Lake Isabella CA

We were at Lake Isabella last year and the water was pretty low. If you go on the lake do so in the morning, anything after 1pm will be really windy. Just north of the lake is Kernville which is a nice place to visit. Don't eat at Ewings, terrible service and food. There is stocked trout fishing in the Kern River. There are a number of campground along the Kern River. Some are right outside Kernville, Camp James is the nicest one with hook ups in some sites. There are also a number of state campgrounds along the Kern River with only pit toilets and some with water. If you like hiking there is a nice hike at Johnsondale bridge that follows a fork of the Kern River, which is just north of Kernville. Even further north is a grove of giant Sequoias that are worth visiting.

If you are taking Hwy 178 out of Bakersfield be careful when you first enter the mountains. There are some really tight turns with narrow lanes and some large rock overhangs. It's only the first mile or so but it makes you wonder what the rest of the road is like. After that the roads are much better.

i broke a passenger side mirror on those rocks, my first trip in there about 20+ years ago, different RV Class-A only 23ft
i was lucky, that was a chrome truckers style, cost me $10 to replace it

If 178 is so narrow is 155 a better route?

155 is steep and more winding than 178. There is a section of 13% grade just before Wofford Heights. Many have burned their brakes on that road. It is doable but be prepared for a long, slow drive from Glenville to Wofford Heights.

IMHO that area is depressing with the dry brush and low lake. We prefer to stay up along the Kern River. You can see all the Lake Isabella Campgrounds and RV parks here

Thanks for the replies on Lake Isabella. It is a one day stopping point on my cross country trip. I plan on being there next April when it is cooler. Hopefully we will have more rain next year and the lake will be fuller. I am a member of the Elks an plan on stopping at the Lodge there. My next leg of the trip takes has me stopping at Red Rock Canyon and ending up in Ridgecreast, or Trona CA.

Buster52.....You can buy the "Elkdom" book(s). They're three books produced by the Elks that provide lodge information. There's a west, central and east coast book. They tell you the location of each Elk's lodge, if they allow camping, the number of sites, size of sites, if they have water, electric and sewer. They're very accurate and easy to use.

Some of the lodges have from 20-30 sites, such as the Albuquerque Lodge.

My Lodge has two spots reserved in the city parking lot next to the lodge. A deal they made when the sold the lot to the city. All we have is 20 amp wall plug in. We are not listed as having RV space. I have been to lodges that say they have space for RVs but every body would have to park there cars else ware.

Don't count on more water in the lake. My understanding is there is a fault running through the earthen dam and the Army Corp keeps the lake low to reduce the possibility of flooding should there be the BIG ONE.
If you are going to Red Rock Canyon you most likely won't be using Hwy 155, so that shouldn't be a concern for you. My experience with Hwy 155 has not been bad. There are a few steep grades but they are very short and can be controlled easily.

best listen to KCFDcapt regarding hwy 155...very steep downgrade...lake is very low, doing dam modifications.... this follows the southwest willow flycatcher fiasco, then several years of drought. Ewings has new owners, and is very good. they are now open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. and...Trona is not the garden spot of California.....stinks of sulpher.