Connectivity
No community carrier report is currently published for this campground.
Community-reported service can change with terrain, weather, congestion, and carrier coverage.
Campground
Hospital Flat
Sequoia National Forest, California
About this campground
Hospital Flat Campground is situated along the Kern River, 6.5 miles north of the town of Kernville.
The campground sits within Sequoia National Forest at an elevation of 3,000 feet in an open area overlooking the Kern Wild and Scenic River.
The campground offers several single-family sites on a single loop along the river.
Map
Loading map
- Latitude
- 35.828046° N
- Longitude
- 118.458108° 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
- Walk-inCommunity report
Site types
- Tent sites
- RV / trailer sites
- Standard campsites
- Group sites
Features
For campers
- Toilets
- Showers
- Drinking water
- Picnic table
- FiresUse only when the current order allows flame
- 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
- Big rig friendlyPublished vehicle length up to 40 ft
- 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
Hospital Flat Campground is situated along the Kern River, 6.5 miles north of the town of Kernville. Hiking, fishing, kayaking and rafting are popular activities.
Facilities
The campground offers several single-family sites on a single loop along the river. 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 3,000 feet in an open area 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 line 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.
Activities & amenities
What Recreation.gov or the campground’s official source specifically lists.
Available activities
- Swimming SiteSwimming
- Fishing
- 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
- Host
- Vault Toilets
- Water
Recreation sites
Published inventory grouped by site type. Individual sites can have stricter limits.
Standard Non-Electric
32 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- RV, Small Tent, Tent, Trailer
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 40 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Walk To
3 sites- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- Tent
- Maximum people
- 6
- Maximum vehicles
- 1
- Maximum vehicle length
- 10 ft
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Accessible sites
- None flagged in site inventory
Group Walk To
1 site- Reservation type
- Site-Specific
- Equipment
- Tent
- Maximum people
- 24
- Maximum vehicles
- 5
- Maximum vehicle length
- 10 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
- 24 people per site
- Maximum published vehicles
- 5 vehicles per site
- Check-in
- 2:00 PM
- Check-out
- 12:00 PM
- Food storage
- Hospital Flat'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
- Hospital Flat'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
- Sep 12, 2026
- Next release
- Nov 14, 2026, 7:00 AM PST
- Next book-through date
- May 14, 2027
- Group sites bookable through
- Sep 11, 2027
Published seasons & rates
| Season | Site type | Nightly rate | Additional person | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak SeasonMay 8, 2026 – Sep 12, 2026 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 8, 2026 – Sep 12, 2026 | Walk To | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 8, 2026 – Sep 12, 2026 | Walk To | $152 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 14, 2027 – Sep 11, 2027 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 14, 2027 – Sep 11, 2027 | Walk To | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 14, 2027 – Sep 11, 2027 | Walk To | $152 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 14, 2028 – Sep 11, 2028 | Standard Non-Electric | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 14, 2028 – Sep 11, 2028 | Walk To | $36 | — | — |
| Peak SeasonMay 14, 2028 – Sep 11, 2028 | Walk To | $152 | — | — |
Important facility notices
Read these with current closure and fire notices before departure.
- Pitching a tent may be difficult due to abundant rocks in the campsites. No more than 1 2-person tent per site is recommended.
- In accordance with standard industry practices, ExplorUS will be assessing an additional vehicle fee of $8.00 per night 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. In the case of motorcycles, the first two are considered to be one vehicle and the third and fourth are also considered to be one vehicle. No additional vehicle fees are collected for bicycles.
- No hookups or showers available
- No ATV or ORV allowed in campground
- Site length includes tow vehicle
- Click here for more information on Sequoia National Forest
- 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.
Getting there & contact
Official directions
From Kernville, go 6.5 miles north on Sierra Way (Mountain 99) to the campground.
Facility contact
760-376-1815