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

Sample Meadow Campground

Located near the Kaiser and Ansel Adams Wilderness', Sample Meadow Campground offers 16 campsites located along Kaiser Creek. Vault toilets are provided and each site has a picnic table, fire ring, and bear box. There is trailhead parking outside of campground approximately.5 mile for hikes into the wilderness. Large RV's and motorhomes not recommended. Horse camping is permitted. Water and garbage service not provided.

Closed for the seasonFirst-come, first-served16 sitesFreeTents only

More like this: first-come in California · free in California · tent only in California

3fires
active
Cy26 Snf Rx Support (prescribed burn) · 11 mi away
2 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site map

8 campsite locations mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The site numbers are theirs and may not match the posts at the campground. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
FeesNo fees

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.
SeasonJune to December
ForestSierra National Forest
FeesNo fees
RulesMaximum length of stay = 14 days Maximum vehicle length = Not recommended for large RV's or motorhomes Maximum group size = 6 per site

Sierra National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Sample Meadow Campground30°40°50°60°70°January: 8.47 inches of precipitationFebruary: 7.80 inches of precipitationMarch: 6.80 inches of precipitationApril: 4.02 inches of precipitationMay: 2.42 inches of precipitationJune: 0.71 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.66 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.10 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.40 inches of precipitationOctober: 2.29 inches of precipitationNovember: 3.92 inches of precipitationDecember: 6.82 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 33.6°F averageFebruary: 33.8°F averageMarch: 36.1°F averageApril: 39.5°F averageMay: 46.0°F averageJune: 54.2°F averageJuly: 61.4°F averageAugust: 61.7°F averageSeptember: 55.9°F averageOctober: 47.4°F averageNovember: 39.9°F averageDecember: 34.7°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 in10 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Huntington Lake, 8 miles from the campground at 7,020 feet, station USC00044176 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 44 inches a year.

Getting there

Coordinates37.3345° N, 119.1555° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Cy26 Snf Rx Support

    11 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Three Creeks Rx/Support Season

    29 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Grant Grove Fall Rx

    42 mi from the campground · 466 acres

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

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗17 mi
Outdoor gearCaptain Jack's Tackle ↗18.2 mi

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

Explore

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • under 0.1 mi
    Kaiser Creek
    1.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.3 mi
    Half Corral ↗
    10 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 1.9 mi
    Pryor Lake
    0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2 mi
    Mount Tom ↗
    5 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 2.6 mi
    Twin Lakes Loop
    1.3 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 2.7 mi
    George Lake
    1.1 mi trail · hiking, horse

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 Sierra National Forest.

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.

Guidebooks for 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 Sample Meadow Campground?

No. Sample Meadow Campground 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 Sample Meadow Campground?

Nothing. Sample Meadow Campground is listed as free. No fees

Source: Forest Service

Is Sample Meadow Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026. Season June to December.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Sample Meadow Campground have?

16 sites.

Source: Forest Service

Can I bring an RV to Sample Meadow Campground?

Sample Meadow Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

What if Sample Meadow Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Badger Flats Group (4.8 mi), Portal Forebay Campground (5 mi, first-come), and Midge Creek Group Campground (5.3 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby