Kern County fills the southern end of the Central Valley and the eastern Sierra slope, which gives it two very different sides: the agricultural flatlands around Bakersfield and the mountain-and-river country of the Kern River Canyon and the Sequoia National Forest to the north. The practical split is Bakersfield (jobs, museums, baseline) versus the outdoors (the Kern River, Lake Isabella, Kernville, and the southern Sierra). If you are planning a visit, pick which side you want, because the drive between them is a winding mountain road, not a quick hop. Here are the main things to do in Kern County, California.
1. Run the Kern River and Lake Isabella
The Kern River is the county’s backbone for whitewater. Spring and early summer, when snowmelt peaks, the upper river offers class III to V rafting with licensed outfitters based in Kernville (Sierra South and Mountain & River Adventures are long-running local operators). By late summer the flows drop and the lower river and Lake Isabella, the reservoir 30 minutes east of Kernville, become the swimming, boating, and fishing spots. The river’s flow is seasonal and controlled by releases, so check current conditions with the outfitters before you book a trip.
2. Base yourself in Kernville
Kernville is the small mountain town that serves the river and the trailheads. It has the Kern Valley Museum (local history, including the Gold Rush and the old Whiskey Flat Days festival), the Kernville Saloon for live music, and Riverside Park on the river. Nearby Circle Park and the Whiskey Flat Trail are easy walks. It is a low-key base, not a resort town, which is the appeal for a lot of visitors.
3. See the wildlife refuges
Kern County has two real and worthwhile refuges, and neither is a “national park” (there is no national park by that name here). The Kern National Wildlife Refuge, west of Bakersfield, is a wintering ground for migrating waterfowl on the Pacific Flyway and good for birdwatching in fall and winter. The Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area and the Kern River Preserve (run by Audubon) add more birding and walking. If birds are the draw, go in the cooler months.
4. Tour Bakersfield’s history and music
The county seat, Bakersfield, is the birthplace of the Bakersfield Sound (Buck Owens and Merle Haggard), and the Buck Owens Crystal Palace is both a museum and a live-music venue worth a stop. The Kern County Museum covers regional history with a large outdoor exhibit of historic buildings. For agriculture, the county is one of the top farm-production counties in the U.S., which shapes the flatland drives more than any single attraction.
5. Head into the southern Sierra
North of Kernville, the Sequoia National Forest and the Greenhorn Mountains hold campgrounds, trout streams, and the trailheads toward the southern Sierra peaks. Mountain Mesa and the Cannell Meadow area are starting points for longer hikes. These are real backcountry areas; fuel up and check road status in Kernville, because services thin out fast once you leave the valley.
Planning Tips for Kern County
- Heat: Bakersfield and the valley hit triple digits most of summer. Do outdoor river and trail time in the morning.
- River safety: The Kern is cold and powerful, especially with spring releases. Use licensed outfitters; do not raft or swim unfamiliar stretches on your own.
- Get there by car: There is no passenger rail to the mountain towns; you drive. The Kern River Canyon road (SR-178) is scenic but slow.
- Season: Whitewater is a spring-and-early-summer activity; by late summer, lake and low-water river activities take over.
Final Thoughts
Kern County is really two trips: a Bakersfield-and-history day, or a Kernville-and-river weekend. Decide which before you leave, because the mountain road is not a quick commute. If you want whitewater, time it to the snowmelt and book a licensed outfitter; if you want wildlife and quiet, go in the cooler months and use the refuges. One correction to older write-ups: there is no “Kern National Park” in the county, and the Kern Valley Museum, not a “Fish and Game” site, is the place to learn the local history.
