Atwell Mill Campground

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks — lakeside, hiking

Location: Three Rivers, CA, CA

Price: From $32 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (59 reviews)

Season: May through October

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.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/atwell-mill-campground to be notified when sites open up.

High-elevation alpine camping at 7,500 feet with access to alpine lake trails in Sequoia National Park. At $32/night, it's an affordable gateway to the remote Mineral King area.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear present in area — practice proper food storage and bear safety protocols. Also expect Mule Deer and Yellow-bellied Marmots.

Insider tips for Atwell Mill Campground: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 19 tent sites and high demand Plan 90 minutes of drive time on Mineral King Road; the narrow, winding, unpaved road with ruts requires careful driving No hookups available, so bring fully self-contained gear or plan for dry camping Arrive during shoulder season (May-June or September-October) for shorter wait times on the popular Mineral King Road

Skip Atwell Mill Campground if: You have an RV or trailer — they are not permitted and the road is not suitable. You need vehicle hookups for water, electric, or sewage. You want easy road access — expect 90 minutes of slow, winding, largely unpaved driving.

Best time to visit Atwell Mill Campground: May-October — Official operating season only; campground closes outside these months due to high elevation and snow.

Nearby campgrounds: Cold Springs Campground (Ca) (Three Rivers, CA), Buckeye Flat Campground (Three Rivers, CA), Potwisha Campground (Three Rivers, CA), Lodgepole Campground-Sequoia And Kings Canyon National Park (Three Rivers, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Atwell Mill Campground

Cell signal at Atwell Mill Campground (Three Rivers, CA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks — lakeside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Atwell Mill Campground

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Three Rivers, CA, CA★ 4.3 (59 reviews)From $32/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

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.

Best for:HikersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV20 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
ADA sites1 sites
Bear boxesYes — at every site
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Flush Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You have an RV or trailer — they are not permitted and the road is not suitable✕ You need vehicle hookups for water, electric, or sewage✕ You want easy road access — expect 90 minutes of slow, winding, largely unpaved driving

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 19 tent sites and high demand

Plan 90 minutes of drive time on Mineral King Road; the narrow, winding, unpaved road with ruts requires careful driving

No hookups available, so bring fully self-contained gear or plan for dry camping

Arrive during shoulder season (May-June or September-October) for shorter wait times on the popular Mineral King Road

Best: May-October

Official operating season only; campground closes outside these months due to high elevation and snow

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear present in area — practice proper food storage and bear safety protocols. Also expect Mule Deer and Yellow-bellied Marmots.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
559 565 3341· Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
Getting there →

Atwell Mill Campground is located 19 miles (31 km) from Highway 198 on Mineral King Road, which turns off in Three Rivers, and 6 miles (10 km) before the end of the road. It is an approximately 90 minute drive. The road is primarily unpaved, narrow, winding, and deeply rutted in places. It is not advised for longer vehicles, especially recreational vehicles. No RVs or trailers are permitted in the campground.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Atwell Mill Campground cost per night?+
Atwell Mill Campground costs $32 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Atwell Mill Campground open?+
Atwell Mill Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Atwell Mill Campground have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Atwell Mill Campground?+
Atwell Mill Campground can accommodate RVs up to 20 feet.
How do I make reservations at Atwell Mill Campground?+
Atwell Mill Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Atwell Mill Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Atwell Mill Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Atwell Mill Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Atwell Mill Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Marmot safety tipsSequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks WebsiteAtwell Mill Campground Map
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$32 /night★ 4.3 (59)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Atwell Mill Campground cost per night?+
What season is Atwell Mill Campground open?+
Does Atwell Mill Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Cold Springs Campground (Ca)

Three Rivers, CA

From $32/night

Buckeye Flat Campground

Three Rivers, CA

From $32/night

Potwisha Campground

Three Rivers, CA

From $32/night

Lodgepole Campground-Sequoia And Kings Canyon National Park

Three Rivers, CA

From $32/night

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