4.51100 reviewsPrice
Free
Booking
First-Come
Sites
37 campsites
Season
Year-round
Cell
No Service
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
Price
Free
Booking
First-Come
Sites
37 campsites
Season
Year-round
Cell
No Service
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
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36.0518, -118.1305
Fall PCT hikers and backcountry-adjacent tent campers who want a free basecamp with actual solitude. Late September through October is the sweet spot: crowds thin, temperatures are manageable, and the river sites offer good separation among pinyon and juniper.
Maintenance has slipped noticeably in recent years, trash accumulation, unreliable vault toilets, and zero potable water on-site are recurring complaints. Dirt bike and ATV noise shows up enough in reviews that light sleepers should know what they're getting into.
Reference information about Kennedy Meadows Campground sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p>Located on the Pacific Crest Trail near the South Fork of the Kern River, Kennedy Meadows campground is surrounded by the South Sierra, Golden Trout, and Domeland wildernesses. Some of the 37 sites are shaded by juniper and pinion. Maximum vehicle length is 30ft.</p>
The elevation is 6,100 ft. This scenic campground, adjacent to South Sierra Wilderness and convenient to Dome Land Wilderness, is one large loop at the top of Kennedy Meadows. Pinyon pine and juniper provide limited shade. Most camp sites are well separated. This and not the sagebrush understory provide fair to good privacy between camp sites. Some camp sites overlook the South Fork of Kern River, which is only creek size at the campground. Pacific Crest Trail passes through the middle of campground. The campground is pack it in, pack it out. Telephone, firewood, showers for a fee, outdoor movies on Saturday night, and limited groceries available at Kennedy Meadows General Store (back at "Y" intersection). This is bear country; practice safe food storage techniques.
The parking aprons are paved. Facilities Flush Toilets: No Hot Showers: No Vaults: Yes Wheelchair Friendly Toilets: No Public Phone: No Playground: No No. Water Spigots (non-site): 0 Comments: Water system shut off until further notice. No funding for repairs. Contact Ranger District Office for status. Water Sports None Hiking: Pacific Crest Trail (foot & horse) - 2,650 miles. accesses a network of trails in the South Sierra Wilderness Fishing: Rainbow trout Inyo National Forest 119
Water system shut off until further notice. No funding for repairs. Contact Ranger District Office for status.
The parking aprons are paved.
From Pearsonville, CA, take US Rt. 395 north 2.6 miles to Kennedy Meadows sign. Turn left at sign onto Nine Mile Cyn Rd and go 24.6 miles to "Y" intersection. Bear right onto Kennedy Meadows Rd and go 2.7 miles to campground. NOTE: Much of Nine Mile Cyn Rd is a long, steep grade.
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Fall delivers the sweet spot. Late September through October brings daytime highs in the mid-50s to low-70s°F, with nights dropping into the 20s and 30s. Summer's heat and PCT crowds are gone, leaving quieter trails and better conditions for fishing calmer river stretches. Mid-April sees 53°F days and 34°F nights with almost no rain. Early November cools to 48°F highs and 36°F lows, with occasional rainfall averaging 0.39 inches. Winter brings snow and solitude, demanding warm sleeping bags.
Fall described as the 'sweet spot' with cooler temps, fewer people and great conditions.
Kennedy Meadows Campground offers basic amenities suitable for primitive camping experiences. Restrooms are available on the east side, but there are no trash removal services or potable water on-site. Campers are advised to bring their own water and pack out their garbage. Some picnic tables and fire grilles are available at individual sites, providing options for cooking and dining.
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