Sequoia National Park campground

When Sequoia and Kings Canyon campsites go on sale

Summer demand concentrates on a handful of campgrounds across the two parks. Lodgepole is the busiest, Dorst Creek the largest, and Sentinel sits in Kings Canyon proper.

Camp-Now watches sold-out Recreation.gov campgrounds for you, catches the cancellation, and holds the site in your cart while you check out.

Recreation.gov release dates

How Sequoia & Kings Canyon bookings usually behave

Current release dates and rules published on Recreation.gov.

Lodgepole Campground

  • Max 14 nights
  • Same-day booking
  • 2 bookings per account

Bookable now for arrivals through Jan 1, 2027. On Sep 2, 2026, arrivals through Jan 2, 2027 become bookable.

  • Max stay is 14 consecutive days.
  • No-shows are canceled after 24 hours unless you call the campground.

Dorst Creek Campground

  • Max 14 nights
  • Same-day booking
  • 2 bookings per account

Bookable now for arrivals through Oct 1, 2026. On Sep 2, 2026, arrivals through Oct 2, 2026 become bookable.

  • Max stay is 14 consecutive days.
  • No-shows are canceled after 24 hours unless you call the campground.

Sentinel Campground

  • Max 14 nights
  • Same-day booking
  • 2 bookings per account

Bookable now for arrivals through Jan 1, 2027. On Sep 2, 2026, arrivals through Jan 2, 2027 become bookable.

  • Max stay is 14 consecutive nights.
  • No-shows are canceled after 24 hours unless you call the campground.

Release dates, rules, and notices are published on Recreation.gov.

How to book

Booking Sequoia & Kings Canyon, start to finish

Where
Recreation.gov. National park campgrounds are not bookable by phone during the reservation season.
When
A new arrival date becomes bookable each morning, but how far ahead depends on the campground: Lodgepole and Sentinel open about four months out, Dorst Creek about one.
Be ready
Sign in, save a card and settle your dates and party size before the window opens. Popular weekends go in minutes, and the checkout you prepared in advance is the one that completes.
Which campground
Lodgepole is closest to the Giant Forest and the General Sherman Tree, which is why it goes first. Dorst Creek is larger and a short drive north. Sentinel is in Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon, roughly an hour and a half away.
Two parks, one system
Sequoia and Kings Canyon are managed together but are not close together. Cedar Grove is a long drive from the Giant Forest, so treat them as separate trips.
If you miss it
Cancellations are the realistic second chance. They appear at any hour, cluster in the last two weeks before arrival, and are usually taken within minutes.
Backup plans
Sequoia National Forest has campgrounds along the approach roads, and Three Rivers sits just outside the Ash Mountain entrance.

Already sold out?

Sequoia & Kings Canyon is sold out for your dates

Camp-Now watches Lodgepole, Dorst Creek and Sentinel for a cancellation matching your trip and texts you the second one opens. Free to start, with no card and no Recreation.gov login. Link your account and we put the site in your cart first.

Free to start. No card, no Recreation.gov login.

Start a free alert

Which Sequoia & Kings Canyon campground do you want?

No account, no card, and no Recreation.gov login to set this up.

Any campground on Recreation.gov. Search by name, town, or state.

Watching is free. You only pay for a night we actually book.

Go deeper

Sequoia & Kings Canyon booking guides

Park guide

How to Book Sequoia & Kings Canyon Campgrounds

Learn how Lodgepole, Dorst Creek, Sentinel, and other Sequoia & Kings Canyon campground reservations behave, how to think about release timing, and what to do when summer dates are sold out.

Read guide

Campground guide

How to Book Lodgepole Campground

Learn how Lodgepole Campground reservations behave, what release timing to verify, how Sentinel and Dorst Creek compare, and what to do when prime Sequoia dates are sold out.

Read guide

Campground guide

How to Book Dorst Creek Campground

Learn how Dorst Creek Campground reservations behave, how it compares with Lodgepole and Sentinel, and what to do when prime Sequoia dates are already sold out.

Read guide

Campground guide

How to Book Sentinel Campground

Learn how Sentinel Campground reservations behave, how it compares with Lodgepole and Dorst Creek, and what to do when prime Sequoia summer dates are sold out.

Read guide

Questions

Which campground is closest to the General Sherman Tree?+

Lodgepole, which is also the hardest of the three to book.

How do I get a Sequoia & Kings Canyon campsite when everything is booked?+

Wait for a cancellation. They are common, but they rarely stay open long enough to find by checking manually, which is what Camp-Now watches for.

Does Camp-Now book the site for me?+

You always complete the checkout yourself. Camp-Now texts you the moment a matching site opens, with no Recreation.gov login needed. Link your account and it adds the site to your cart first, so it is held while you check out.

Is it free to start?+

Yes. Watching and alerts are free, with no card and no Recreation.gov login. If you turn on auto-booking, your first booked night is free too.