Cold Springs Campground (CA)

We made a reservation just days before it closed for the season in October since campgrounds at Sequoia were full. The campground was nearly empty for our stay. Take note that it will take you over an hour to reach the campground from the entrance to mineral king road but it is a paved road so that is a big plus, only about a mile is unpaved as you reach the top. I would stay here again if I couldn’t get in at a Sequoia campground which was my destination. I can’t speak for any of the hikes or trails that start out at this campground, I imagine they are great due to the altitude and location.

Site 22 was amazing. Cold springs camp ground as a whole is amazingly beautiful. Definitely recommend sites 22-30 because they’re right next to the water. The drive up to the campsites is very narrow, be prepared for a long and slow drive up the mountain. There are many great hikes walking distance from the campground with beautiful views. Definitely pack for cold weather, the sites are shaded so it gets very cold. Overall, such an amazing trip and worth the drive.

This place was beautiful and the ranger was so friendly! It was a trip I took with a few friends and we had such a good time even when we were getting rained on.

Site 2 is located right by the river so all throughout the day and night you could hear the stream run down. The road to the site was under maintenance and was bumpy and narrow at some points, but once you get to the site it’s beautiful. The chlorination system was down so the water wasn’t drinkable without boiling, the restrooms were well maintained and looked to be recently painted, besides the women’s restroom door not locking. The trails are easy to access although most of them are strenuous and the park ranger station was located near by. Please bring a tarp to cover the whole under side of your vehicle as there is marmots and enjoy this beautiful site! I would definitely recommend site 2.

Great campsite backing up to the river. We managed to fit two tents but it was tight, not a very level campsite.

My boyfriend and I had a wonderful time out here! Site 10 and 11 are really close, so if you’re going with some friends, have them get the one you don’t reserve. These sites are on a small slope. Our 6 person 10x10 tent barely fit in the allocated tent pad and was still a little too close to the fire pit for my comfort.
The campsite is quite a ways out on Mineral King Road and even without active construction, it was quite the curvy drive. I suggest giving yourself an extra half an hour of cushion on top of what you already think the drive will take (for us it was about 2 hours on the way up and 1.5 hours on the way down)
The ranger did let us know that the 1 mile hike to the east was the easiest of the trails (it’s also the trail that leads to the other trail heads) so this campsite is honestly perfect for a chill hiker. That 1 mile hike did have a few steep moments with some puddles and the occasional muddy section, so just be prepared!

Overall, I’d definitely go again, just maybe without bringing a furry friend along (as they aren’t allowed on any trails and aren’t allowed off leash).

So many noisy groups during my time here. There's no staff present, so you're SOL if you're dealing with valley residents blasting polka until midnight. I even moved campsites and couldn't get away from it. I won't return to this campground.

Very comfortable, beautiful clean site. Very difficult road up to the campground. Good hiking in the area.

A perfect spot for staying the night before our backpack trip.

Beautiful area. We just stayed there for the night before heading up to mosquito lake. Would definitely stay longer another day.