Potwisha Campground

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

Potwisha Campground, located along the Generals Highway in Sequoia National Park, offers convenience for visiting the many attractions in the park. The campground is situated along the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River, just four miles from the park entrance, in the Sierra Foothills. For more information and trip planning please see our website at www.nps.gov/seki .

Potwisha Campground is open year-round to tents, RVs, and trailers. Reservations are required for all sites year-round. Site #39 and site #40 are suitable for wheelchairs. Picnic tables, fire rings and food storage lockers are provided at each site. Flush toilets, drinking water and an amphitheater are available within the campground. A free dump station, open year-round, is located across the highway from the campground.

Notifications and Alerts

Effective at 6:00 a.m. on May 31, 2024, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are enacting a parks-wide Stage 1 fire restriction. This includes all campgrounds, picnic and day-use areas below 3000 ft., and wilderness locations below 6000 ft. inside the parks. There are no exceptions to this change.

The increased fire restrictions can be summed up to be:
- In designated campgrounds at elevations 3,000’ and below, wood and charcoal fires (including wood burning stoves) are prohibited. Campgrounds affected include Potwisha.
- In designated picnic areas at elevations 3,000’ and below, wood and charcoal fires (including wood burning stoves) are prohibited. Picnic areas affected include Foothills and Hospital Rock.
- In wilderness areas at elevations 6,000’ and below, wood and charcoal fires (including wood burning stoves) are prohibited. Year-round elevation/site-specific wilderness fire restrictions also apply. Refer to the Minimum Impact Restrictions. Gas, propane, alcohol (with and without shutoff), and tablet/cube stoves are permitted in wilderness

Need to Know

If your campsite remains vacant for 24 hours after your arrival date it will be cancelled and made available on rec.gov. You will be charged for the first night's campsite fee and a $10 cancellation fee, all other fees after that will be refunded. Recreation.gov policies apply to all reservations, cancellations, refunds and date changes.

Upon making a campground reservation: Site occupants agree to follow ALL campground rules. Failure to comply may result in a fine. You are responsible for your guests.
Campground Rules and Regulations:

• Food Storage- You are in an ACTIVE BEAR AREA. Black Bears are active day and night. When not in arms reach, you must properly store all food, drinks, scented items, coolers, and equipment used to prepare food, inside provided food storage lockers. These items must be stored day and night. Food storage locker dimensions are 28" high x 33" deep x 47" wide.

• 6 Person Limit- There is a maximum of 6 people per campsite. If you exceed this number, purchase 2 sites and spread your group and equipment out evenly between campsites. This is to preserve the natural resources and minimize noise levels. Reservations can be made in advance to accommodate a larger group size at a group campground.

• Check In is at 12 NOON- Please be prepared to show a screen shot (limited cell service) or printout of your reservation confirmation email upon arrival to the campground. 

• Check Out is at 12 NOON- Campsites need to be vacated (vehicles and occupants) by 12:00 NOON.

• Parking Pad- Vehicles must be parked with all four wheels on pavement. Vehicles that do not fit on the provided parking pad must be parked in overflow parking areas.

• Quiet Hours 10pm to 6am- Music, talking, and generators should not be audible beyond your immediate campsite. Unreasonable noise is prohibited any time of day. 

• Generator Hours- 9am to 9pm.

• Fire Restrictions- Check current fire restrictions at nps.gov/seki. Fires must be attended.  DO NOT build additional fire rings. Glass, aluminum, and food are prohibited in fire rings. Firewood is sold locally. Dead and down wood may be gathered for your campfire. Logs must fit within the fire ring. Chainsaws are not allowed. Fires must be extinguished completely with water and be cool to the touch before leaving your campsite or going to bed.

• Tents- Pitch tents only on tent pads or within campsite boundaries. 

• Dogs/Pets- must always be kept crated, caged, or on a leash no longer than six feet. Pets are allowed in campgrounds and picnic areas. Pets may not be left unattended. Pets are not allowed beyond 100 feet of public roads or parking areas. Pets are not allowed on any Park trails.

• Preserve Natural Resources- Injuring plants or trees by cutting, breaking, or attaching nails or other hardware is prohibited. Driving off pavement is prohibited.

• Bicycles- Helmets required if under 18 years of age. Bicycles are not allowed on any park trails. 

• Trash Disposal- Please keep your campsite clean. Place all litter/trash in bear proof campground trash dumpsters. To prevent bears from getting trash please DO NOT forget to lock or relatch the dumpster. Do not leave cigarette butts, bottle caps, confetti or litter on the ground.

• Water Disposal- Do not dump grey-water on the ground or at the water spigots. Bring a tub to wash dishes or to collect shower water. All grey-water must be disposed of at the restrooms, dish sinks, or at a RV dump-station. Used water must not be allowed to run onto the ground.

• Propane Tank Disposal- DO NOT leave in the park. We are unable to recycle your used propane tanks. Please take them home with you and dispose of them properly.
Tire Chains may be required at any time. Be prepared at any time of year for a wide range of temperatures and weather conditions. Check Road Conditions at nps.gov/seki.

Vehicles longer than 22 feet (including trailers) are not advised between Potwisha Campground and the Giant Forest Museum. Visitors with vehicles over 22 feet in total length hoping to visit the Giant Forest or camp at Lodgepole and Dorst Creek Campgrounds are advised to enter via the northern, Highway 180, entrance to these parks.

Dangerous Rivers!  Many drowning victims were playing near rivers. Rivers present a far greater danger than lakes or pools. Surfaces may look calm, but strong currents often run below. Be cautious walking near rivers as rocks can be slippery. Getting out of a cold, swift river is often impossible. 

Falling Objects - Don't linger under dead, cracked, or broken branches. Run if you hear cracks or snapping from tree roots, trunks, or branches (know that sometimes there is no sound, and very little time to react). Report falling branches or trees to a ranger.

A California state fishing license is required to fish in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, and Sequoia National Forest lakes and streams. Fishing licenses may be available at National Park and National Forest markets.

Natural Features

The Foothills consist of the lower elevations of Sequoia National Park, where the grassy valley floor gives way to granite peaks. Oaks, chaparral, and river canyons are plentiful here in an area with more biological diversity than the conifer forests and High Sierra combined. Winters are relatively snow-free and mild; summer is characterized by hot and dry weather. Wildlife is frequently seen in the area, including the American Black Bear, mule deer, and bobcats, as well as numerous bird species.

Nearby Attractions

Potwisha Campground is located within a 45 minute drive from the Giant Forest, home to the largest trees on Earth. Moro Rock, Crescent Meadow and the Congress Trail are also located in the Giant Forest area, as well as numerous other opportunities for exploration in Sequoia National Park.

The Crystal Caves are about an hour's drive (18 miles/29 km) from the campground. Reserve tour tickets in advance on Recreation.gov.

Recreation

There are numerous opportunities for fishing and hiking near the campground. The Marble Falls trailhead is situated adjacent to the campground and several other trails are a short drive away. Access to the Kaweah River is just a short walk across the street from the campground.

Changes & Cancellations

Payment in full will be charged to your credit card upon completion of the reservation. A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation. Additional fees will apply for late cancellations.
All cancellations made between midnight on the day before arrival and check out time on the day after arrival are considered late cancellations and will incur a $10.00 cancellation fee and will also forfeit the first night’s use fee. Cancellations for a single night’s reservation will forfeit the entire use fee but no cancellation fee will apply.

Contact Information

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47050 Generals Highway Three Rivers CA 93271

Phone Number

For campground inquiries, please call: 559-565-3714

Rental Options

Learn more about gear rental options for your trip

Driving Directions

Potwisha Campground is easily accessed from Visalia, California, and Highway 99.
Follow Highway 198 east from Visalia for 36 miles, until you reach the Ash Mountain Entrance Station. The campground is located 4 miles beyond the entrance station on the left, or north, side of the road. Please visit our website for more specific driving directions, as well as area maps.

Available Campsites

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