Gravel Flat Camping Area
The campground is located along the north side of the Kings River on a large sandy flat area. There is no shade so it is very hot during the summer months, but is a great place for camping in the spring and fall. Access is paved and dirt (last 1 mile). Vehicles must stay on roads. Each site has a table and grill. Please pack out all garbage. Poison Oak abounds in this area, please avoid plants with three leaf clusters: "Leaves of three, let it be!" Watch for rattlesnakes. When fire restrictions are in place (usually during the summer months) NO campfires or charcoal fires are permitted. Camp stoves are permitted.
More like this: first-come in California · free in California · tent only in California
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Fees | There are no fees for this campground. |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Season | Open year round |
| Forest | Sierra National Forest |
| Fees | There are no fees for this campground. |
| Rules | Maximum length of stay = 14 days Maximum vehicle length = 25' Maximum group size = 50 per site No shooting in recreation site. Vehicles must stay on roads. When fire restrictions are in place (usually during the summer months) NO campfires or charcoal fires are permitted. Camp stoves are permitted. |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 36.8647° N, 119.1134° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedGrant Grove Fall Rx
11 mi from the campground · 466 acres
- PrescribedCy26 Snf Rx Support
24 mi from the campground
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Outdoor gear | Shaver Lake Sports ↗ | 20.2 mi |
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 20.9 mi |
| RV sales & service | RV sales & service ↗ | 44.7 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
A video Tour of Poverty Flat Campground on the S Fork of the Salmon River
Worth a stop
- 2.6 miHermit's Hole Day Use Area ↗Day use
- 4.8 miKings River Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 8.8 miChicago Stump Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 10.4 miCherry Gap Ohv Staging Area ↗OHV / range
- 10.4 miMillwood Ohv Staging Area ↗OHV / range
- 12.3 miPowder Can Picnic Area ↗Day use
Show all 8Hide
- 12.5 miHume Lake Fishing Pier (North) ↗Fishing site
- 12.7 miHume Lake Fishing Pier (South) ↗Fishing site
Trails nearby
- 0.7 miBear Wallow ↗7.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.9 miRogers Ridge ↗5.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.2 miLake2.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 4.9 miKings River NRT ↗6 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
Sierra National Forest begins about 1.4 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 1.4 miSierra National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,418,790 acres
- 1.4 miJohn Muir Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 652,903 acres
- 11.4 miSequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness ↗Wilderness · National Park Service · 768,222 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
On the National Register nearby
- Gamlin CabinBuilding · Wilsonia · 11.2 mi
- Wilsonia Historic District (Additional Documentation)Historic district · Wilsonia, Kings Canyon National Park · 12.5 mi
- Dinkey Creek BridgeStructure · Dinkey Creek · 14.2 mi
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Gravel Flat Camping Area?
No. Gravel Flat Camping Area 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 Gravel Flat Camping Area?
Nothing. Gravel Flat Camping Area is listed as free. There are no fees for this campground.
Source: Forest Service
Is Gravel Flat Camping Area open right now?
Open as of Oct 26, 2026. Season Open year round.
Source: Forest Service status
Can I bring an RV to Gravel Flat Camping Area?
Gravel Flat Camping Area is listed for tents only.
Source: Forest Service
What if Gravel Flat Camping Area is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Camp 4 Campground (0.6 mi, first-come), Green Cabin Flat Campground (0.7 mi, first-come), and Mill Flat Campground (1.1 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby