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

Upper Peppermint Dispersed Area

7100-foot elevation. Undeveloped dispersed camping area within the Giant Sequoia National Monument. Fishing available in nearby Peppermint creek, check with the Department of Fish and Wildlife for regulations. No services, no fee. Dispersed Camping Rules, Regulations, and Tips

Closed for the seasonBooking not published19 sitesFreeTents only

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

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
FeesFree - dispersed camping

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.
ForestSequoia National Forest
FeesFree - dispersed camping

Sequoia National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Upper Peppermint Dispersed Area40°50°60°70°80°90°January: 2.29 inches of precipitationFebruary: 2.39 inches of precipitationMarch: 1.71 inches of precipitationApril: 0.67 inches of precipitationMay: 0.43 inches of precipitationJune: 0.10 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.14 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.07 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.23 inches of precipitationOctober: 0.55 inches of precipitationNovember: 1.35 inches of precipitationDecember: 1.91 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 46.1°F averageFebruary: 48.0°F averageMarch: 51.6°F averageApril: 56.3°F averageMay: 64.1°F averageJune: 73.4°F averageJuly: 80.6°F averageAugust: 79.8°F averageSeptember: 73.8°F averageOctober: 63.5°F averageNovember: 52.3°F averageDecember: 45.8°F average0 in0.5 in1 in1.5 in2 in2.5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Kern River Ph 3, 21 miles from the campground at 2,703 feet, station USC00044523 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 12 inches a year.

Getting there

Coordinates36.0829° N, 118.5252° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearTriple Crown Outfitters ↗24.6 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗30.2 mi
RV sales & serviceRV sales & service ↗47.4 mi

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

Explore

Worth a stop

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 2.7 mi
    Needles Lookout
    2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.8 mi
    Needles Creek-Needles Camp
    1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.1 mi
    Bear Creek
    1.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.2 mi
    Nelson
    3.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.4 mi
    Bean Camp
    3.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.5 mi
    Durwood Camp
    1.3 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

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Sequoia 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 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

How much does it cost to camp at Upper Peppermint Dispersed Area?

Nothing. Upper Peppermint Dispersed Area is listed as free. Free - dispersed camping

Source: Forest Service

Is Upper Peppermint Dispersed Area open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Upper Peppermint Dispersed Area have?

19 sites.

Source: Forest Service

Can I bring an RV to Upper Peppermint Dispersed Area?

Upper Peppermint Dispersed Area is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

What if Upper Peppermint Dispersed Area is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Quaking Aspen (2.8 mi), Belknap (5.8 mi), and Coy Flat (6.1 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby