Cold Springs Campground (Ca)

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks — lakeside, hiking

Location: Three Rivers, CA, CA

Price: From $32 per night

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (121 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/cold-springs-campground-ca to be notified when sites open up.

Beautiful alpine campground at 7,500 feet elevation featuring hiking to alpine lakes. Google reviewers rate it 4.8/5 stars and praise its lovely setting with basic useful amenities.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Mule Deer, Yellow-bellied Marmot, American Pika, Gray-headed Pika present in area

Insider tips for Cold Springs Campground (Ca): Book early — this is a popular federal campground with limited availability Allow 90 minutes minimum drive time from Highway 198; road is narrow, winding, steep and deeply rutted in sections Follow park ranger instructions for safety and comfort during your stay

Skip Cold Springs Campground (Ca) if: You have an RV or trailer — not permitted at this campground and not recommended on Mineral King Road. You need hookups — no hookups available at sites. You visit outside May-October season — campground is closed.

Best time to visit Cold Springs Campground (Ca): May-October — Campground seasonal operations period. June-August — Peak summer months when road conditions are most passable.

Nearby campgrounds: Atwell Mill Campground (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 Cold Springs Campground (Ca)

Cell signal at Cold Springs Campground (Ca) (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.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›CA›Cold Springs Campground (Ca)
Cold Springs Campground (Ca) — photo 1
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Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks — lakeside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Cold Springs Campground (Ca)

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Three Rivers, CA, CA★ 4.5 (121 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.
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 — not permitted at this campground and not recommended on Mineral King Road✕ You need hookups — no hookups available at sites✕ You visit outside May-October season — campground is closed

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with limited availability

Allow 90 minutes minimum drive time from Highway 198; road is narrow, winding, steep and deeply rutted in sections

Follow park ranger instructions for safety and comfort during your stay

Best: May-October

Campground seasonal operations period

Best: June-August

Peak summer months when road conditions are most passable

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, Mule Deer, Yellow-bellied Marmot, American Pika, Gray-headed Pika present in area

Location

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

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.

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 Cold Springs Campground (Ca) cost per night?+
Cold Springs Campground (Ca) costs $32 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Cold Springs Campground (Ca) open?+
Cold Springs Campground (Ca) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Cold Springs Campground (Ca) have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Cold Springs Campground (Ca)?+
Cold Springs Campground (Ca) can accommodate RVs up to 20 feet.
How do I make reservations at Cold Springs Campground (Ca)?+
Cold Springs Campground (Ca) 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 Cold Springs Campground (Ca)?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Cold Springs Campground (Ca) is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Cold Springs Campground (Ca) open, and what are check-in times?+
Cold Springs Campground (Ca) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks WebsiteCold Springs Campground MapMarmot safety tips
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★ 4.5 (121)
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 Cold Springs Campground (Ca) cost per night?+
What season is Cold Springs Campground (Ca) open?+
Does Cold Springs Campground (Ca) have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Atwell Mill Campground

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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