U.S. Forest Service · Sierra National Forest · Prather, CA

Kirch Flat Group Campground

At approximately 1,000 feet in elevation, Kirch Flat Campground resides on a large flat area on the river’s edge of the scenic Kings River and is surrounded by rolling, oak-covered foothills and spectacular river canyon and mountain views of the Sierra Nevada. Though it can be very hot in the summer months, Kirch Flat Group Campground is a great place to camp during the spring and fall months and is popular with San Joaquin Valley residents, fisherman, day users, and whitewater enthusiasts who come to enjoy many challenging rapids and beautiful canyon scenery of the King’s River.

Open nowReservable · Recreation.gov1 siteFrom $8 per nightPets okFires ok

This is the group site. Looking for the main campground? Kirch Flat Campground, 17 sites, is next door.

More like this: reservable in California · pets allowed in California · group sites in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
The scenic Upper Kings River.Kirch Flat Group CampgroundGroup fire ring and benches.Picnic table and grills.
Photos courtesy of Michelle Christian · Recreation.gov
3fires
active
Grant Grove Rx Spring (prescribed burn) · 12 mi away · 15 acres
2 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

group standard area nonelectric1
This site is booked as a single unit on Recreation.gov. The booking page shows which dates are open and how far ahead they release. How the booking window works

Site guide

1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteSurfaceShadeWater / sewerWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFiresRating
Kirch Flat Group CampgroundPavedPartialNo / –Riverfront50 / 14YesStandard

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
FeesReservation fee is $8.

Area Amenities: Tent camping recommended - RV's 30' of less fit, picnic tables, toilets, parking, fire rings, pedestal grills Fees: Currently in the fee proposal process. Reservation fee is $8, with a site fee pending as it goes through the process. Open Season: Year round Usage: Light Maximum length of stay = 14 days Maximum vehicle length = 30' Maximum group size = 50 Water: No Restroom: Vault Toilet Operated By: Sierra National Forest Information Center: High Sierra Ranger District 29688 Auberry Rd P.O.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusOpen
SeasonYear round
ForestSierra National Forest
BookingNo reservations, first come, first serve.
FeesNo
RulesMaximum length of stay = 14 days Maximum vehicle length = 30' no boat trailer parking Maximum group size = 50

Sierra National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Kirch Flat Group Campground40°50°60°70°80°90°January: 5.55 inches of precipitationFebruary: 4.91 inches of precipitationMarch: 5.05 inches of precipitationApril: 2.56 inches of precipitationMay: 1.41 inches of precipitationJune: 0.40 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.22 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.05 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.24 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.36 inches of precipitationNovember: 2.14 inches of precipitationDecember: 4.66 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 45.5°F averageFebruary: 48.1°F averageMarch: 53.2°F averageApril: 57.5°F averageMay: 65.0°F averageJune: 73.0°F averageJuly: 80.8°F averageAugust: 81.2°F averageSeptember: 76.1°F averageOctober: 65.5°F averageNovember: 52.5°F averageDecember: 44.6°F average0 in2 in4 in6 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Balch Pwr House, 4 miles from the campground at 1,735 feet, station USC00040449 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 29 inches a year.

Getting there

Take Belmont Avenue east from Fresno. Follow Belmont Avenue until it turns into Trimmer Springs Road. Continue on Trimmer Springs Road past the community of Piedra and all the way around Pine Flat Reservoir. Campground is located at the extreme east end of the lake where the Kings River merges into Pine Flat Reservior (dependent on water level).

Nearest townPrather, California
Coordinates36.8792° N, 119.1491° W · Directions ↗

Good to know

  • Campers are encouraged to bring their own garbage bags, always keep a clean campsite, and keep trash and food packed up so wildlife is not tempted.

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Grant Grove Rx Spring

    12 mi from the campground · 15 acres

  • Prescribed
    Grant Grove Fall Rx

    13 mi from the campground

  • Wildfire
    Land

    18 mi from the campground · 20 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearShaver Lake Sports ↗18.3 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗19.1 mi
RV sales & serviceRV sales & service ↗45.1 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.2 mi
    Lake
    2.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.7 mi
    Rogers Ridge ↗
    5.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3 mi
    Bear Wallow ↗
    7.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.8 mi
    Secate Ridge
    2.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 4.2 mi
    Welata
    0.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, 4WD and 1 more

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

Sierra National Forest begins about 0.1 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

The Kings River as it pours out of Kings Canyon and into the foothills is the big draw to this area. Upriver from the campgrounds and developed recreation sites, the river is designated by congress as wild and scenic. At the campground, the river is just about to enter Pine Flat reservoir, however there is no motorized boat access from the reservoir. The Sierra Nevada foothills are incredibly beautiful in the spring as the grasses green up and the native orange California poppies paint the hill sides, along with other wildflowers.

Recreation

The Kings River offers an enjoyable ten-mile rafting run with Class III and IV rapids. Rafting season is usually from late April to mid-July depending on river runoff. No permit is required to raft the river. The Kings River is a 1 1/2 hour drive east of Fresno towards Pine Flat Reservoir via the Trimmer Springs Road. Put ins are available at Winfrey Mine and Garnet Dike up river from Kirch Flat Group Campground. There are several commercial outfitters that are permitted with the Sierra National Forest, for commercial trips on the Kings River. A short walk from the Group Campground puts you on the edge of the Kings River, cooling off from the heat or working the water's edge fishing are popular activities. Please always use caution as the rivers current can be stronger than realized. There are several hikes available in the area, including hiking up the Kings River to the wild and scenic portion of the river. To get the trail head, continue driving upriver from the campground past Garnet Dike put in, shortly after the vault toilet there the road ends at the trailhead.

Guidebooks for California

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Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Kirch Flat Group Campground?

Sites at Kirch Flat Group Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. No reservations, first come, first serve. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Kirch Flat Group Campground?

Reservation fee is $8.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Kirch Flat Group Campground?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Kirch Flat Group Campground open right now?

Open as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Year round.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Kirch Flat Group Campground have?

1 site, including 1 group standard area nonelectric.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Kirch Flat Group Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Kirch Flat Group Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Kirch Flat Group Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 3 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Maximum length of stay = 14 days Maximum vehicle length = 30' no boat trailer parking Maximum group size = 50

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Kirch Flat Group Campground?

The Kings River offers an enjoyable ten-mile rafting run with Class III and IV rapids. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Kirch Flat Group Campground?

Prather, California.

Source: Getting there

What if Kirch Flat Group Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Kirch Flat Campground (0.1 mi, first-come), Gravel Flat Camping Area (2.2 mi, first-come), and Camp 4 Campground (2.8 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby