Camping the Kern River

Discussion in 'The Pub' started by project_d, May 12, 2009.

  1. project_d

    project_d Steve Peat Wannabe

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    Sitck with me here...

    When I was growing up, I used to go camping several times a year along the Kern river. We would camp out at Dogtown or Hobo, and I would have a great time. I'm looking to go back there, but from what somebody told me, those campgrounds have become kinda sketchy, and not all that family friendly.

    Now that I'm all growed up, I want to take my kids up to the river a few times this summer. Sooo......which are the campgrounds we shoud stay at? We don't have an RV, we'll just pitch tents. I'd like it to be right next to the river. Other than that, bathrooms, running water, etc. are icing on the cake, but not necessary. Don't even ask about biking, cuz the wife has already put the kabash on that.

    Thanks!
    :beer:
     
  2. Sprockethead

    Sprockethead S.T.U.P.I.D.A.S.S. Member

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    MRA (Mountain River Adventures) has a small campground with nice facilities. The bathrooms are big with hot showers and you're right next to the water. Try staying at the sites closer to the water cause there's more shade.
     
  3. Gnutz

    Gnutz \m/ ( > < ) \m/

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    Some friends and I go up there every summer. We make sure someone goes up on Wednesday to stake a "claim" and still people attempt to encroach on our space... that is until nighttime, then they are gone in the morning. We might be considered sketchy ones, but not as bad as the huge group of Bikers we had next to us with naked ladies.

    Go up early in the week if you can and find a small area with some people and ask when they are leaving, make friends, camp near them, then take over when they leave. Thats how we did it last year and met some really cool whiskey drinking vets that "taught" us how to drink whiskey, curse and tell a good story.

    Don't forget your tube and have fun.
     
  4. dstepper

    dstepper (R.I.P.) Over the hill

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    What time of the year? It is probably already getting to hot out in Kern Valley for my liking. We normally go another 30-60 minutes up into the Sequoia National Forest to camp. Much nicer and way cooler.

    Couple years back I went up in early June to ride Sherman Pass-Cannel Plunge and it was 105 in town.

    Dean
     
  5. project_d

    project_d Steve Peat Wannabe

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    I did go up there last year. It was about 20 min north of Kernville. It was almost 100, but the water was super cool. It wasn't a campsite, but just an open area along the river where you could camp out. It was cool, but we were lucky to find something. We're just looking for a campground this time, one without the bikers!

    I'll check into that...thanks!
     
  6. Pain Freak

    Pain Freak Dead or Alive

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    PM Jfsh, he'll give you the best info. For camping I do like MRA though.
     
  7. Stray_Bullit

    Stray_Bullit The sustain..listen to it

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    In 1984 I started going to the Kern River. I met this guy who had friends up there and we started going to a place we called Chico Flats. It's on the upper Kern, above the lake near the River Kern General Store. It's a place where the locals would go for the day, not good access from the road and no bathrooms. We were almost always alone at night and during the day we would see a few people show up now and then.

    We would go very often, almost every three weeks or so during the summer. We did this up until 1999 or 2000. It has really become a horrible place. Gang tagging on the rocks, really bad, bad people all over the place and just a dangerous situation. NOT a place to bring my two little girls and my wife.

    It's really sad, maybe other places on the Kern are different but Chico Flats is a place I will not go to anymore. I just keep my fond memories of the place.

    On a good note, we have stayed at a place called the Sequoia Lodge, it was great! Here is more their link...

    http://sequoialodge.net/default.aspx
     
  8. un-kola

    un-kola Just another Homer!

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    +1 on Sequoia Lodge.:clap:My wife and I have taken my in-laws and stayed there several times over the years.My late father and I used to go fishing on the upper Kern back in the '60's and early '70s.I definately remember Chico Flats.We would stay there or upstream near Roads End.Last time we took the in-laws I showed them where we used to camp,and could not recognize the site.Most of the trees and brush were gone along the river.Seems that a tweaker was spending the night there during a heat wave(area was closed to open fires),and she started a forest fire (6-7yrs.ago maybe?),that wiped out that area.#-oLast I heard she had been arrested and convicted for that fire.-Lloyd :wave:
     
  9. Byron B

    Byron B Born to Ride

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    on a separate note would anyone recommend riding a road bike there?
     
  10. dstepper

    dstepper (R.I.P.) Over the hill

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    Yep the mother of all climbs, Sherman Pass Road. Would be great before the gate is open, even if gate is open very little traffic.

    Dean
     
  11. Dh Oly

    Dh Oly New Member

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    bro dont ride sherman pass. aside from the straight up climb for miles, you have assholes in yuppy cars hauling ass up and down that road.
     
  12. jfsh

    jfsh chainsaw and shovel

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    Camping

    The area you are talking about is on the Lower Kern. I have to agree with the others that it would not be the best place to camp with the kids. The Hobo campground is not the best place either with the hotsprings close by. They seem to attract the bad element.

    Up above Kernville on the Upper Kern there are several riverfront Forest Service campgrounds. The names are Headquarters, Camp 3, Hospital Flat, Goldledge, and Limestone. These are listed in order as you go up river. These are usually filled with a better class of campers than the free camping areas. The MRA campground is good and has nice facilities and showers. It is close to the river but I would not call them "river front". Camp James Campground is another privately owned campground that is right on the river in Kernville. You can check them out online. I hope this helps.
     
  13. project_d

    project_d Steve Peat Wannabe

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    Thanks for the info. I have seedn Headquarters, Camp 3, etc, and I'll look into those, as well as Camp James.
    :bang:
     
  14. stinky180

    stinky180 Will make it Reign....

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    one of my first camping experiences was at the sandy flats campground right next to the kern river. i went with a bunch of friends, probably around 40 people. yea, it was a pretty wild night. i think we got like 2 complaints of noise by rangers.... but there were also many other campsites having a party. maybe it calmed down now? im not sure, but i wouldn't go there for a peaceful camping experience.....
     
  15. H2oChick

    H2oChick Active Member

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    The Lower Kern campgrounds have unfortunately attracted a bad element. We used to camp there several times during the summer, primarily at Hungry Gulch, but stopped due to the lack on control in the campground. We spoke to the camp host who said that it gets loud and out of control every weekend and there was nothing they could do. Now we just stay at one of the motels in Kernville and avoid the stress.
     
  16. Lone ranger

    Lone ranger Guest

    Try river nook camp grounds .they have sites on the river ,shade and good showers.
     
  17. Pain Freak

    Pain Freak Dead or Alive

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    Hey wait a minute...............

    I am that bad element!
     
  18. H2oChick

    H2oChick Active Member

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    Why doesn't that surprise me ??? ;)
     
  19. speckledtrout

    speckledtrout Active Member

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    +1 to what Steppie said. We go further up to the park and stay in Holey Meadows or Strawberry something. Really pretty campgrounds that are small and well kept. The Strawberry campsite is actually on a creek. We just hop in the car and drive down to the Kern for part of the day then head back up to to camp.
     

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