Camping near Kennedy Meadows, California
Camping near Kennedy Meadows, California includes 3 public campgrounds on record, 3 first-come. All are run by the U.S. Forest Service. The nearest, Fish Creek, is 7.3 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line, and 2 of 3 are within 15 miles. Another 37 public campgrounds filed under nearby towns are within 30 miles of Kennedy Meadows.
noindex Fewer than 5 campgrounds here clear the indexable bar yet, so this page stays noindex.
Camping near Kennedy Meadows at a glance
- Public campgrounds
- 3 (3 National Forest)
- Getting a site
- 3 first-come
- Cost
- Lowest posted fee at Fish Creek: "Single Site: $17 per night"
- Distance from Kennedy Meadows
- 7.3 miles (Fish Creek) to 16 miles (Horse Meadow) in a straight line; 2 within 15 miles
- Elevation
- 7,373 ft (Horse Meadow) to 7,758 ft (Troy Meadow), 3 of 3 on record
- Drinking water
- 3 of 3
Distances are straight-line miles from Kennedy Meadows's point in the US Census Bureau Gazetteer (2025), not driving distances. Every other fact comes from each campground's own sourced record, linked from its page.
More campgrounds within 30 miles of Kennedy Meadows
- Kennedy Meadows Campground, 3.3 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (free); listed under camping near Tulare.
- Long Valley Campground, 12 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , BLM ; listed under camping near Tulare.
- Chimney Creek Campground, 12 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , BLM ; listed under camping near Tulare.
- Brush Creek, 21 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (free); listed under camping near Kernville.
- Limestone, 21 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $36 per night); listed under camping near Kernville.
- Goldledge, 22 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $36 per night); listed under camping near Kernville.
- Lower Peppermint, 22 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Single Site: $29 per night); listed under camping near Tulare.
- Corral Creek, 22 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (free); listed under camping near Kernville Riverkern.
- Fairview, 22 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $36 per night); listed under camping near Kernville.
- Hospital Flat, 23 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $36 per night); listed under camping near Kernville.
- Chico Flat, 24 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (free); listed under camping near Kernville.
- Thunderbird Group Campground, 24 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , reservable ; listed under camping near Tulare.
- Upper Peppermint, 24 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (free); listed under camping near Tulare.
- Camp 3, 24 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Single Site: $36 per night); listed under camping near Kernville.
- Halfway Group Campground, 24 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , reservable ; listed under camping near Tulare.
- Headquarters, 24 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $36 per night); listed under camping near Kernville.
- Walker Pass Campground, 24 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , BLM ; listed under camping near Kern.
- Quaking Aspen Group Campground, 26 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Overnight Use:); listed under camping near Tulare.
- Quaking Aspen, 26 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Overnight Use:); listed under camping near Tulare.
- Long Meadow Group Campground, 27 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Overnight Use:); listed under camping near Tulare.
- Redwood Meadow, 27 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Overnight Use:); listed under camping near Tulare.
- Frog Meadow, 28 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (free); listed under camping near Tulare.
- Camp 9 Group #1, 28 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Overnight Use:); listed under camping near Kernville.
- Camp 9 Group #2, 28 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Overnight Use:); listed under camping near Kern.
- Camp 9 Recreation Area, 28 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $36 per night); listed under camping near Kernville.
- Belknap, 29 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $36 per night); listed under camping near Tulare.
- Holey Meadow, 29 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , reservable ; listed under camping near Tulare.
- Holey Meadow Group Campground, 29 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Overnight Use:); listed under camping near Tulare.
- Tillie Creek, 29 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $36 per night); listed under camping near Wofford Heights.
- Live Oak Group, 29 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come ; listed under camping near Kern.
- Live Oak North, 29 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Single Site: $36 per night); listed under camping near Kern.
- Live Oak South, 29 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $ per night); listed under camping near Kern.
- Tillie Creek #1 Group Campground, 29 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Overnight Use:); listed under camping near Wofford Heights.
- Tillie Creek #3 Group Campground, 29 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Overnight Use:); listed under camping near Wofford Heights.
- Tillie Creek #4 Group Campground, 29 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Overnight Use:); listed under camping near Wofford Heights.
- Tillie Creek#2 Group Campground, 29 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , first-come (Overnight Use:); listed under camping near Wofford Heights.
- Coy Flat, 30 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line , National Forest , reservable (Single Site: $36 per night; Additional Holiday Fee: $2 per night); listed under camping near Tulare.
Things to do near Kennedy Meadows
Public land and water within 30 miles of Kennedy Meadows, the public land its campgrounds sit in, and landmarks at those campgrounds, nearest first.
- Kern River South Fork fishing, a fishing water whose mapped point is 1.7 miles from Kennedy Meadows; stocking record and species on fishypedia.com.
- Domeland Wilderness, a wilderness area whose mapped point is 6.9 miles from Kennedy Meadows; its permit and camping rules and boundary on publiclandsdb.com.
- Sacatar Trail Wilderness, a wilderness area whose mapped point is 7.4 miles from Kennedy Meadows; its permit and camping rules and boundary on publiclandsdb.com.
- South Sierra Wilderness, a wilderness area whose mapped point is 8.2 miles from Kennedy Meadows; its permit and camping rules and boundary on publiclandsdb.com.
- Chimney Peak Wilderness, a wilderness area whose mapped point is 11 miles from Kennedy Meadows; its permit and camping rules and boundary on publiclandsdb.com.
- Sequoia National Forest, a national forest whose mapped point is 18 miles from Kennedy Meadows; its dispersed-camping rule, ranger offices, and boundary on publiclandsdb.com.
- Owens Peak Wilderness, a wilderness area whose mapped point is 18 miles from Kennedy Meadows; its permit and camping rules and boundary on publiclandsdb.com.
- Jordan Hot Springs, a hot spring whose mapped point is 19 miles from Kennedy Meadows; soaking details on swimholesmap.com.
- Coso Range Wilderness, a wilderness area whose mapped point is 22 miles from Kennedy Meadows; its permit and camping rules and boundary on publiclandsdb.com.
- Dry Meadow Creek fishing, a fishing water whose mapped point is 22 miles from Kennedy Meadows; stocking record and species on fishypedia.com.
Supplies and emergencies near Kennedy Meadows
Nearest emergency room
Kern Valley Healthcare District
6412 Laurel Ave, Lake Isabella, CA, 31 miles from Kennedy Meadows . (760) 379-2681
Next nearest: Ridgecrest Regional Hospital, 1081 N China Lake Blvd, Ridgecrest, CA, 35 miles , (760) 446-3551.
In an emergency, call 911.
Both report emergency services in the CMS Hospital General Information dataset (accessed 2026-09-26) .
- Groceries
-
- Kennedy Meadows General Store
- Mobil Mart
- Shell
- Fuel
-
- Chevron
- Mobil
- Shell
- RV dump station
-
- Kern River Sequoia RV Resort
Not mapped in OpenStreetMap within 25 miles of Kennedy Meadows: propane, potable water fill, pharmacy, laundromat, and ice. Stores, fuel, propane, dump stations, water fill, laundromats, and pharmacies are the nearest few mapped within 25 miles, straight-line, © OpenStreetMap contributors (data as of 2026-10-01; this extract under the ODbL). Hours are as mapped; call ahead.
Common questions
Where can I camp around Kennedy Meadows, CA?
3 public campgrounds are on record near Kennedy Meadows. Nearest first, straight-line from town: Fish Creek (7.3 miles), Troy Meadow (8.1 miles), and Horse Meadow (16 miles). 3 are first-come, first-served with no reservations.
Is there free camping near Kennedy Meadows, CA?
Not at a developed campground: each of the 3 public campgrounds on record near Kennedy Meadows charges a fee, listed in the table.
Where can I camp near Kennedy Meadows with drinking water?
Fish Creek, Horse Meadow, and Troy Meadow have potable water on record.
Where is the nearest emergency room to Kennedy Meadows, CA?
Kern Valley Healthcare District, 6412 Laurel Ave, Lake Isabella, CA, is 31 miles from Kennedy Meadows in a straight line and reports emergency services to CMS; phone (760) 379-2681. In an emergency, call 911.
Every campground in the state: camping in California ; by agency: National Forest campgrounds in California .