Hospital Flat

Sequoia National Forest — riverside, fishing

Location: Kernville, CA, CA

Price: From $36 per night

Price range: $36–$152 per night

Rating: 3.8 out of 5 (72 reviews)

Season: May through October

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.For facility specific information, please call (760) 376-1269.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.The campground sits within Sequoia National Forest at an elevation of 3,000 feet in an open area overlook

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Fishing

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

Hospital Flat sits along the Kern River 6.5 miles north of Kernville with excellent access to hiking, fishing, kayaking, and rafting. Campers consistently praise it as a quiet, relaxing retreat with spread-out sites and friendly staff.

Wildlife alert: Northern Pacific Rattlesnake present in area. Also: California Ground Squirrel, Gray Fox, Western Spotted Skunk, California Mule Deer, California Spotted Owl, Great Blue Heron, Common Raven, Western Fence Lizard, California Mountain Kingsnake.

Insider tips for Hospital Flat: Book early—this is a popular federal campground No cell signal available; plan accordingly River swimming is a major draw for campers Sites are well-spaced along a single loop

Skip Hospital Flat if: You need RV hookups—none available at most sites, suitable only for self-contained RVs. You visit outside May-October—seasonal closure. You require modern amenities—vault toilets only.

Best time to visit Hospital Flat: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Thunderbird Group Campground (KERNVILLE, CA), Camp Three Campground (KERNVILLE, CA), Halfway Group Campground (Kernville, CA), Goldledge Campground (KERNVILLE, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Hospital Flat

Cell signal at Hospital Flat (Kernville, 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
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Sequoia National Forest — riverside, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Hospital Flat

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Kernville, CA, CA★ 3.8 (72 reviews)From $36/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

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

Best for:AnglersBoatersFamiliesSites:TentRV
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 RV40 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault 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 need RV hookups—none available at most sites, suitable only for self-contained RVs✕ You visit outside May-October—seasonal closure✕ You require modern amenities—vault toilets only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground

No cell signal available; plan accordingly

River swimming is a major draw for campers

Sites are well-spaced along a single loop

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

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: Northern Pacific Rattlesnake present in area. Also: California Ground Squirrel, Gray Fox, Western Spotted Skunk, California Mule Deer, California Spotted Owl, Great Blue Heron, Common Raven, Western Fence Lizard, California Mountain Kingsnake.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
760-376-1815· Sequoia National Forest
Getting there →

From Kernville, go 6.5 miles north on Sierra Way (Mountain 99) to 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 National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Sequoia National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Hospital Flat cost per night?+
Hospital Flat costs $36–$152 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Hospital Flat open?+
Hospital Flat is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Hospital Flat have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Hospital Flat?+
Hospital Flat can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet.
How do I make reservations at Hospital Flat?+
Hospital Flat 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 Hospital Flat?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Hospital Flat is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Hospital Flat open, and what are check-in times?+
Hospital Flat is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility Map
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●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.

$36 /night★ 3.8 (72)
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 Hospital Flat cost per night?+
What season is Hospital Flat open?+
Does Hospital Flat have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Forest campground camping

Thunderbird Group Campground

KERNVILLE, CA

From $60/night

Camp Three Campground

KERNVILLE, CA

From $36/night

Halfway Group Campground

Kernville, CA

From $60/night

Goldledge Campground

KERNVILLE, CA

From $36/night

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