U.S. Forest Service · Sequoia National Forest · California

Big Meadow Campground

Big Meadows Campground is located 75 miles east of Fresno, California, in the Sequoia National Forest and Sequoia National Monument. The campground sits at an elevation of 7,500 feet.

Closed for the seasonReservable · Recreation.gov43 sites42 ft maxNo hookupsPets okFires ok

More like this: reservable in California · big rigs in California · pets allowed in California

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Big Meadow Campground - Unit Three Entrance SignBig Meadow Campground - Unit Five Entrance SignBig Meadow Campground - Unit Four Entrance SignBig Meadow Campground - Campsite #2
Photos courtesy of Melissa Salsbury, Hume Lake RD · Recreation.gov
3fires
active
Land · 8 mi away · 20 acres
2 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Tent-only23
RV, no hookups20
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 42 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

43 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadeWater / sewerWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFiresRating
001RVBack-in34GravelFullNo / NoSprings6 / 1YesPreferred
002RVPull-through22GravelPartialNo / NoSprings6 / 1YesPreferred
004RVBack-in22GravelPartialNo / NoSprings6 / 1YesPreferred
005RVBack-in32GravelPartialNo / NoSprings6 / 1YesPreferred
006RVBack-in34GravelFullNo / NoSprings6 / 1YesPreferred
011RVBack-in42GravelFullSprings6 / 1YesPreferred
012RVBack-in30GravelPartialSprings6 / 1YesPreferred
013RVPull-through40GravelPartialSprings6 / 1YesPreferred
014Tent onlyBack-in38GravelPartialSprings6 / 1YesStandard
015RVBack-in28GravelPartialSprings6 / 1YesPreferred

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

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length42 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
Tent padsYes

The campground offers 43 single campsites and one double-family campsite. Picnic tables and campfire rings are provided, as are vault toilets. There is no potable water available at this location.

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

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
SeasonWhen snow melts in spring. Usually mid to late June to Usually end of October or when snow starts to fall
ForestSequoia National Forest
FeesCampsite fees range from $32/night for single unit, $64/night for double unit. Standard amenity fee collected at the National Park entrance stations as part of an interagency agreement.

Sequoia National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Big Meadow Campground30°40°50°60°70°January: 8.03 inches of precipitation, 37.7 inches of snowFebruary: 7.33 inches of precipitation, 44.8 inches of snowMarch: 7.81 inches of precipitation, 35.1 inches of snowApril: 3.58 inches of precipitation, 20.0 inches of snowMay: 1.37 inches of precipitation, 4.9 inches of snowJune: 0.53 inches of precipitation, 0.6 inches of snowJuly: 0.27 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.16 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.32 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 2.37 inches of precipitation, 3.5 inches of snowNovember: 3.26 inches of precipitation, 8.6 inches of snowDecember: 6.63 inches of precipitation, 30.8 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 35.9°F averageFebruary: 35.5°F averageMarch: 37.8°F averageApril: 41.0°F averageMay: 48.7°F averageJune: 58.2°F averageJuly: 65.6°F averageAugust: 65.4°F averageSeptember: 60.1°F averageOctober: 50.7°F averageNovember: 42.2°F averageDecember: 35.4°F average0 in10 in20 in30 in40 in50 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Grant Grove, 7 miles from the campground at 6,580 feet, station USC00043551 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 42 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 186 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Take Highway 180 east to the Kings Canyon National Park entrance, where you will be required to purchase a forest/park permit. After entering the park, continue 2 miles where you will stay to the right as though you were going to Sequoia National Park. Continue on the General's Highway approximately 6 miles to the turn off to Big Meadows.

Coordinates36.7185° N, 118.8299° W · Directions ↗

Good to know

  • Please note, this campground is not within Shenandoah National Park.

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Land

    8 mi from the campground · 20 acres

  • Prescribed
    Grant Grove Fall Rx

    8 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Grant Grove Rx Spring

    9 mi from the campground · 15 acres

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

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗9.7 mi
Outdoor gearShaver Lake Sports ↗38.1 mi
RV sales & serviceRV sales & service ↗43.6 mi

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

Explore

Video

Big Meadow(s) Campground - Sequoia National Forest, CA

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.9 mi
    Fox Meadow Access
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 1.1 mi
    Jennie Lake ↗
    5.9 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 1.1 mi
    Weaver Lake ↗
    6.8 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 1.9 mi
    Weaver Lake Cutoff
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 2.1 mi
    Boulder
    1.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.1 mi
    Starlight Ski
    1.5 mi trail · snowshoe, ski

Trailheads within three miles

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 →

This campground sits inside Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness.

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

Big Meadow is a beautiful, higher altitude campground, uniquely arranged into 5 separate units with approximately 5 - 9 campsites per unit. The campground has a primitive feel but with amenities. Each unit has a maintained vault toilet and trash dumpster. Sites each have a fire ring, picnic table and a food storage box. Campground is near numerous meadows and sits along a serene creek that hosts plenty of wildlife. Buck Rock Lookout, perched at an elevation of 8,500 feet, is a short drive away. Hume Lake is approximately 15 miles from the campground.

Recreation

Hiking into the Jennie Lakes Wilderness and fly fishing in Big Meadows Creek are popular options. Horseback riders have access to the nearby Horse Corral Pack Station. Numerous trailheads provide access to popular wilderness areas including Jennie Lakes, Monarch and National Park wilderness destinations. Guests looking for water activities can visit Hume Lake, only 15 miles away.

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.

  • Hiking Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
    Laurel Scheidt, 2022
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Moon Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon
    Ann Marie Brown, 2021
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Moon California Camping
    Tom Stienstra, 2022
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Big Meadow Campground?

Sites at Big Meadow Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Big Meadow Campground?

Campsite fees range from $32/night for single unit, $64/night for double unit. Standard amenity fee collected at the National Park entrance stations as part of an interagency agreement.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Big Meadow Campground?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Big Meadow Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season When snow melts in spring. Usually mid to late June to Usually end of October or when snow starts to fall.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Big Meadow Campground have?

43 sites, including 23 tent-only sites and 20 RV sites without hookups.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Big Meadow Campground?

The longest site here provides 42 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at Big Meadow Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Big Meadow Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Big Meadow 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.

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Big Meadow Campground?

Hiking into the Jennie Lakes Wilderness and fly fishing in Big Meadows Creek are popular options. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Big Meadow Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Horse Camp (1.1 mi, first-come), Buck Rock Campground (1.2 mi, first-come), and Upper Stony Creek Campground (3.7 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby