Campsite photos and what you need to know to plan a camping trip to Sentinel Campground in Kings Canyon National Park, California

Sentinel Campground in Kings Canyon National Park is located closest to Cedar Grove. The campground has 82 tent and RV sites including many along the river.

This campground has great shade with lots of trees making it feel pretty private.

We saw at least three ADA Campsites (11, 12 and 14) during our tour of the campground. There may be additional sites in other parts of the campground.

There are some really great sites right along the river that have amazing views and the sound of the river flowing (Sites 13, 14, 15, 16 to name a few).

Sentinel Campground

One of the few sites we saw that we would steer away from was sites near 78. These sites were pretty close to the road and you could hear the road noise and there was not as much shade.

Each of the sites has a bear box, picnic table, and fire ring.

This is a pretty rocky campground with some downed trees in it. If you are traveling with kids that like to jump and explore you may want to make sure you have bandaids or instant ice packs with you just in case. There is a ton to explore but I now as a kid I would have been jumping all over the place and seeing what kind of adventures I could have.

Season: Early spring through late fall

Location in the park: Highway 180, ¼ mile (0.4 km) from Cedar Grove Village

Number of sites: 82 sites open to tents, RVs, and trailers

Campsite cost: $22 per night

Payments accepted: Cash, check or credit cards

Reservations: Site reservations are available online at Recreation.gov or by phone at 877-444-6777 (TDD 877-833-6777)

Latitude/Longitude: 36.7909° N, 118.6733° W

Elevation: 4,600 ft (1,402 m)

Accessible Sites: 11, 12, 14

Pets Allowed: Pets are permitted within the campground but must be leashed at all times. Learn more about pet regulations.

Check out our complete Kings Canyon National Park guide

Sentinel Campground Reservations

Are campground Reservations Available? Yes

Site reservations are available online at Recreation.gov or by phone at 877-444-6777 (TDD 877-833-6777).

You may make reservations starting six months in advance of the date you would like to camp.

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park Entrance Fee

Park entrance fees are separate from camping and lodging fees.

Park Entrance Pass - $35.00 Per private vehicle (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)

Park Entrance Pass - Motorcycle - $30.00 Per motorcycle (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)

Per-Person Entrance Pass - $20.00 Visitors 16 years or older who enter on foot, bicycle, or as part of an organized group not involved in a commercial tour.

Annual Park Entrance Pass - $70.00, Admits pass holder and all passengers in a non-commercial vehicle. Valid for one year from the month of purchase.

$20.00 for Non-commercial group (16+ persons)

$45.00-75.00 for commercial sedan with 1-6 seats ($25.00 plus $20.00 per passenger)

$75.00 for commercial van with 7-15 seats

$100.00 commercial Mini-bus with 16-25 seats

$200.00 for commercial Motor Coach with 26+ seats

Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.

$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.

2024 America The Beautiful National Park Pass

Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.

National Park Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.

Sentinel Campground Amenities

Flush Toilets: Yes

Potable Water? Yes

Is wifi available? No

Is cellular Phone Service Available? No

Is camp host available on site? Yes

Is firewood available for purchase? Local markets sell firewood and gathering dead and down wood is allowed.

A payphone, restaurant, showers, and laundry facilities are available in the Cedar Grove Village ¾ mile (1.2 km) away, and horseback riding is offered (for a fee) nearby.

Amenities at each campsite:

Firepit in the site? Yes

Picnic Table in the site? Yes

Bear Box in site/area? Yes, Each campsite has a large food storage locker (47”W x 33”D x 28”H)

Don't forget to pack

Insect repellent is always a great idea outdoors, especially around any body of water.

We use Permethrin Spray on our clothes before our park trips. Please read my article on preventing biting insects while enjoying the outdoors.

Sunscreen - I buy environmentally friendly sunscreen whenever possible because you inevitably pull it out at the beach.

Bring your water bottle and plenty of water with you. Plastic water bottles are not sold in the park.

Sunglasses - I always bring sunglasses with me. I personally love Goodr sunglasses because they are lightweight, durable, and have awesome National Park Designs from several National Parks like Joshua Tree, Yellowstone, Hawaii Volcanoes, Acadia, Denali, and more!

Click here to get your National Parks Edition of Goodr Sunglasses!

Binoculars/Spotting Scope - These will help spot birds and wildlife and make them easier to identify. We tend to see waterfowl in the distance, and they are always just a bit too far to identify them without binoculars.

RV Camping at Sentinel Campground

RV Length: The length of RV or trailer that can be accommodated varies by site.

Dump Station: The nearest dump station (available in the summer only) is at Princess Campground along Highway 180 at the Hume Lake junction in Sequoia National Forest.

Generators: Generators are allowed between 9 am to 9 pm.

Hookups: There are no electricity, water or sewer site hookups

For a fun adventure check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss!

Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, New York, and Orlando