Sequoia Resort & RV Park Review: A Quiet Base Camp Near Sequoia & Kings Canyon
When we planned our trip to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, we needed somewhere that would put us within reasonable driving distance of both parks while accommodating our RV and family of five.
We ended up spending five nights at Sequoia Resort & RV Park in Badger, California, paying $70 per night.
Despite the name, I wouldn’t necessarily describe this as a “resort” in the traditional RV-resort sense. The campground is rustic, with dirt roads, dirt sites and very few amenities.
What it does offer is space, privacy, full hookups and a quiet location that worked well for exploring both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
Whether that’s enough to justify $70 per night is another question.
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About Sequoia Resort & RV Park
Sequoia Resort & RV Park is located in Badger, California, in the mountains between the areas we wanted to explore during our visit to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
Location was ultimately the biggest advantage of staying here.
It took us approximately 30 minutes to reach the Grant Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park. General Sherman and the Giant Forest area of Sequoia were considerably farther, taking us about an hour and a half to reach from the campground.
That worked well for our five-night stay because we could dedicate separate days to each area without moving the RV.
One thing you should know before booking, though, is that getting to the campground is not an easy drive in a large rig.
The mountain road has numerous switchbacks and sharp curves, and we found the drive stressful with our RV. If you’re uncomfortable towing or driving a large rig on mountain roads, that’s something I would seriously consider before staying here.
Our Campsite
Our campsite was probably my favorite part of the campground.
It was large and open, giving our family plenty of space around the RV. The campground roads and sites are dirt, so don’t expect paved pads or manicured resort-style grounds.
What I really liked were the privacy fences between the sites.
It’s a simple feature, but RV campgrounds can sometimes make you feel like you’re living directly on top of your neighbors. The fencing gave each site a little separation and made ours feel much more private.
We had 50-amp full hookups. The service wasn’t great during our stay, but having full hookups was still convenient.
Starlink worked well for us, which was especially helpful given the otherwise unreliable connectivity.
Most importantly, the campground was incredibly quiet.
After spending our days dealing with crowded National Park parking lots, packed shuttles and busy attractions, coming back to a peaceful campsite was one of the campground’s biggest strengths.
Amenities
Amenities are pretty limited.
There are bathrooms and a laundry area, and laundry is free for guests. We didn’t use it during our stay, but free laundry is a genuinely nice perk—especially for full-time travelers and families.
There is also a small library area. We didn’t get a chance to spend time there, but it was nice to see another quiet space available to guests.
The property has a pond, although I wouldn’t really count it as a usable amenity. We were warned not to access it because of rattlesnakes.
There is no pool, large playground, designated dog park or list of resort-style activities.
For us, that wasn’t necessarily a problem. We weren’t here to spend five days at the campground.
At $70 per night, however, the lack of amenities was harder to overlook.
Wildlife & Traveling With a Dog
This is a very wildlife-heavy area.
We saw turkeys, lots of cats, and even found a false tarantula during our stay. We were also told about coyotes, bobcats and rattlesnakes living around the property.
When we walked toward the pond, we found bear scat as well.
The wildlife made the campground interesting, but it also required some extra caution.
Rattlesnakes were the biggest concern for us. Between the snake warnings and brush surrounding portions of the campsites, we weren’t comfortable letting Willie wander around.
There isn’t a designated dog area, either, and the campground was hot and dusty during our visit, so this wasn’t one of our favorite campgrounds for traveling with a dog.
If you’re staying here with children or pets, I’d keep them close, stay aware of your surroundings and be careful around brush and less-traveled portions of the property.
Location for Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
The location is where this campground earns most of its points.
Grant Grove & Kings Canyon
The Kings Canyon side was particularly convenient.
It took us about 30 minutes to reach the Kings Canyon Visitor Center and Grant Grove. From there, we visited the General Grant Tree and Fallen Monarch before continuing along the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway to Hume Lake.
If Grant Grove and Kings Canyon are a major part of your itinerary, staying in Badger makes a lot of sense.
General Sherman & Giant Forest
The Sequoia side required more driving.
We left the campground around 10:00 a.m. and reached General Sherman around 11:30.
From there, we were able to spend the day visiting General Sherman, Giant Forest Museum, Moro Rock, Tunnel Log and Crescent Meadow before returning to the campground.
It’s completely doable as a day trip, but don’t assume that staying near Sequoia means General Sherman is right down the road.
These are mountain roads, and distances take longer than they look on a map.
What We Liked
The things we liked most were simple:
The sites were spacious and private. The privacy fences were one of my favorite features.
It was extremely quiet. This was a genuinely peaceful campground to return to after exploring all day.
We had 50-amp full hookups. That’s always convenient when we’re staying somewhere for several days.
Starlink worked well. Important for us while traveling and working from the road.
Laundry was free. We didn’t use it, but it’s a great perk.
The location worked for both parks. We could visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon from one campground without relocating.
What We Didn’t Love
The biggest negative was the price.
We paid $70 per night, and I simply don’t think the campground offered enough to justify that rate.
The roads and sites were dirt, it was hot and dusty, amenities were minimal, and there wasn’t a good designated area for our dog.
The drive into the campground was also stressful with our RV because of the mountain switchbacks and sharp curves.
And while the wildlife was interesting, the rattlesnake warnings and brush around the sites made us more cautious about letting the kids and dog wander than we would be at many other campgrounds.
None of those things individually ruined our stay.
Together, though, they made $70 a night feel expensive for what we were getting.
Would We Stay Again?
Maybe.
And I think that’s probably the fairest answer.
If we were returning specifically to explore Sequoia and Kings Canyon and couldn’t find a better-value option in a similarly convenient location, I would consider staying here again.
The campground was quiet, our site was spacious and private, and the location worked very well for our itinerary.
But I wouldn’t seek it out because I loved the campground itself.
At $70 per night, I’d definitely compare other options first.
Final Verdict
Sequoia Resort & RV Park worked for what we needed it to do.
It gave us a quiet, spacious campsite with privacy, 50-amp full hookups and a convenient home base for five days of exploring Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
But “resort” sets an expectation that the campground doesn’t really meet.
This is a rustic mountain campground with dirt roads, dirt sites and limited amenities. Add in a challenging drive for large RVs, hot and dusty conditions during our stay, wildlife concerns with our dog and a $70 nightly rate, and I don’t think it’s a particularly strong value.
The location is what makes it worth considering.
If you’re planning to spend your days exploring the National Parks and simply want somewhere quiet to return to at night, it can absolutely work.
Just go in expecting a peaceful, rustic base camp—not a $70-a-night RV resort.
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