South Fork Rec
Located off Highway 178 on the southern side of Lake Isabella, this facility offers flush toilets, trash service, drinking water, a visitor information station, and campsites with stoves and picnic tables above the high-water mark. Below the high-water mark, visitors can drive their vehicles to the shoreline and camp at the water’s edge. Below the high-water mark portable toilets and trash receptacles are provided for visitor convenience during the summer. The site also offers a public boat launch and courtesy dock.
Sites are first-come, first-served. Recreation.gov lists this campground for paying on site, and you may be able to pay with the Scan and Pay feature of its app.
More like this: first-come in California
active
Amenities & rules
Located off Highway 178 on the southern side of Lake Isabella, this facility offers flush toilets, trash service, drinking water, a visitor information station, and campsites with stoves and picnic tables above the high-water mark. Below the high-water mark, visitors can drive their vehicles to the shoreline and camp at the water’s edge. Below the high-water mark portable toilets and trash receptacles are provided for visitor convenience during the summer.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Season | Year Round |
| Forest | Sequoia National Forest |
| Fees | Daily passes sold at onsite kiosk; $12/second vehicle; Boat launch ramp |
| Rules | Camping is permitted for 14 days within any 30 day period. |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 35.6586° N, 118.4369° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- WildfireCyrus
3 mi from the campground · 543 acres · 95% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 1.4 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Triple Crown Outfitters ↗ | 29.6 mi |
| RV sales & service | Camping World ↗ | 41.8 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
- 2.1 miKissack Cove Day Use ↗Day use
- 2.2 miStine Cove Fishing Site ↗Fishing site
- 2.7 miTillie Creek Launch Ramp Boating Site ↗Boat launch
- 3.2 miCyrus Canyon Shooting Range ↗OHV / range
- 3.5 miCyrus Canyon Ohv Park ↗OHV / range
- 7.8 mi
Trails nearby
- 2.2 miIsabella Peak Lookout0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.2 miCoso Mine Loop3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.3 miVista del Lago1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
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
Sequoia National Forest begins about 1.9 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 1.9 miSequoia National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,160,053 acres
- 11.8 miKiavah Wilderness ↗Wilderness · BLM/FS · 86,245 acres
- 12.3 miDomeland Wilderness ↗Wilderness · BLM/FS · 133,720 acres
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.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
Guidebooks for Sequoia National Forest and California
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at South Fork Rec?
No. South Fork Rec is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at South Fork Rec?
Daily passes sold at onsite kiosk; $12/second vehicle; Boat launch ramp
Source: Forest Service
Is South Fork Rec open right now?
Open as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Year Round.
Source: Forest Service status
Are there showers or a dump station at South Fork Rec?
Located off Highway 178 on the southern side of Lake Isabella, this facility offers flush toilets, trash service, drinking water, a visitor information station, and campsites with stoves and picnic tables above the high-water mark.
Source: Forest Service
What if South Fork Rec is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Paradise Cove (0.8 mi), Old Isabella (1.2 mi, first-come), and Auxiliary Dam (1.8 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby