Stine Cove Recreation Site

The lake is basically completely gone from this site so if you’re staying here for the water there are campgrounds I’m Mountain Mesa and Lake Isabella that are still on the water. This campground is tucked away about 5 miles from Kernville and is very quiet even with the lake being gone from this spot it’s not a bad overnight plus you can see an incredible amount of stars and even faintly see the milky way because there aren’t any surrounding lights. Ground is not super level anywhere and it’s very rocky so watch where you take your rig and don’t go too far in because it did used to be a lake and I would guess the ground is still really soft.

There are no signs stating that this lake was actually about 150ft deeper last year. I scouted the area out with our van and there are fire circles and other small campers in different areas by the water.

We took our 40 ft down by the water and sunk. It was bad. We sunk 4 times actually we needed a tow truck to come.. and then he had to phone a friend because when they pulled us out of one we just sunk again. The ground is much softer than it appears.

The temps are great and water is fun for the kids. There is a dumpster which is also nice. The breeze keeps it cool, at least while we were here. There are gnats and bugs at night. I do recommend... but please don’t drive close to the water. Stay up top. The road is windy coming in from either direction as well so just be aware.
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Great place for boondocking and camping. Especially with potable water and dump station at the nearby Camp 9.
We were here in the fall of 2020 and not much other people around, the most we've seen was 5 extra campers, the area is big enough and can accommodate many more without being crowded. Low clearance vehicles and trailers be aware of rocks, lots of them, if you are in a low clearance vehicle your choices will be very limited, anyone else don't get too close to the water like we did and be fooled by the dry appearance of the terrain, our trailer sank 2 ft into some heavy mud, more than 30 ft away from the water line and it looked very safe and dry. Walking around the water line was possible to see more evidence of other people that also got stuck into the mud.
Verizon and T-mobile with good signal but we could not get any open TV signal.
Without any traffic we drove 1 hour to the trails of 100 Giants, Kernville has some good options for food and booze.

The wind was whipping every day but one during our eleven days at Stine Cove Recreation Area. It was so windy, that our portable solar panels which we keep weighted down with steel bars and rocks flipped over and shattered.

The location is beautiful and we were able to camp very close to the edge of the lake. The terrain is rocky so getting stuck wasn't a concern. We were alone for most of our stay except for the weekend when there was a fishing competition.

In addition to the wind, there really isn't anywhere to get in a good walk unless you don't mind walking around in circles.

That said, the spot is easy to access and close to Kernville which has a good brewery and laundry mat. You can dump and get water at nearby Camp 9 Campground.

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Lake Issabella is a great spot with a lot to do in the area. Kernville which is a five minute drive from stone cove, is a nice small town with the Kernville river as the main attraction with rafting and fishing and such. As far as the camping spot it was a bit rocky and bumpy on the way in, as we scraped our jack and hitch pretty good going over the cow grate. There were many different campsites and we found a good spot on a rather level gravel area. As every other reviewer has stated it was incredibly windy about half of the time we were there. Also the water level currently has been receded so they can replace the dam, so we were about a half mile walk from the water in the loosest type of sand. Don’t let google maps fool you, it is not a water front site. Unexpected surprise that the cows that graze the area will graze wherever they please, including walking right past your door any time of day. Beautiful sunrises and even better sunsets over the mountains daily. We did pick up about a Walmart’s bag worth of glass sarrounding our campsite. There is a trash can and toilet near entrance.

One night stay in a class A 34ft, easy access from main road. Gravel/dirt road leading to campsite. All open area close to the lake, you pick where you want to camp. There were high winds on this day/night, only one other camper and the place was quite as a mouse. No running water or electric, only outhouse. If you want a fire you need a permit. Note: There are several FREE primitive camping locations around the lake, this was just one of many.

This is a quiet, clean cove and you can park right on the waters edge. Access can be a bit rocky and sandy, but easy enough to get in. There is a vault toilet here that closes in the off season, otherwise there are no amenities. There is a 14 day stay limit here and they do keep track. If you need to dump or get fresh water Camp 9 is 2 miles away.

We really like the Kernville area. I work as a raft guide here during the summer and there are lots of outdoor activities to do year round. Great spot to visit for a while, and if you do go rafting go with Mountain and River Adventures, either me or one of my guide buddies will safely get you down the river.

Stine Cove Recreation Area is a free campsite in front of Lake Isabella. It's a few miles from the tiny town of Kernville. We stayed at Stine Cove for two weeks and enjoyed the lakefront views and easy access to Kern River, Trail of 100 Giants, and Kern River Brewing Co.

Stine Cove can easily accommodate a large rig. We have a 36ft. class A motorhome and tow a vehicle behind it, but we had no trouble finding a good spot. Stine Cove is mostly rock and dirt, so bring blocks or find a level spot near the water.

That's another thing: the water. There are warnings about a toxic algae bloom in the lake, so swimming and wading are prohibited. We didn't read the signs beforehand, and I ended up with some nasty stomach cramps. PLEASE DON'T GET IN THE WATER.

In addition to the contaminated water, it's extremely windy in this area. I wouldn't suggest having your awning open. Ours broke. :/ I also wouldn't recommend using a tent at this location!

Other than the wind and inaccessibility of the lake, I'd give Stine Cove 3/5 stars. It's a beautiful spot, great cell service, Kern River is ~10 minutes away (by car), and grocery stores and gas stations are close by. There's also a $10 dump station/drinking water site up the road at Campground 9 if you need it. If you want to grill outside or have a campfire, you can get a free permit at the market in Kernville.

Stine Cove is a great place to boondock. You can't beat the accessibility and location. Enjoy!