A white Tacoma with a camper shell parked on a rise above a broad, empty basin under building cloud.

Forest Service campground

Fairview Campground

Forest Service campground in Sequoia National Forest, Tulare County, California. About 3,500 feet.

Managed by
Forest Service Sequoia National Forest
Elevation
About 3,500 ft As the Forest Service states
Sites
54 35 rv non-electric, 13 tent only non-electric, 6 standard non-electric
Longest rig
40 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Tulare County

Overview

Fairview Campground sits in an area dotted with oak and gray pine along the Upper Kern River, a designated Wild and Scenic River, at an elevation of 3,500 feet.

Recreation

Whitewater rafting and kayaking on the Upper Kern River are popular activities.

Visitors also enjoy plenty of hiking opportunities. There is direct access from the south end of the campground to several foot and mountain bike trails, including the 13-mile Whiskey Flat, 16-mile Flynn Canyon and 4-mile Tobies Trails.

To learn more about the Upper Kern River, including safety and permitting requirements and a listing of local outfitters, visit the National Forest Service's overview of the area.

Facilities

The campground, located 13 miles north of Kernville, has 54 paved sites configured around three loops. Some sites have views of or direct access to the river. Picnic areas, vault toilets and drinking water are provided. There is a restaurant next to the campground.

This facility is operated by Rocky Mountain Recreation Company (RMRC), a division of ExplorUS and comments are welcome; comment forms are available from campground hosts or directly at Rocky Mountain Recreation Company.

Natural Features

The Sequoia National Forest, located at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada in central California, takes its name from the giant sequoia, the world's largest tree, which grows in more than 30 groves on the Forest's lower slopes.

The Forest comprises about 1.1 million acres, and elevations range from about 1,000 to 12,000 feet creating precipitous canyons and mountain streams with spectacular waterfalls such as Salmon Creek Falls and Grizzly Falls.

At various points along the river, gray pines, scrub oaks, grass and dry climate shrubs cling to steep canyon walls, while cottonwoods and willows line the water's edge.

Nearby Attractions

The campground provides a good base for day trips to the Sequoia National Park, Trail of 100 Giants, and numerous Sequoia groves in the Giant Sequoia National Monument.

The Giant Sequoia Mercantile offers a wide variety of books, maps, gifts, local art, camping supplies and other merchandise.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • camping

The land around Fairview Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated June 13, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.