Kernville Ghost Town

Kern County, California35.7142, -118.4370

Can you visit?

Public land, open access

Sequoia National Forest · Open to visitors

Nearest town
2 miWofford Heights, CA
Mild months
Jan–Dec8 of 12
Elevation
2,580 ft785 m
Illustration of a desert landscape
Illustration of the landscape type, not a picture of Kernville. No free-licensed photo yet.

Kernville is a former settlement in Kern County, California, listed among the ghost towns of California. It lies at about 2,580 feet above sea level.

On the map

20 mi40 miEast NilesEast BakersfieldLake IsabellaChina Lake AcresKernville
  • BLM
  • National Forest
  • Private or unlisted

Star: Kernville. Dots: other ghost towns within 40 miles, colored by land manager. Squares: towns over 1,000 people. Rings are straight-line distance. Live map: © OpenFreeMap, OpenMapTiles, OpenStreetMap contributors.

The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Wofford Heights, CA, about 2 miles west in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Porterville, CA, 41 miles away.

Ghost towns nearby

  1. Quartzburg4 mi southeast
  2. Isabella4.3 mi south
  3. Scovern Hot Springs6.7 mi south
  4. Petersburg12 mi southwest
  5. Lavers' Crossing16 mi west
  6. Joe Walker Town20 mi south
  7. Mountain House27 mi west
  8. Stickneys Ferry28 mi west

Distances are straight lines. Roads to ruins are often dirt, and a 20-mile hop can take an hour.

Who owns the land

National Forest: Sequoia National Forest

PAD-US places this spot on Sequoia National Forest, land managed by the U.S. Forest Service. PAD-US marks it as open to the public. Park rules, fees and seasonal closures can still apply. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Bakersfield Field Office. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.

The point is the town location from Wikidata, and the land record is from PAD-US 3.0 (USGS). Ruins can spread past that point, and land changes hands faster than the database. How we read PAD-US.

Weather by month

0°20°40°60°80°100°6132Jan6333Feb6736Mar7240Apr8048May9156Jun9963Jul9862Aug9256Sep8146Oct6936Nov6031DecJan: 2.3 inFeb: 2.4 inMar: 1.7 inApr: 0.7 inMay: 0.4 inJun: 0.1 inJul: 0.1 inAug: 0.1 inSep: 0.2 inOct: 0.6 inNov: 1.4 inDec: 1.9 inrain
Mild month (average high 55–88°F, low above 28°F) 32°F, freezing Rain and snow water, inches

Mild months here run October to May, judging by NOAA normals from Kern River Ph 3. June to September bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up.

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Kern River Ph 3 station (USC00044523), 4.8 miles away. About 11.9 inches of precipitation a year.

Facts

LocationKern County, California
Coordinates35.71420, -118.43700
Elevation2,580 ft (785 m)
SourcesWikidata Q6394241 · Wikipedia article

Questions

Where is Kernville ghost town?

In Kern County, California, at 35.7142, -118.4370. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Wofford Heights, CA, about 2 miles west in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Porterville, CA, 41 miles away.

Can you visit Kernville?

Public land, open access. PAD-US places this spot on Sequoia National Forest, land managed by the U.S. Forest Service. PAD-US marks it as open to the public. Park rules, fees and seasonal closures can still apply. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Bakersfield Field Office. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.

When is the best time to visit Kernville?

Mild months here run October to May, judging by NOAA normals from Kern River Ph 3. June to September bring 10 or more days at 90°F and up.

Are there other ghost towns near Kernville?

Yes. Quartzburg (4 mi), Isabella (4.3 mi), Scovern Hot Springs (6.7 mi), Petersburg (12 mi).

More ghost towns in California

All 240 ghost towns in California · Ghost towns near Bakersfield · Ghost towns near Barstow