Home > California > Kennedy Meadows

Scroll down for trail contact information and regulations. Select a photo to enlarge.

Kennedy Meadows

Monday, October 01, 2018

Print Slideshow Street Map Trail Map

Alt Names

Cannell Ranger District, Fish Creek Meadow, Pine Mountain, Jackass Meadows, Little Troy Meadows, Hooker Meadow, Smith Mountain, Sequoia National Forest, Ball Mountain, Bonita Meadows, West Meadow, Lookout Mountain, Danner Meadow, Corral Meadow, Stoney Meadow, Sherman Peak, Mahogany Creek, Trout Creek, Kern River, Monache Meadows, Kern Plateau OHV Area, Kern River Ranger District, Jackass Peak Motorized Trail, Kern Plateau, Rattlesnake Trail

Last Known Status

Open

This riding area has multiple campgrounds and staging opportunities plus about 150 miles of challenging single track trails geared toward the more experienced rider. There are a handful of 4x4 roads for larger vehicles but this area primarily caters to the dirt bikes.

The trails are generally open from mid-June until the first snowfall, which is usually the first week of November. This is one of the most popular places to go for woods riding in southern California.

Nearby services include Kennedy Meadows General Store and the Grumpy Bear Saloon which has a full bar and live bands that play on Saturday nights.

Trail Map... Driving Map... Best Nearby Trails...

***ANNOUNCEMENTS*** (October 2018)

* Sherman Pass Road Temporary Closure - Fall 2018

Sherman Pass Road (Forest Road #22S05) is scheduled to close September 10 through November 15 due to contracted road, culvert and bridge work east of Fish Creek Campground. Fish Creek Campground will remain open during the project but visitors will only be able to access the campground from the west (Kernville) side of Sherman Pass. For more information call the Kernville Ranger Station (760) 376-3781 or the Blackrock Visitor Center (559) 539-2607 Ext. 2275.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

Nearest City

Inyokern, CA

Address

Sherman Pass Road, Inyokern, CA 93527

Street Map

Trail Map

From: Ridgecrest, CA
1) Take US-395 north about 15 miles
2) Turn left (west) on Nine Mile Canyon Road, continue 11.1 miles
3) Turn right (north) on Kennedy Meadows Road, continue 9.2 miles
4) Turn left on CR-J14, continue 1.9 miles
5) Turn left at T-intersection on Kennedy Meadows Road, continue 1.7 miles
6) Turn left on Sherman Pass Road, continue about 7.7 miles to the campgrounds.

TYPE OF AREA

Area

Trail

Land	National Forest

RATINGS

Our Rating	Very Good
Recommended Stay	1-2 Days
Comments	(Scroll Down For Visitor Reviews & Comments)

TERRAIN

Approx Size	160,000 acres (250 sq mi)
Miles Of Trail	150
Climate Type	Forest
Elevation	7500 to 9900 ft.
Trail Maintenance	Marked, Rated, Lightly Maintained
Loose Dirt	Little
Hard Pack	Mostly
Sand	None
Mud	Little
Dust	Little
Rocks	Some
Trees	All
Steep Hills	Some
Water Crossings	Some
Small Jumps	Few
Large Jumps	None
Berms	Some
Sand/Gravel Pits	None
Single Track	Many
Roads	Few
Intersections	Some
Rider Traffic	Some
Shade	All
Hazards	Few	(hazards assumed marked but use caution)
Novice	Little
Amateur	Mostly
Expert	Some

REGULATIONS

Permit Required	Yes	CA OHMVR stickers required
Dates Open	Mid June - November	CA OHMVR red sticker vehicles permitted year round
Spark Arrestor	Yes	A spark arresting silencer or end cap is required for all vehicles.
Noise Limit	Yes (96 dB)	CA OHMVR noise limits apply (1985/older limit 101 dB, 1986/newer limit 96 dB)
Whip Flags	Not Required
Maximum Vehicle Width
Motorcycles	Permitted	CA OHMVR stickers required most trails are single track only
ATVs	Some Areas	Not Recommended CA OHMVR stickers required permitted on Monache and Sherman 4x4 Roads
UTVs / SXS	Some Areas	Not Recommended CA OHMVR stickers required permitted on Monache and Sherman 4x4 Roads
SUVs / Jeeps (registered)	Some Areas	Not Recommended permitted on Monache and Sherman 4x4 Roads
Dune Buggy/Sand Rail 4x4 (unregistered)	Some Areas	CA OHMVR stickers required permitted on Monache and Sherman 4x4 Roads
Two Strokes / 2 Cycle Engines	No Restriction	CA OHMVR restrictions apply
Helmets Required	Yes	helmets required by state law
Bicycles	No Restriction
Hiking	No Restriction
Horseback	No Restriction
Camping	Some Areas	(camp in developed sites only)
Campfires	Some Areas	(permitted in developed campsites only)
Night Riding	Unknown	Not Recommended
Cross Country	Prohibited	riders must stay on trail
Fireworks	Prohibited
Emergency / Law Enforcement
Insurance	*Disclaimer: RiderPlanet strongly recommends that all visitors get insurance for their ATV, UTV or motorcycle before visiting any of the locations shown on this website.

FEES & PASSES

Parking	(None)
Entry	(None)
Riding	(None)
Camping	Yes Tent: $17.00 RV: $17.00 Addtl. Vehicle: $0.00 Troy Meadow and Fish Creek Campground Fees
Comment	No camping fees charged if using overflow campgrounds.

KEY SERVICES

First Aid	30+ Miles (SE)	Ridgecrest Regional Hospital (760) 446-3551
Gasoline	1-5 Miles (SE)	Kennedy Meadows General Store (559) 850-5647
Diesel	30+ Miles (SE)	Shell (760) 377-5353
Water	On Site	Troy Meadows Campground
RV Hookup	30+ Miles (E)	Boulder Creek RV Resort (760) 876-4243
RV Disposal	On Site	Grumpy Bears Retreat (559) 850-2327
Campground	On Site
Conv Store	1-5 Miles (SE)	Kennedy Meadows General Store (559) 850-5647
Swim Area	On Site	Troy Meadows Campground
Water Body	On Site	South Fork Kern River
Boat Ramp	30+ Miles (SW)	North Fork Marina/Lake Isabella (760) 376-1812

OFFICIAL CONTACTS

Contact Info	Sequoia National Forest - Kern River Ranger District 105 Whitney Road Kernville, CA 93238 (760) 376-3781 mailroom_r5_sequoia@fs.fed.us www.fs.usda.gov
Comment	Extension 633

Contact Info	Sequoia National Forest - Black Rock Ranger District 105 Whitney Road Kernville, CA 93238 (559) 539-2607
Comment	Extension 276 Office opens in the spring through first week of November.

Contact Info

Grumpy Bears Retreat Restaurant And Tavern
98887 Kennedy Meadows Road
Inyokern, CA 93527
(559) 850-2327
grumpybearsretreat@yahoo.com