For those of us in the know, tent camping can take you anywhere, and when visiting a place like Bakersfield, CA, finding a campsite that is good specifically for tent camping can make or break your visit.
Kern River Campground and the Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area both have campsites suitable for tent camping near Bakersfield, California. Slightly further away are two federal campgrounds, Evans Flat and Breckenridge, in the Sequoia National Forest for the more adventurous.
To be honest, I was kind of bummed out by the slim pickin’s for tent camping – this is definitely the land of the RV. I narrowed my ‘bona fide’ choices down to those that would be no more than an hour away from two major attractions in Bakersfield: Buck Owen’s Crystal Palace and the California Living Museum. Also, it was imperative that camp sites would have some privacy provided by tree/shrubbery cover and that there were enough services in the campground to make it practical (such as showers, toilets). I took into consideration what might be appealing to families, too, or included parks that had that little extra special something. My two picks for “Honorable Mention” couldn’t make the cut because they are both over an hour away from the Crystal Palace and do not offer the basic services of water and showers at their campgrounds.
As an aside, I love the part of this job that has me stumbling on gems of information. Previously, I wasn’t sure what was up with Bakersfield, but then all the dots got connected. I was raised just south of Nashville, and though I’m not a huge country music fan, I at least had heard the names of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard before. Turns out, Bakersfield is where they got their fame and where the “Bakersfield Sound” was developed, the sound I most identify with traditional country music. The city is even known as “Nashville West”. (I know its probably old news to all of y’all, but cut me some slack, I’ve lived a sheltered life). Writing this piece also helped me discover the name and writer of the song “Act Naturally” by Buck Owens. I love that song!
Kern River Campground
| Distance to Buck Owen’s Crystal Palace | 21 minutes |
| Distance to California Living Museum | 5 minutes |
| Interesting | Swimming Near Lake Ming Golf Course Nearby Zoo within walking distance! |
This campground definitely takes first place because, not only does it meet all basic requirements, it blows them out of the water. Ample shade? Check. Within an hour to the Crystal Palace? Under half an hour. Want to go to the California Living Museum? You can walk there! Besides all that, the setting is very picturesque for tent camping and looks like a relaxing place for families, with a small meandering river/riverbed bordering the campground and palm trees dotting the landscape. A few of the reviews give pause as to the upkeep of the campground, but I think they might have been isolated incidents. For location and practicality, though, this place shines. Details here.
Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area
| Distance to Buck Owen’s Crystal Palace | 30 minutes |
| Distance to California Living Museum | 44 minutes |
| Interesting | Boat Launch Swimming Basketball Court Golf Course nearby Playgrounds Fishing |
If you’re a family that likes to play on the water, this is the spot for you. The area includes the two man made lakes Lake Evans and Lake Webb. The campground is located on a peninsula on Lake Webb and looks comfortably appointed for tent camping. A word of caution, though, is to keep your belongings where you are directed to or they may get sprayed by the automatic sprinklers. High season looks very busy and might be a little cramped for some tent campers. The views across the lakes are beautiful, with foothills and mountains in the background. Further information here.
Honorable Mention: Evans Flat and Breckenridge Campgrounds
| Distance to Buck Owen’s Crystal Palace | around 90 minutes (hour and a half) |
| Distance to California Living Museum | around 85 minutes (hour and a half-ish) |
| Interesting | Caution: No Water Free First Come First Serve Corrals and Pasturage (Evans Flat) Hunting Rustic |
At first glance, you might wonder why I even included these selections. The reason is breathing room. For those of us looking for a true outdoor experience with a side trip or two to Bakersfield, these are your picks. With the expected large trees of the Sequoia National forest and the low number of campsites, there is plenty of cover that makes these comfortable for tent camping. Evans Flat has accommodations for horses, a very practical consideration for hitting the nearby trails. Also, near Breckenridge is a look out over the valley that is absolutely breathtaking, with clouds sometimes rolling out beneath you. (Here is a link to a photo from local guide Kimberly Dobbs that shows the view from Breckenridge.) Be warned, there is no water of any sort at either campground. You must come fully prepared and self sufficient if you want to stay here. The flipside of that detail is that the campsites are free! More information for Breckenridge and Evans Flat.
Cover Photo: “Morning Sun on Trees in Sequoia National Forest” byogwen is licensed under CC BY 2.0