Azalea Campground

Because most of the national parks were built long before RVing became so popular, many of the sites are short and very unlevel. There are a number of longer sites but it took several tries for us to find one appropriate. We saw a 40' or longer class A barely squeezed into a site and a couple of longer 5th wheels but small campers would have better luck at finding a site here. Be sure to arrive late morning when people have left. During our three nights there we saw most people come in late and only spend one night so there were always plenty of sites to choose from in the early afternoon.

The campground is pleasant with lots of trees, which makes it tough to get much solar, but surprisingly we only heard one generator while we were there. Since we were out in the park most of the day what little sun we got was enough to keep our batteries charged.

The restrooms are old but clean and have flush toilets.There is a drinking water spigot outside the restroom and several throughout the campground. Apparently there used to be dump station at one time but it is now closed. Signs warned of a water shortage and asked people to conserve so I would come with water just in case.

This is within walking distance to the visitor center and stores at Grant Grove Village and a trail also leads to the Grant Grove of giant sequoias, with many other trails from there.

We just assumed there would be no cell service in the campground since we had just come from Sequoia where there was none, so we were quite surprised to find a strong Verizon signal with 4G.

The nightly rate is $18 but we paid $9 with the senior pass. Self pay envelopes are near the restroom. We never saw a ranger the entire time we were there.

We enjoyed our stay at Azalea. We pulled in on a Sunday morning between 10 and 11 o'clock and had plenty of choices. There were some low-hanging branches we couldn't avoid, so we got our first scratch as we were perusing the sites. But we shook it off as part of the adventurous experience we signed up for when we got the trailer.

There are lots of sites and they vary greatly, but there seem to be plenty of larger sites for RVs. We didn't know what to expect in this first-come/first served campground, but we were surprised to have so many choices during the summer. Arriving on a Sunday is probably a good idea.

We loved the abundance of trees and the shrubbery to provide relative privacy between sites! There are bear boxes at each site, and the rangers make it very clear that you need to use them if you don't have a hard-sided RV. We saw no wildlife around, but that's probably because the rangers are so strict and good about enforcing the food storage rules.

The restrooms were clean. Flush toilets are always nice. There is no soap (because of the bears) or hand dryers/paper towels in the restrooms so bring your own. No showers. We arrived with a full tank of fresh water as the website said water might not be available, but there was a spigot you could attach your own hose to to fill your tank.

Grant Grove is a wonderful central location to visit both parks. The day we arrived, we explored the Grant Grove area that afternoon. We spent one day down in Sequoia and another day in Kings Canyon's Cedar Grove area. It worked out nicely.

As for cell service, we have T-Mobile so we had zero. That's okay. When we camp, we enjoy being disconnected.

When it was time to head out of the park, we drove about six miles to Princess Campground to use the dump station. The fee was $10.

Beautiful and conveniently located near Grant's Grove visitor center and lots of great hiking. All loops but one were closed so it was packed and folks couldnt get a site. We cleaned up a lot of trash left by other campers. We had a bear come through our site which was a thrill. Sites are large but have very short and unlevel parking pads so it is really best for tent campers. Large rigs that came in looking for a site had a very hard time getting around the tight corners at the back of the loop.

As full-timers who work from the road, we often can't stay in National Park campgrounds because of the lack of cell service. Which is why this lovely wooded campground with a strong Verizon signal was so fantastic! We reliably got 4-5 bars without using our booster. The speed did slow on the weekend when the campground filled up, but we still had no problem working or streaming Netflix.

Aside from the great internet, we loved the location only a short walk from the General Grant Tree and across the street from the visitor center. The campground is very shady so those relying on solar power might have some issues, but we managed to find a site with a few hours of direct sun.

We visited in late April when the Sunset (reservable) campground was not yet open and thought we might have a problem getting a site. Instead, we pulled in on a Sunday to find many open sites, although most are VERY unlevel so larger RVs might have issues. The campground only filled on the weekends, and even then if you arrived by mid-day there was always plenty of sites.

I would give this campground high marks. Even during the busy months the campsites are still far enough apart and randomly scattered (read: it's not a grid of campsites, rather a meandering road with slots throughout) you have a lot of privacy in a good portion of the sites. The weather is bearable on hot days with so many mature trees everywhere. My last trip there was in 2016, but was just as I had remembered in the past years. Be warned, during the Spring and Fall months, thunderstorms will come crashing down at times. When we were there, it was on a first-come-first serve basis, which is nice. There's always a chance to get a good site, as opposed to being reserved throughout the peak season. From this location you have access to Sequoia and Kings Canyon Parks. There are plenty of trails to hike and if you go into the canyon, plenty of places to fish as well. The site can be rough to access for some larger rigs, but for the most part the roads are large enough to get a 35 foot motorhome through with some effort. The site does mention 30 feet max, but we've seen larger. It's my opinion to not risk it and to scout prior to driving in if you take the chance, otherwise you'll find yourself in a tricky situation. As noted, the campground is dry only, but this campground seems to be the last to close if water is an issue, as other campgrounds will close due to the lack of water farther in the hot season. There are available bathrooms scattered throughout the campground and easily accessible from each site. From my recollection, there is no dump station here, but there is one farther up the road a few miles. This would be my only hang-up, but expected in parks such as this.

I would highly recommend.

On a side note, if this campground is full, you may try the Crystal Springs Campground, which is directly across the main road. It is much smaller, but shares the same attributes as Azelea.

We drove from Visalia, leaving our RV base camp, to try out our Roof Top Tent for the first time. Access is easy in a Jeep. Although access is possible for larger RVs, I am glad we left ours behind; it would be easy to get into a trouble here.

There are not many nearby locations for supplies, so bring what you need. This is a dry camping, first come/first serve location. We were able to find a large camping spot near the public bathroom where there is also a large sink to wash dishes, etc. Ask the camp host where you can collect for firewood, firewood is free to gather but very expensive at the camp store. The store does have a small, but good wine selection.

This campground is near many scenic locations. Also, this campground is spread out with many large sites. Although very crowded when we arrived in June, we were able to find a good level spot to pitch our tent.

Three days is not enough time to soak up all the scenery and visit the numerous scenic locations.

Host and Rangers will take note of your RV size — see their official web site for current size regulations. Arrived without reservations and barely found a site, but it was spacious and next to the trails to see “the big trees,” visitor center, etc. near the Natl Park entrance. This campground is geared more towards tents than RVs, but smaller rented RVs are commonly seen that are from the big rental outfits. Smaller trailers are seen as well, but RVs are only allowed in designated sites. There are no hook ups at any sites that I saw, but I wasn’t looking since I only tent camp there. My RV (40+ foot) won’t fit into this campground. I never heard any generators that I noticed, so they probably are not allowed, but I cannot confirm that. This campground really is not meant for RV Glamping.

Do not dare freelance things at this campground in a very large RV! You WILL get stuck and it will result in a very expensive recovery effort and possibly cited for violations by the Rangers.

Heavily frequented by foreign tourists. Don’t be surprised if you see a “campground full” sign.

Well maintained, well cared for — well patrolled, as well.

Not cheap, but you can ask for passes and discounts; for one example, present your award statements if on disability from SSA.

Make sure that you check NPS web site for the latest on COVID notices and closures — and any seasonal restrictions.

Sunset Campground is right next to this campground, but I’ve never stayed there.

There’s an actual USPS office here, which is nice.

Plan to do your big shopping in the valley. The General Store here is quite expensive, but OK for some items, if in a pinch.

On your way up, there are lots of great produce stands. Pretty hard to beat the fresh harvests in this region’s valleys.

The private community of Wilsonia, CA is right nearby. It is not NPS public property, but it does have some NPS regulations. Wilsonia used to be only for the private land owner’s usage, but now many of the cabins are for rent on the widely used vacation rental web sites. These are private transactions and not NPS cabins. It is officially designated as Historical and pre-dates NPS. Contains meadows, streams, lovely tree groves and canyons, etc. but remember that it’s private, unless you rent from a private owner. Nice walks around, but be respectful since you’re not really supposed to be there.

Very poor (virtually unusable) Verizon signal for me at this campground, but that’s common for NPS lands.

We fit our 37' class A in here with little issues. Site is large enough for coach and tow car. A few low hanging trees in campground but easy enough. Drive into park is slow and curvy. Not for new or nervous RV drivers. Can walk to visitors center, restaurants and shops in park from campground. Verizon signal varies but 1-3 bars in campground. It is usable throughout. No ATT or Tmo .

We felt fortunate to find a spot within Kings Canyon as we did not have a reservation. April is such a great time to be in this park as there are not many tourists and the flowers are in bloom. The campsite has nice wooded sites but many are not conducive to large RVs. Our 12 foot trailer needed to be leveled quite a bit. The park is clean and quiet. Deer roam in the early morning and evening. There are bear boxes, picnic tables and fire rings at each site. Water spigots are found easily. The restrooms have flush toilets and running water. This is truly a peaceful and beautiful location to explore both Kings Canyon and Sequoia NP. It did get chilly at night so prepare for the temps at high elevation.

Stayed in April 2021. Being surrounded by the beautiful trees was awesome and made my coworkers on Zoom very jealous. There is a trail from the campsite to the General Grant tree, very nice. Bathrooms are clean. First few days were great and I made friends with my neighbors and played ukulele and sang together over the fire. Once they left they were replaced by some people who clearly had never seen rules about camping before, played very loud music at all hours of the day, threw trash everywhere, walked through everyone's campsites like it was all their own. But what can ya do?

Got some solar through the trees as well. Great Verizon service, zero ATT.