Calkins Flat Dispersed Area — Hotel in Porterville

First time camping in the area. My friends and I are very experienced campers and typically only camp dispersed camping and BLM land to avoid crowds and just people in general. This is not nearly as secluded as we are use to but a very nice campground to say the least. It is literally right off the road and you will hear vehicles traveling down the road all day. Makes the site accessible for even sedans as long as you drive slowly and carefully once off the road. One of the highlights for us was the constant jets flying through the canyon just overhead. We saw F-15s, F-16s, and F-22s maneuvering 200ft above us. They weren't flying on the weekend but were very active Wednesday through Friday. The restroom available was surprisingly clean and didn't stink. Kudos to the maintenance here, never seen a bathroom that immaculate before at a campground. There are amenities and general stores within a short drive in either direction of this campsite. Obviously ice being readily available was very nice. There was virtually no cell service at the campground so keep that in mind. Wifi is available a short drive in either direction and I had limited cell service about eight miles back into town at one of the other campsites or day use areas. We had some decent cloud cover at one point and I did receive some data and was able to make a short phone call but definitely don't expect that to happen with any reliability. We came in early April right before the summer season and we didn't really have many others campers too close. I could see this place being packed in the summer though. There was a dumpster right at the entrance to dispose of trash. All in all, great campground for families with plenty to do with the river and hiking trails. Keep it clean for the rest of us if you...

Very good dispersed camping with the Kern River running right by. Bring rope, carabiners, water shoes and raft/inner tube* to cool down and relax in the river tied to a tree. Great for tents and van conversion camping, no room for RV’s or trailers. In July on weekends, more crowded towards the north area, where it is very easy to carry camping supplies to choice spots next to the river. On the south side, the bluff is higher so more difficult to carry down supplies so we set up camp at the top and put chairs and rafts at the bottom next to the water. Summer weekdays are less impacted. Campground is unpaved and very rocky. You can float down the river from the north of camp to the south of camp, but don’t go further because it gets treacherous. Best to be a good swimmer with life jacket and helmet because it is easy to get knocked against the rocks and/or struggle to get back to the river’s edge. (There are numerous injuries/accidents at Kern River every year.) River has a rocky bottom and strong undercurrent. Stargazing is spectacular so bring your binoculars. Portos and dumpster provided, but no potable water or other services. Can get windy. Giving four stars because there is a bit of trash on the ground and blown into the bushes. Bring a trash picker if you’re like me. Ranger seen on site. *Depending on availability, rafts/inner tubes can be purchased in Kernville at Sierra Gateway Market. Buy “River Run” brand floatie in advance if you can,...

We had a great time. The place was very spacious and the proximity to the river made our whole stay very special indeed. There were two levels, one "upstairs" where we arrived and the river "downstairs" just a few steps down, carefully, thru the rocks. Really, like a flight of stairs and there we were, by the river. We took a plunge and played with the mild current of the river stream. Lots of fun. And of course the night with a million stars on the sky, the pleasant noise of the water moving next to us, and the fire with the music. Summer fun! The only down side was the lack of running water, but as long as you're prepared you can have...