So much fun. Lower Kern Class 2/3. Perfect for first timers and families…read more Our guide, Glen, was like a Kern River/County History professor. Jumping in the water and floating with the current, Rock jumping and hitting some good rapids with the occasional hole. Emily, our Trip Leader, was great. My 3rd experience with Sierra South. Highly recommended

Another 5 star adventure!…read more My family has made a (near) annual visit to Kernville for the past 10 years and we try to book a rafting experience. Today my family of four enjoyed another trip down the lower Kern and several class 3 & 4 rapids. We were treated well, the guides were professional, and we all felt safe. Looking forward already to our trip next year!

Went out with my family today at heart Park. Highly recommend the workers were very professional…read moreand helpful. Go check em out!

My family And I came out to Hart park on late Saturday morning. We rented a paddle boat and had an…read moreabsolute blast!! Staff are just a delight and we're very safe,and the prices are great. I recommend this to anyone looking for a great time and don't wanna spend a lot of money. If I could give 10 stars I would

Oh how I completely love the Kern River!! I have been going for 24 years. It has never been as…read morebeautiful and full as it is now. One of my dearest friends is a seasoned river rafter. When we go river rafting, we mainly stay @ Headquarters or Sandy Flat Campground. This past weekend, we stayed at Sandy Flat. It was amazing. It is right off the river. The river was full and had power. I will add official stats by this weekend. My favorite group of runs is called The Jungle. (I will fact check this). I think that a great run was called Dilly. It is a class 4!! OMGoodness, it was wild & fun. Once more rafters arrived we went on another run. I will get the official names. One is named ... something Deli. Anyways, EPIC FUN. I forgot my wetsuit. I just went on June 3rd. The water was C O L D. Our guide, Doug, told us NOT to bring our phones. I wish I would have remembered my Go - Pro. We were lucky that the 178 reopened for the drive home. It was 93 degrees. I was mesmerized by the river. I couldn't stop watching it on the drive home.

The Kern River is beautiful…read more This review is based on a first timers camping visit. Coming up here from San Diego we didn't really know what to expect other than we might have an opportunity to tube down the river. So everyone in our group brought river tubes. That was our first miscalculation. Aperently tubing depends on the season, recent weather conditions, and various natural events that really narrow the scope of when you can tube safety. Also consider how you plan to get back up to your campsite after you tube down the river a few miles.. Ideally you rent tubes from a company that also shuttles you back up the river. If you don't want to rent tubs someone in your group has to pick you up and drive you back, which is a pain. There is no cell service and no uber... The Kern River is best suited for kayaking and rafting. There are many companies in kernville that offer those services. Camping. If you're looking to camp along the river during the summer you need to think about booking in January. During our stay mid-June, the entire river was booked solid.. We stayed at Sandy Flats campgroup which had a small beach area by the river. Litter bugs. One of the most discouraging things to see along the river was the amount of trash that people leave behind. The number one item? Used diapers.. If you can manage to visit midweek, and be prepared to use a kayak/rafting company you will have an epic time. Note - Sequoia National Park is about an hours drive away. Makes for a great day trip.

A true local store that has everything you need for a great day on the river. The shop manager was…read morewelcoming and gave us a few tips. The had plenty of options at good prices and had an assortment of clinics to try. Now, if you are looking to get into the places the local fish then you'll need a guide. Look no further than Rob Buhler! My son wanted to learn to fly fish for his birthday and I hadn't picked up a rod for 20 years. Rob gave us a fantastic, practical four hour lesson on the river. He took his time teaching fundamentals and made every cast fun. Rob was incredibly knowledgeable about the river, fish, fauna, and the geological history of the area. In addition, he was huge on safety and environmental protection which was a massive positive. Don't think twice about asking for Rob the next time you're in the Kernville area and need a pro. He was so committed to the craft and gave off the vibe of the cool uncle everyone wants to have around. A real gift to the area and we're so glad the shop has folks like him on staff.

Guy's 2-Day Nymphing Clinic. December 2025 I went to the Kern River to spend the weekend fly…read morefishing. My first stop was to the Kern River Fly Shop to get some advice about flies and pick up a few that were working at that time and for the area I intended to fish. While in the shop I opted to sign up for the mailing list to help get reacquainted with the sport. Twenty plus years ago I considered myself a fair fly fisher. Over the years I spent less and less time on the water so when I visited last December, unsurprisingly, I was seriously out of practice. I spent time practicing my cast but needed help in an area I have always struggled with, nymph fishing. The shop sends out emails about various clinics so I signed up for the two day clinic and it was worth it. Guy started by going over the basics including key knots to set up our nymph leaders then building them for ourselves and before lunch we were out testing them out. After lunch more knowledge shared and more fishing. The class was small, five of us, and I felt he spent time with each us zeroing in on what each of us needed both in the water and out. We all walked away with a booklet he provided with key info including the knots, leaders, entomology of the area, and more. We also were provided the leaders and some other goodies and most importantly for me, a MUCH better understanding of nymph casting techniques, the skills to identify the right fly and an added bonus some great placed to fish on the Kern. Last but surely not least, Guy is really personable. He is easy to get along with, has a great sense of humor and most importantly adept at communicating what he knows. I walked away with a full tool kit of skills and am now considering his surf clinic. I live not far from the beach and had never considered saltwater fly fishing, but I am now. A final goodie I got to share with family and friends, a video he posted (with my expressed permission): https://youtube.com/shorts/4Xxio-4EoD0?si=65rLSPFaFBBP1jX6

Absolutely incredible! We had the most wonderful time here! We arrived with our Girlscouts troop…read moreand families. We had originally booked the high tower spot for our large group, which was not ideal. It was right off the main road and not behind the gate like the rest of the campground. After expressing our need to change locations, we were accommodated and it was no problem. We booked spot 19 which was close to the bathrooms and beautiful! Several of our campers opted to RV camp and took other surrounding spots. We are avid tent campers. This campground was pristine! The bathrooms were so clean! Showers had great water pressure and hot water immediately. The best part, there was a golf cart checking in at each campground for extra firewood and ice. They'd deliver it to you and charge your card on file. You could also text the camp host for ice or firewood. The camp store was great. Had everything you could need! We can't wait to come back!!!

I love this place so much, It is the best place for campers, if you like a calm, clean and quiet…read moreenvironment this is your best option, I never go wrong with this place. The hosts are very efficient and very nice, restrooms are very clean and spacious, campsites are so nice because there's trees around, the river is very close and they also sell very cute and nice souvenirs. They also sell ice and wood. So you won't have to worry about it. Thank you so much for always making my camping amazing KRE

I live here in Bakersfield for almost two years the fishing sucks even way up here in the kern…read moreriver I fished all the way up from the bridge all the way down from the river no fish I used flies and everything else and nothing. but the scenery is beautiful and dangerous at the same time really rocky if you want to catch fish try the kings river and upper kings there's lots of life in that river and wild life everywhere all year round up there take the 99 hwy to the 180 hwy it's a drive but worth it

LOVED IT ! Awesome spot right on the Kern River on your way to johnsondale and the trail of 100…read moreGiants

My son just returned from his 4th year at JRC so this review is long overdue. He's 13 years old. We…read moredid another sleep away camp one summer local to us for one week and that was a totally different experience. My son like many of his peers loves electronics. He does martial arts but hates all other sports. His favorite part of JRC is sleeping outside. He also loves mountain boarding, archery and fishing. He does chores willingly and successfully at JRC whereas there are many more complaints at home. If I sent my daughter here, she'd probably hate it because she doesn't want to sleep outside. My son didn't love it from the get go, he missed home. That's pretty normal, and he got over it. In the beginning years, he might falter in his excitement because he was afraid of the dark but that faded too. Send your kids if you think they'd might like it. It's a growing experience that is harder to find these days.

Wonderful camp. My child had an incredible time. Great directors, counselors, and staff. Genuinely…read morehappy, beautiful, positive environment.

Very moving despite not being located in Oahu. They have a tank, amphibious landing vehicle, and…read morestructural pieces from the Arizona fenced off in the center. #pearlharbor #veterans

Nice little green park with restrooms, a Patton Tank and an Amphibious Vehicle. Good place to get…read moreout of the car if driving thru Lake Isabella on CA-178.