French Gulch handles the big groups that other campgrounds can't — up to 100 people spread across this single reservation site. You're 3 miles back from Lake Isabella's western shore, trading waterfront access for space to spread out and the kind of privacy that comes with having the whole place to yourselves.
Campground Details
- ⛺Type
- Group
- 💵Fee per Night
- Free
- 📍GPS
- 35.65783, -118.48056
- 🐾Pets Allowed
- No
- 📞Phone
- 760-376-1815
- 🗺️Address
- CA
The Camp
This is group camping in its simplest form: one large site that accommodates up to 100 guests in the Sequoia National Forest. French Gulch sits away from the crowds at Lake Isabella, giving your group room to operate without stepping on other campers. The setting puts you in the southern Sierra Nevada, where elevations range from 1,000 to 12,000 feet across the forest's 1.1 million acres.
Lake Isabella Access
The 27-acre reservoir sits 3 miles southeast, with marina and boat ramps available once you make the drive. Lake Isabella offers the full menu of water activities — swimming, water skiing, wind surfing — plus trout and bass fishing. The Kern River system provides additional fishing opportunities in nearby streams, extending your options beyond the main lake.
What to Know
ExplorUS operates this facility, so reservations and specific site information come through their system. For details on availability and group requirements, call (760) 376-1269. The forest's giant sequoias grow in more than 30 groves on the lower slopes, though French Gulch positions you in the working landscape around Lake Isabella rather than among the big trees. Nearby attractions include Salmon Creek Falls and Grizzly Falls, where mountain streams create waterfalls in the forest's precipitous canyons.