Cold Springs Campground (CA)

47050 Generals Highway
Three Rivers, CA 93271

Overview

The Mineral King area features the highest elevation campground in the parks. At 7,500 feet (2280 m), it is only open during the summer months. It takes approximately 90 minutes to drive the long narrow, winding, largely unpaved road that leads to the area and its two campgrounds. RVs and trailers are not recommended on Mineral King Road and are not permitted in campgrounds. Mineral King is not connected to the rest of Sequoia National Park by roads.

Recreation

Trails to alpine lakes and mountain passes begin nearby.

Facilities

Nestled among amid aspen trees and conifers, the campground is located near the Mineral King Ranger Station. The campground has no sinks and no flush toilets, pit toilets only.

Natural Features

Hikes into the backcountry out of Mineral King will give visitors an ever deeper understanding of the beauty and uniqueness of Sequoia National Park. Hike to alpine lakes and over mountain passes, or climb a peak.

Nearby Attractions

There are limited services at Silver City Resort, 2.5 miles (4 km) west of the campground.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (559) 565-4404.

Charges & Cancellations

Payment in full will be charged to your credit card upon completion of the reservation. A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation. Additional fees will apply for late cancellations

If your campsite remains vacant for 24 hours after your arrival date it will be cancelled and made available on rec.gov. You will be charged for the first night's campsite fee and a $10 cancellation fee, all other fees after that will be refunded. Recreation.gov policies apply to all reservations, cancellations, refunds and date changes. Call (559) 565-4404 if you will be arriving 24 hours after your arrival date so your site won't be cancelled.

Camp site features

Across 38 camp sites:

Fire pit: all 38 sites
Pets allowed: all 38 sites
Longest RV: 20 ft
Largest party: 6 people

Services within 25 miles · OpenStreetMap

Nearest dump station: 11.4 mi

Nearest water fill: 7.8 mi

Fees

ENTRANCE FEES APPLY in Mineral King -buy your pass ahead of time. CAMPING FEES: $32 per night for Regular Camping and $16 per night for valid lifetime Access Pass, lifetime Senior Pass, and annual Senior Pass. No other passes receive reduced rates. If your campsite remains vacant for 24 hours after your arrival date it will be cancelled and made available on rec.gov. You will be charged for the first night's campsite fee and a $10 cancellation fee, all other fees after that will be refunded. Recreation.gov policies apply to all reservations, cancellations, refunds and date changes. Call (559) 565-4404 if you will be arriving 24 hours after your arrival date so your site won't be cancelled.

Directions

Cold Springs campground is located 23 miles (37 km) from Highway 198 on the Mineral King Road. It is an approximately 90 minute drive. The road is narrow, winding and steep, deeply rutted in sections, and mostly unpaved. It is not advised for longer vehicles, including trailers and other recreational vehicles. RVs and trailers are not permitted in campgrounds.

Stay Limit

Check in from 12 PM, check out by 12 PM.

Reviews

163 reviews

5 stars

111

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 stars

Emmanuel G

Loop:Cold Springs

Site:

Reviewed 24 days ago

Very good camp site

Ellie L

Loop:Cold Springs

Site:

Reviewed a month ago

Super clean and amazing views! Camp spot 5 is incredible and definitely has the best view.

Diana Lee L

Loop:Cold Springs

Site:

Reviewed a month ago

You've hired TOO MANY FEMALES that can NOT FIX anything. Ive reported that the bathroom locks at Cold Springs do NOT WORK & the ONLY ONE who fixed 1 was Alijah: a MALE who can FIX stuff. NONE of the females that I reported this concern to ever THOUGHT about fixing the lock. We did NOT have POTABLE WATER until AFTER MID SEASON!! That is UNACCEPTABLE. The staff had to BOIL WATER even after the campground water was potable. THAT is UNACCEPTABLE. The new Superintendent ONLY POSTED ONCE about offerings: HOW is that NORMAL??? He REFUSES to hire more full time employees from his seasonal guys DESPITE the FACT that Jason took the initiative to PAINT the bathrooms & did a WONDERFUL JOB keeping them clean & with T.P. IN fact, he did jobs that Mary C. is NO LONGER capable of doing (she should retire & volunteer). There are quite a few people that would be staff FOR FREE as long as they had a cabin. You had FIVE WOMEN on staff in SEPT & NOT ONE could FIX the locks in the bathrooms!! The trails are not being serviced as well as before (HUGE logs left, overgrown: see Tar Gap trail from Cold Springs), trail to Soda Springs is being COVERED & NOT ENCOURAGED!! WHOSE IDEA was that? It's for US NOT NPS. Your shuttle does NOT WORK from Three Rivers, despite THOUSANDS who stay in this hamlet & who'd TAKE a SHUTTLE for the day to visit Mineral King! You FAILED for a DECADE or MORE to COLLECT ENTRANCE FEES for Mineral King & then COMPLAINT about money. There was staff lodging & a bathroom mid way but NO LONGER!! Dumb & dumber!

camila s

Loop:Cold Springs

Site:

Reviewed a month ago

very fun and nice BUT locating the campsite is very difficult, there are hardly any signs and the email reservation does not provide an exact address

Michael R

Loop:Cold Springs

Site:

Reviewed 2 months ago

We were there for one night before heading out backpacking, it was the middle of September and got down to 38 degrees by morning, it's dark and cold, a good option for acclimating before the next day's backpacking trip, but not a destination spot for me.

Cindy S

Loop:Cold Springs

Site:

Reviewed 2 months ago

the road is yikes , but once you get past the hour and a half of very awful travel , it's great

Availability

See the Camp Sites section below to find detailed booking availability.

Reserve