electric
25 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- RV, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 30 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- 1 flagged accessible
Tent Only Non-Electric
13 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- Tent
- Maximum people
- 10
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 0 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Yurt
2 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 20 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Standard Non-Electric
2 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- RV, Tent, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 0 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Site rules, inventory & rates
Facility rules, inventory procedures, and price seasons published by the official source.
Site rules
- Maximum stay
- 14 consecutive days
- Max Stay
- 14 days
- Reservation cutoff
- 3 days before arrival
- Maximum published occupancy
- 10 people per site
- Maximum published vehicles
- 1 vehicles per site
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Food storage
- Headquarters's official facility record checked 2026-10-16 does not publish a food-storage method; confirm the posted rule with Sequoia National Forest.
- Fire and stove use
- Headquarters's official facility record states: Picnic tables and campfire rings are provided, as are vault toilets and drinking water.
- Pets
- Dogs are allowed in developed Forest Service recreation sites when restrained, crated or caged, or on a leash no longer than six feet. Posted site restrictions still apply.
Inventory window
Recreation.gov publishes a rolling booking window. The dates below are the official snapshot captured for this catalog build.
- Currently bookable through
- Apr 18, 2027
- Next release
- Oct 19, 2026, 7:00 AM PDT
- Next book-through date
- Apr 19, 2027
- Group sites bookable through
- Oct 18, 2027
Published seasons & rates
| Season | Site type | Nightly rate | Additional person | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026 | RV Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $108 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026 | Yurt | $111 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027 | RV Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $108 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027 | Yurt | $111 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2028 – Dec 31, 2028 | RV Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2028 – Dec 31, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2028 – Dec 31, 2028 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2028 – Dec 31, 2028 | Tent Only Non-Electric | $108 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonJan 1, 2028 – Dec 31, 2028 | Yurt | $111 | — | — |
Important facility notices
Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.
- Six people per site including children
- No hookups or showers available
- Swimming in the river is not recommended due to strong currents
- No off-road vehicle use allowed in the campground
- Fire restrictions may be imposed at any time due to hot, dry weather conditions, at which time campfires and charcoal fires may not be allowed. For current fire conditions or weather closures contact the Kern River Ranger District (760) 376-3781.
- Don't Move Firewood: Protect California's forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. For more information visit firewood.ca.gov.
- Site length includes tow vehicle
- Extra vehicle fee of $8.00 per night of stay on the second vehicle in each single family campsite and on the third and fourth vehicle in any double family campsite, provided these vehicles are not joined to the first vehicle by a hitch and towed onto the site. Extra vehicle must fit on the site parking spur.
Getting there & contact
Official directions
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 4 miles north on Sierra Way (Mountain 99) to the campground.
Facility contact
760-376-1815