Keysville Special Recreation Management Area
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for 1 in every 10 acres of land in the U.S.
Keysville Special Recreation Management Area offers visitors a unique combination of rugged multi-use terrain and the history of the Kern River Gold Rush. It's terrific for RVers since it is free, doesn't require a reservation, and offers dispersed camping opportunities. Visitors enjoy walking trails, mountain biking, and touring the area in 4x4 vehicles. When entering, you'll notice a paved entry from CA-155. However, it leads to an uneven dirt road that has ruts, steep drops, and narrow turns.
Quick Facts About RVing in Keysville Special Recreation Management Area
• RV Friendly: Yes • Max RV Length: 40 feet • Camping Type: Dispersed camping • Reservations: No • Hookups: None • Dump Station: None onsite • Potable Water: Bring your own • Cell Service: Good • Pets: Allowed, must be on a leash • Roads: Paved and dirt • Best Season: Spring and fall
Why RVers love this BLM Area
• A free stay up to 14 days • Access to the water and shoreline • Conveniently located close to the town of Lake Isabella • 70 miles of designated off-road and ATV routes • The opportunity to participate in recreational gold panning
What to See and Do
Hiking and Biking
Keysville Peak Trail
This trail in the special recreation management area offers stunning views, and it is quiet and secluded.
Length: 2.3 miles
Intensity: Moderate
White Rock Trail
This short trail in the Keysville Special Recreation Management Area offers beautiful views and, because it’s relatively remote, provides wonderful opportunities to spot wildlife.
Length: 0.9 miles
Intensity: Moderate
Kern River Trail
Popular for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking, this trail follows the river and is also ideal for bird-watching.
Length: 6.2 miles
Intensity: Moderate
Isabella Lake Trail
This gentle trail in Sequoia National Forest offers beautiful views of the lake, and it is pet-friendly.
Length: 1.2 miles
Intensity: Easy
Lower Keysville Loop Hike
This trail offers some challenging uphill sections but provides excellent views of the landscape.
Length: 4.1 miles
Intensity: Moderate
Fishing and Boating
The Kern River is a great location for fishing, boating, and rafting. Anglers can often catch rainbow trout. Trout are also a common catch in nearby Lake Isabella. Anglers can catch and keep up to five trout per day.
Climbing
The Lower Kern Canyon offers several excellent rock-climbing opportunities. The area known as The Mouth provides seven traditional, sport, top rope, and bouldering routes. The Roadside Crag, which is a 40-foot granite slab, offers four traditional, sport, and top rope routes. There are also several nearby areas that offer fantastic bouldering options.
Wildlife Viewing
Visitors can often spot wild animals right in the Keysville Special Recreation Management Area. Sequoia National Park and Sequoia National Forest are also fantastic wildlife-spotting areas. Animals native to the area include skunks, gophers, black bears, foxes, bobcats, quail, snakes, woodpeckers, newts, and lizards.
Picnicking
The Lower Richbar Picnic Site in Sequoia National Forest is a great option for picnicking and day use. The site offers picnic tables and restrooms. Lake Ming near Bakersfield is also a fantastic place for a picnic. There are picnic tables and grills along the lake’s edge, and the area also offers playgrounds, drinking fountains, and restrooms.
Bureau of Land Management Camping
RV Camping 
Excellent regular and BLM RV camping can be found throughout the area around the Keysville Special Recreation Management Area. Haven RV Park offers shaded spaces and full hookups, and it can accommodate RVs up to 60 feet long. Paradise Cove Campground in Sequoia National Forest is another fantastic option. Although the amenities in the campground are limited, the views are gorgeous. Lake Isabella RV Resort is also a good choice and offers full hookups, a pool, showers, and barbecue pits.
Developed Campgrounds
There are no developed campgrounds at Keysville Special Recreation Management Area.
Dispersed Camping
At Keysville Special Recreation Management Area, dispersed camping is available at the south and north entrances and Keysville Road. RVers can stay up to 14 days for free. You'll find trash dumpsters and bins at all staging areas and main entrances. The road is paved at the main entrance at Keysville Road (Highway 155), but after that you'll find dirt and gravel roads. You may encounter uneven road surfaces and narrow pullouts, especially at the south entrance. The camping spots are neither defined nor evenly spaced, so you may only have privacy in your RV.
Is This BLM Area Good for Your RV?
• Camper Vans: Camper vans are a good choice for this recreation area. They offer maneuverability and a short turning radius for smaller pullouts. Models with higher ground clearance can also handle ruts, dirt tracks, and washboards. • Travel Trailers: Smaller travel trailers are good if they have higher clearance, and you tow them with a 4x4 vehicle. • Fifth Wheels: Fifth wheels may be too large to navigate deeper into the recreation area. However, you may be able to park it close to the entrance and camp there. You can then use your tow vehicle or ATV to explore the Keysville Special Recreation Management Area. • Class A Motorhomes: Class A motorhomes are not a good match for this location. They have low ground clearance, a wide turning radius, and are too large. • Class B Motorhomes: Their size makes them highly suited for Keysville. They are easier to maneuver than the big rigs. Just make sure to select a model with higher ground clearance. • Class C Motorhomes: Class C motorhomes can be suitable for this terrain if you choose a smaller model under 30 feet. Their larger size and lower clearance compared to some RVs can make navigating uneven roads, steep grades, or areas near the river more challenging. Look for models with shorter wheelbases and higher ground clearance to reduce the risk of scraping or damage.
Free Camping 
Bureau of Land Management free camping is available right at the Keysville Special Recreation Management Area. Visitors can set up a dispersed site and are allowed to stay for up to two weeks. The Hanning Flat Dispersed Area in Sequoia National Forest is another excellent choice. This free camping area is located on the shores of Lake Isabella, and it is open all year.
RV Rentals Near Keysville Special Recreation Management Area Plan your next adventure
Planning your Keysville Special Recreation Management Area BLM trip
There are north and south entrances for the Keysville Special Recreation Management Area. The south entrance is for camping use and also provides river access. The north entrance also provides camping options and has a space for OHV staging. This entrance also offers access to the area’s trails. The trails in the area are multi-use. Motorized riders will need to give way to all other trail users, and mountain bikers should yield to pedestrians and horseback riders.
Although the Kern River is great for fishing and provides beautiful views, swimming is discouraged. The river is extremely fast and deep, and the calm water or the surface can be deceptive. Always be very careful when hiking or fishing around the river’s edge. If you plan to boat, kayak, canoe, or raft along the river, always wear a lifejacket.
Before you head out on your trip, check out our blog for all you need to know about BLM camping.
What RV Travelers Should Know Before Arriving
Keysville Special Recreation Management Area doesn't have potable water, so you must bring your own. The nearest town is Lake Isabella, which is less than a mile from the recreation area and has gas stations and grocery stores where RV travelers can stock up before arriving. There is a dumping station at Auxiliary Dam, which is about five minutes away. Trash bins and dumpsters are near all entrances, and cellular service is good. Most roads are dirt or gravel, except for the main entrance. Heavy storms and flooding can occur, and extreme temperatures are possible in summer. There are wildfire risks, so follow all fire restrictions.
Leave No Trace 
Leave No Trace and tread lightly guidelines ask visitors to throw away all trash or, if there are no trash cans readily available, pack out trash and dispose of it properly later. When enjoying a natural area, stay on trails as much as possible. This limits your footprint on plants and the landscape. Bureau of Land Management campgrounds can also be protected by practicing fire safety and taking precautions when using a fire pit, ring, or barbecue grill. Keep all fires controlled, and make sure the fire coals are cold when you’re ready to leave the area. Stay up to date on any fire bans or regulations in the area.
Keysville Special Recreation Management Area Location
From Lake Isabella, head toward the junction of CA-178 and CA-155. Take Exit 155 for CA-155. Continue for about 0.6 miles. The south entrance for the Keysville Special Recreation Management Area is on the left or west side of the road, just before you cross the Kern River. The north entrance is also on the left and is just past the river, about another 0.4 miles past the south entrance.
Ready to visit Keysville Special Recreation Management Area? An RV rental is a great way to experience your destination. Not only will you be close to all the action, but at the end of a long day exploring, you’ll have your RV to return to for the night where you’ll enjoy a full kitchen, bathroom, and nice soft bed. Not sure about renting an RV? Here’s a step-by-step guide to renting an RV with RVshare.
Plan Your Day at Keysville Special Recreation Management Area
• Morning: You can start your day with a hike to Walker Cabin. Next, you can visit the lower part of Kern River and participate in gold panning. • Afternoon: Start up your ATV and travel down the 70 miles of multi-use trails. You'll see hills filled with blue oaks. By lunch, return to your RV for a bite and rehydrate. You can spend the remainder of the afternoon fishing, swimming, or rafting. • Evening: Grill up something for dinner at your campsite and then spend time stargazing after dark.
Nearby Attractions
• Sequoia National Forest: Sequoia National Forest offers breathtaking nature and hiking, fishing, and rafting. The Paradise Cove Campground offers full-hookup sites and hot showers. It's a beautiful locale to visit after your stay at Keysville and just 10 minutes away. • Old Isabella Road Recreation Site: Old Isabella Road Recreation Site is another RV camping option for extending your stay. It offers a boat launch, paved parking area, potable water, a dump station, and immediate shoreline access. • Kern Valley Museum: You can learn more about the Gold Rush by visiting Kern Valley Museum. It's 26 miles from Keysville and offers free admission. You can view artifacts and exhibits. • Riverside Park: Riverside Park is the perfect place for a family picnic. It offers picnic tables, large trees, and picturesque views of Kern River. • Bakersfield, CA: During your visit to Keysville, you can drive about an hour to Bakersfield and enjoy local restaurants, shops, and museums. Attractions in this city include Buck Owens Crystal Palace, the California Living Museum, and Hart Memorial Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you swim in the lower section of Kern River? You should refrain from swimming in the lower section of Kern River. Water conditions are too hazardous, and the river's edge is unstable and slippery. Why is Walker Cabin popular among RVers? Walker Cabin is a well-known site for the early gold prospectors, and you can find a fort on the property. RVers can park their RV at the campground and walk to Walker Cabin in minutes. Can you ride your ATV on all the dirt roads at Keysville Special Recreation Management Area? Currently, you can only ride an ATV on the designated 70-mile routes. However, you can walk on all other trails at the campground and throughout the recreation area. Can I bring my pet? Yes, Keysville Special Recreation Management Area is pet-friendly. However, you must keep your pets on leashes and pick up after them. Can you use a generator at Keysville Special Recreation Management Area? Yes, you can use a generator to power up your RV. However, you are required to observe quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.
Rent the Right RV for This Trip
When visiting Keysville Special Recreation Management Area, you should rent the right RV for a superb experience. Class B or camper vans are the best choice for this recreation area and will handle the roads safely. While there aren't RV size restrictions, it is best to choose a model that is 25 feet or smaller. Spring and fall are the best times to visit to avoid extreme heat, heavy storms, and flooding. Browse our RV rentals in Bakersfield to find the best model for your trip.