Hospital Flat

Overview

Hospital Flat Campground is situated along the Kern River, 6.5 miles north of the town of Kernville. Hiking, fishing, kayaking and rafting are popular activities.

Recreation

Hiking, fishing, kayaking and rafting are popular activities in the Upper Kern River area. Click here to learn more about the area, including safety and permitting requirements and a listing of local outfitters.

Facilities

The campground offers several single-family sites on a single loop along the river. Picnic tables and campfire rings are provided, as are vault toilets and drinking water.

Natural Features

The campground sits within Sequoia National Forest at an elevation of 3,000 feet in an open area overlooking the Kern Wild and Scenic River. Gray pine, scrub oak, grasses and shrubs cling to steep, canyon walls along the river, and cottonwoods and willows line the riverbanks.

Sequoia National Forest, located at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada in central California, is named for 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. 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.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (760) 376-1269.

Nearby Attractions

The Cannell Meadow National Recreation Trail begins just north of Kernville. The trail stretches 11.5 miles as it climbs through mixed pine and fir forest to Cannell Meadow and a historic Forest Service cabin built between 1904 and 1909. Hikers are awarded beautiful views of the Kern River Valley along the trip.

Visitors enjoy making day trips to Sequoia National Park and Giant Sequoia National Monument.

Camp site features

Across 36 camp sites:

  • Fire pit: all 36 sites
  • Picnic table: all 36 sites
  • Pets allowed: all 36 sites
  • Group sites: 1 of 36 sites
  • Longest RV: 40 ft
  • Largest party: 24 people
  • Equipment: RV, SMALL TENT, Tent, Trailer

Services within 25 miles · OpenStreetMap

Nearest dump station: 5.0 mi · Kern River Sequoia RV Resort

Directions

From Kernville, go 6.5 miles north on Sierra Way (Mountain 99) to the campground.

Stay Limit

Check in from 2 PM, check out by 12 PM.

Reviews

80 reviews
5 stars
36
4 stars
15
3 stars
10
2 stars
9
1 stars
10
Randall P
Loop:Area Hospital Flat
Site:
Reviewed 2 months ago
River was great, fishing was good, the surrounding beautiful. Camp host not so much.
Daniel B
Loop:Area Hospital Flat
Site:
Reviewed 2 months ago
Beautiful site! We had one tent and the site was right next to the beautiful creek. Not 10 min down the way was the town of Kernville that has a sweet and welcoming community! My friend and I enjoyed our trip. Be prepared for excess moths at night!!
cheyenne m
Loop:Area Hospital Flat
Site:
Reviewed 3 months ago
My family camps multiple times each year, often spending a week at a time exploring campgrounds throughout Southern and Northern California. We have stayed at many campgrounds over the years, and never have we experienced conditions like those at Hospital Flats. When we arrived, our campsite contained human feces covered with toilet paper, broken glass beer bottles, trash, and other debris. Throughout our stay, we only saw the camp host once, and that was simply to collect payment for a second vehicle. The restroom conditions were unacceptable. The vault toilets were nearly overflowing, making them unusable. The odor reached our campsite and made it difficult to enjoy our trip. On the second day, the camp host informed us the toilets had not been serviced in about two weeks. Although they were pumped on Wednesday, they were never cleaned. Human waste remained on the toilet seats, and toilet paper with feces was still hanging inside the stalls. Because of this, our family had to drive to another location every time we needed a restroom. The campground’s water was also unusable. It came out a deep orange color and smelled strongly of rust, making us uncomfortable using it for brushing teeth, washing dishes, or showering. The campsite itself was covered with large rocks, requiring us to spend significant time clearing space just to set up chairs and other basic camping equipment. This was by far the worst campground experience our family has ever had. We love the Kern River area and plan to return, but we will never stay at Hospital Flats again and cannot recommend it to others. Given the serious sanitation, maintenance, and safety concerns we encountered, I respectfully request a full refund for our campsite reservation. The conditions fell far below what should reasonably be expected of a maintained public campground.
cheyenne m
Loop:Area Hospital Flat
Site:
Reviewed 3 months ago
My family camps multiple times each year, often spending a week at a time exploring campgrounds throughout Southern and Northern California. We have stayed at many campgrounds over the years, and never have we experienced conditions like those at Hospital Flats. When we arrived, our campsite contained human feces covered with toilet paper, broken glass beer bottles, trash, and other debris. Throughout our stay, we only saw the camp host once, and that was simply to collect payment for a second vehicle. The restroom conditions were unacceptable. The vault toilets were nearly overflowing, making them unusable. The odor reached our campsite and made it difficult to enjoy our trip. On the second day, the camp host informed us the toilets had not been serviced in about two weeks. Although they were pumped on Wednesday, they were never cleaned. Human waste remained on the toilet seats, and toilet paper with feces was still hanging inside the stalls. Because of this, our family had to drive to another location every time we needed a restroom. The campground’s water was also unusable. It came out a deep orange color and smelled strongly of rust, making us uncomfortable using it for brushing teeth, washing dishes, or showering. The campsite itself was covered with large rocks, requiring us to spend significant time clearing space just to set up chairs and other basic camping equipment. This was by far the worst campground experience our family has ever had. We love the Kern River area and plan to return, but we will never stay at Hospital Flats again and cannot recommend it to others. Given the serious sanitation, maintenance, and safety concerns we encountered, I respectfully request a full refund for our campsite reservation. The conditions fell far below what should reasonably be expected of a maintained public campground.
Thomas M
Loop:Area Hospital Flat
Site:
Reviewed 4 months ago
Hospital Flat is a pristine campground. The hot summer proves very peaceful there, as there are fewer campers. The river is always present, cooling one’s body and imagination.
REGINALD G
Loop:Area Hospital Flat
Site:
Reviewed 4 months ago
Loved the woods the big trees were awesome also dip in the river was wonderful did not want it to end
Availability

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

Reserve

Season dates

Peak season

May 14, 2027 – Sep 11, 2027

Reservable online

Peak season

May 14, 2028 – Sep 11, 2028

Reservable online

Camp Sites

Availability not checked yet

No availability

We don't have availability data yet for camp sites at .

Interested in seeing what camp sites you can reserve here? Check it now, or watch this campground so we keep checking it for you.

Nearby Campgrounds