RV Parks In Bakersfield, California

For full hookups right in town, Bakersfield River Run RV Park sits off Highway 99 at Rosedale Highway backing onto the Kern River and is popular with snowbirds and road-trippers. Orange Grove RV Park is a longtime snowbird favorite with a pool, gym, orange picking, and extra-wide 65 to 90 foot pull-throughs. Bakersfield KOA Journey offers deluxe big-rig sites with patios and propane fire pits. If you want scenery over convenience, drive up the Kern River canyon to Rivernook Campground in Kernville, or head into Sequoia National Forest and the public campgrounds around Lake Isabella for a quieter, more rustic stay.

The private parks in town do. Bakersfield River Run RV Park runs 30 and 50 amp full hookups with cable and Wi-Fi, Orange Grove RV Park offers full hookups with true big-rig pull-throughs, and Bakersfield KOA Journey has full hookups up to 90 foot pull-through sites. Rivernook Campground up in Kernville mixes full and partial hookups with some dry tent sites. Once you head into Sequoia National Forest around Lake Isabella, the public campgrounds are mostly dry camping with a few hookup sites here and there, so plan on tanks and batteries if you camp out that way.

The in-town private parks, Bakersfield River Run, Orange Grove, and the KOA, generally land in a mid-range nightly band, higher during snowbird season from October through March when demand peaks. Rivernook Campground in Kernville runs similar pricing for its hookup loops. The public Forest Service and Army Corps campgrounds around Lake Isabella and the Kern River are the budget option, charging noticeably less per night for a dry site, though you will want to bring full water and a generator or solar setup since hookups are limited or absent at most of those sites.

For the in-town resort parks, book at least a month or two ahead for the snowbird season from October through March, since long-stay RVers fill those sites early. Summer weekends up the canyon are the other pinch point: the Kern River and Lake Isabella public campgrounds book through Recreation.gov and fill fast for holiday weekends and peak summer, since that is where valley residents and RVers escape the heat. If you are flexible on dates, midweek stays both in town and up the river are far easier to land close to your travel date.

Spring and fall are the sweet spot for camping in Bakersfield itself, with comfortable temperatures for exploring town and day-tripping to the Kern River. Summer gets brutally hot in the valley, often over 100°F with poor air quality, so most RVers use Bakersfield as a jumping-off point and head up the cooler Kern River canyon toward Kernville and Lake Isabella instead. Winter is snowbird season, when the in-town resort parks fill with long-stay RVers enjoying mild valley days, though dense tule fog can make travel on Highway 99 and I-5 hazardous.

Yes, and the in-town parks are built for it. Orange Grove RV Park has extra-wide 65 and 90 foot pull-throughs, Bakersfield KOA Journey offers deluxe pull-through sites to 90 feet, and Bakersfield River Run RV Park runs resort-style sites that handle any size coach. Highway 99 and I-5 are both easy, flat routes for big rigs getting into town. The catch is Highway 178 east into the Kern River canyon, which climbs steep and winding grades, so big rigs should take that route slowly, and some of the smaller Forest Service campgrounds up that way suit shorter rigs better.

Not really in Bakersfield proper, where the camping is private full-hookup resort parks. Head east up the Kern River canyon and into Sequoia National Forest, though, and several campgrounds around Lake Isabella and along the river keep first-come, first-served sites rather than requiring a Recreation.gov reservation. Your best odds are arriving early on a weekday, since summer weekends draw a crowd escaping the valley heat. Dispersed camping on national forest land is also an option in that area, but rules and fire restrictions vary by season, so check current conditions with Sequoia National Forest before you count on it.

Highway 99 runs straight through Bakersfield and is the main route for most RVers traveling the San Joaquin Valley, while I-5 passes just to the west if you are cutting a more direct north-south line. Both handle any size rig without trouble. Los Angeles is about two hours south over the Grapevine on I-5, and the Bakersfield airport serves the region if you are flying in. If you are continuing east toward the Kern River and Sequoia National Forest, take Highway 178 through the Kern Canyon slowly, since it is steep and winding compared to the valley highways.

Yes. The private RV parks in town, including Bakersfield River Run, Orange Grove, and the KOA, all serve their guests with dump access, and Rivernook Campground up in Kernville does as well. The public campgrounds around Lake Isabella and the Kern River in Sequoia National Forest generally include dump stations even where individual sites are dry camping. If you are just passing through on Highway 99 or I-5 and need a quick stop rather than an overnight, see our guide to RV dump stations in Bakersfield, which covers the public and commercial options in more detail.

It works well for both. The in-town resort parks like Orange Grove and Bakersfield KOA Journey are built for longer stays with pools, activity areas, and plenty of room to walk a dog around the property. Families headed up to the Kern River get swimming, fishing, and rafting right at Kernville, plus the giant sequoia groves and the Trail of 100 Giants up in Sequoia National Forest for an easy day of exploring on foot. Just keep summer heat in mind, since triple-digit valley temperatures are hard on pets and kids alike, and the cooler canyon camps are the better bet that time of year.

Bakersfield itself is the home of the Bakersfield Sound, and the Buck Owens Crystal Palace downtown honors that country music heritage with a museum and live shows. From your campsite it is an easy drive east on Highway 178 to the Kern River for whitewater rafting, fishing, and swimming, continuing up to Kernville and Lake Isabella for boating on the reservoir. Sequoia National Forest, a bit over an hour northeast, holds giant sequoia groves and the Trail of 100 Giants. Wine and citrus country day trips round out the area if you want a slower pace between camp and the next stop.

Bakersfield sits in the southern San Joaquin Valley, which means hot, dry summers with highs regularly above 100°F and poor air quality on the worst days, plus mild, foggy winters. Spring and fall are the most comfortable stretches for camping in town, while winter draws snowbirds for its mild daytime temperatures, tempered by the risk of dense tule fog on the highways. If you are camping in summer, plan on the Kern River canyon toward Kernville for cooler air, since the valley floor gets uncomfortably hot for sitting around a campsite.

It depends on what you want out of the trip. Bakersfield proper is about convenience: full-hookup resort parks with pools and amenities right off Highway 99, close to shopping, restaurants, and the Buck Owens Crystal Palace. Kernville and Lake Isabella, about 45 minutes to an hour east, are about scenery: the Kern River, whitewater rafting, a large reservoir, and both private campgrounds like Rivernook and public Forest Service and Army Corps sites. Many RVers do both, basing in a Bakersfield resort park for a few nights and then driving up the canyon for the river and forest scenery before heading back to the highway.

For full hookups right in town, Bakersfield River Run RV Park sits off Highway 99 at Rosedale Highway backing onto the Kern River and is popular with snowbirds and road-trippers. Orange Grove RV Park is a longtime snowbird favorite with a pool, gym, orange picking, and extra-wide 65 to 90 foot pull-throughs. Bakersfield KOA Journey offers deluxe big-rig sites with patios and propane fire pits. If you want scenery over convenience, drive up the Kern River canyon to Rivernook Campground in Kernville, or head into Sequoia National Forest and the public campgrounds around Lake Isabella for a quieter, more rustic stay.

The private parks in town do. Bakersfield River Run RV Park runs 30 and 50 amp full hookups with cable and Wi-Fi, Orange Grove RV Park offers full hookups with true big-rig pull-throughs, and Bakersfield KOA Journey has full hookups up to 90 foot pull-through sites. Rivernook Campground up in Kernville mixes full and partial hookups with some dry tent sites. Once you head into Sequoia National Forest around Lake Isabella, the public campgrounds are mostly dry camping with a few hookup sites here and there, so plan on tanks and batteries if you camp out that way.

The in-town private parks, Bakersfield River Run, Orange Grove, and the KOA, generally land in a mid-range nightly band, higher during snowbird season from October through March when demand peaks. Rivernook Campground in Kernville runs similar pricing for its hookup loops. The public Forest Service and Army Corps campgrounds around Lake Isabella and the Kern River are the budget option, charging noticeably less per night for a dry site, though you will want to bring full water and a generator or solar setup since hookups are limited or absent at most of those sites.

For the in-town resort parks, book at least a month or two ahead for the snowbird season from October through March, since long-stay RVers fill those sites early. Summer weekends up the canyon are the other pinch point: the Kern River and Lake Isabella public campgrounds book through Recreation.gov and fill fast for holiday weekends and peak summer, since that is where valley residents and RVers escape the heat. If you are flexible on dates, midweek stays both in town and up the river are far easier to land close to your travel date.

Spring and fall are the sweet spot for camping in Bakersfield itself, with comfortable temperatures for exploring town and day-tripping to the Kern River. Summer gets brutally hot in the valley, often over 100°F with poor air quality, so most RVers use Bakersfield as a jumping-off point and head up the cooler Kern River canyon toward Kernville and Lake Isabella instead. Winter is snowbird season, when the in-town resort parks fill with long-stay RVers enjoying mild valley days, though dense tule fog can make travel on Highway 99 and I-5 hazardous.

Yes, and the in-town parks are built for it. Orange Grove RV Park has extra-wide 65 and 90 foot pull-throughs, Bakersfield KOA Journey offers deluxe pull-through sites to 90 feet, and Bakersfield River Run RV Park runs resort-style sites that handle any size coach. Highway 99 and I-5 are both easy, flat routes for big rigs getting into town. The catch is Highway 178 east into the Kern River canyon, which climbs steep and winding grades, so big rigs should take that route slowly, and some of the smaller Forest Service campgrounds up that way suit shorter rigs better.

Not really in Bakersfield proper, where the camping is private full-hookup resort parks. Head east up the Kern River canyon and into Sequoia National Forest, though, and several campgrounds around Lake Isabella and along the river keep first-come, first-served sites rather than requiring a Recreation.gov reservation. Your best odds are arriving early on a weekday, since summer weekends draw a crowd escaping the valley heat. Dispersed camping on national forest land is also an option in that area, but rules and fire restrictions vary by season, so check current conditions with Sequoia National Forest before you count on it.

Highway 99 runs straight through Bakersfield and is the main route for most RVers traveling the San Joaquin Valley, while I-5 passes just to the west if you are cutting a more direct north-south line. Both handle any size rig without trouble. Los Angeles is about two hours south over the Grapevine on I-5, and the Bakersfield airport serves the region if you are flying in. If you are continuing east toward the Kern River and Sequoia National Forest, take Highway 178 through the Kern Canyon slowly, since it is steep and winding compared to the valley highways.

Yes. The private RV parks in town, including Bakersfield River Run, Orange Grove, and the KOA, all serve their guests with dump access, and Rivernook Campground up in Kernville does as well. The public campgrounds around Lake Isabella and the Kern River in Sequoia National Forest generally include dump stations even where individual sites are dry camping. If you are just passing through on Highway 99 or I-5 and need a quick stop rather than an overnight, see our guide to RV dump stations in Bakersfield, which covers the public and commercial options in more detail.

It works well for both. The in-town resort parks like Orange Grove and Bakersfield KOA Journey are built for longer stays with pools, activity areas, and plenty of room to walk a dog around the property. Families headed up to the Kern River get swimming, fishing, and rafting right at Kernville, plus the giant sequoia groves and the Trail of 100 Giants up in Sequoia National Forest for an easy day of exploring on foot. Just keep summer heat in mind, since triple-digit valley temperatures are hard on pets and kids alike, and the cooler canyon camps are the better bet that time of year.

Bakersfield itself is the home of the Bakersfield Sound, and the Buck Owens Crystal Palace downtown honors that country music heritage with a museum and live shows. From your campsite it is an easy drive east on Highway 178 to the Kern River for whitewater rafting, fishing, and swimming, continuing up to Kernville and Lake Isabella for boating on the reservoir. Sequoia National Forest, a bit over an hour northeast, holds giant sequoia groves and the Trail of 100 Giants. Wine and citrus country day trips round out the area if you want a slower pace between camp and the next stop.

Bakersfield sits in the southern San Joaquin Valley, which means hot, dry summers with highs regularly above 100°F and poor air quality on the worst days, plus mild, foggy winters. Spring and fall are the most comfortable stretches for camping in town, while winter draws snowbirds for its mild daytime temperatures, tempered by the risk of dense tule fog on the highways. If you are camping in summer, plan on the Kern River canyon toward Kernville for cooler air, since the valley floor gets uncomfortably hot for sitting around a campsite.

It depends on what you want out of the trip. Bakersfield proper is about convenience: full-hookup resort parks with pools and amenities right off Highway 99, close to shopping, restaurants, and the Buck Owens Crystal Palace. Kernville and Lake Isabella, about 45 minutes to an hour east, are about scenery: the Kern River, whitewater rafting, a large reservoir, and both private campgrounds like Rivernook and public Forest Service and Army Corps sites. Many RVers do both, basing in a Bakersfield resort park for a few nights and then driving up the canyon for the river and forest scenery before heading back to the highway.

The highest-rated station is Shaded Haven RV Park with a rating of 4.3/5 stars.

Yes — there are free RV waste disposal options available near Bakersfield.