Long Valley Campground

About

Long Valley Campground is a remote, primitive campground located within the Chimney Peak Recreation Area in Tulare County, California. The campground sits on Bureau of Land Management land and is cherry-stemmed out of the Domelands Wilderness, offering direct access to backcountry exploration. With 13 designated sites, each equipped with a picnic table and fire ring, this is a true primitive camping experience with vault toilets but no potable water. The campground serves as a trailhead for the Volpe Trail, a 3-mile unmaintained route that begins near site 13 and descends to the South Fork of the Kern River within Domelands Wilderness. The surrounding Chimney Peak Recreation Area encompasses approximately 105,000 acres in the southern Sierra Nevada, providing excellent opportunities for hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, and wildlife viewing. Access is challenging: the final 2-mile campground road typically requires a high clearance 4x4 vehicle. From Lake Isabella, travel approximately 30 miles east on CA-178 to Canebreak Road, then follow graded dirt roads for roughly 17 miles to reach the campground.

Directions

From Lake Isabella, follow CA-178 approximately 30 miles east and turn north onto Canebreak Road. Follow this graded dirt road approximately 9 miles to the junction of Canebrake and Long Valley/Chimney Basin Roads. Turn left on Long Valley/Chimney Basin Road and continue approximately 8 miles to the campground on the left. The final 2-mile access road typically requires a high clearance 4x4 vehicle.