Lake Isabella / Kern River KOA - Weldon, CA

Journey11816884154

It is possible that this KOA has not been updated since it was built in the 60's or 70's. The grounds are 100% dirt, not a blade of grass. Pathetic small trees. Pool was clean and good sized, not heated and CLOSED. but the bathrooms!!!!! HORRIBLE, NOT CLEANED FOR 3 DAYS. We stayed during Thanksgiving. 3 of 5 toilets were out of order the whole time in the men's room. 1 of 3 showers were out. The painted and uneven concrete shower floors were slimy. there was poop on the toilet seats because the 2 that were 'working' would not flush very well and overflowed. You need a 6 digit code to use the bathroom and no light to see the buttons in the dark. We stayed in a cute cabin, but the front deck was falling apart and hazardous.||||Everyone seemed to have a dog! Barking was regular, and dog poop sometimes NOT cleaned up by inconsiderate owners. Cabin cost was over $75 per night with no water or bathroom, and trailers with hookup, $125 a night...too high. There are multiple other places and state parks that were clean. Avoid this place.

SHAY R.

We came out here because of the beauty and because of the wonderful reviews I had read about Mona the lady who runs this place, and I must say every word was true! We are in a tent and have water and electric hookups which is wonderful, and I couldn't ask for a more nice and welcoming lady as Mona! I had never ran a one cup coffee maker and she stopped her breakfast to come and do it for me which was so nice, and now I know how to do it! (Thank you!) They have a little restaurant that serves biscuits and gravy, a fenced dog area for pets to do their business, a general store onsite that sells supplies like propane bottles, and t-shirts, as well as a small bar next to it, restrooms with showers that are heated, and even a laundry room and play area for kids if you have them, and horse shoes for those of us who don't! It's very fair priced at around 37.00 per night, and if you join their rewards program for 36.00 per year you get 10 percent off of every stay as well as other special coupons for 20 percent off a weekday stay, and other specials too! The stars at night shine so bright it definitely makes you feel closer to God's creation! I recommend this place for anyone camping in an RV, tent, or if you want to rent one of their cabins you can do that as well! Beautiful place, and very nice people!

Phil

Pros: Grounds maintained to expectations. Pool Clean, but closed for the season.
Cons: HORRIBLE BATHROOMS!!! NOT CLEANED for 3 days. We stayed during 4 days including thanksgiving. In the men's room, 3 out of 5 toilets were out of order for a long time with duct tape around the seat, including the Handicap stall, 1 of 3 showers were out of order. The shower floors were slimy. Had to bring your own toilet paper, because they were empty. Soap dispenser was empty 1 out of 2. Burned out light at entrance, with a 6 digit code to enter to use the bathroom in the dark, in the middle of nowhere Poop all over the floor and seats due to overflowing toilets. This is obviously not a priority, because posts from October 1, said the same thing. They were out cleaning the pool, but not the bathrooms. Also, no exhaust vents for the smells, they had a portable fan in the window. Nothing is ADA accessible, curbs and a narrow entrance door to the restrooms.

3 flagpoles at the driveway entrance, with no flags on them.
The multiple state parks in the area were cleaner and better maintained that this KOA.

I did address my concerns with the manager on Saturday morning. No explanation given from her.

Tee C.

Amazing location right next to where all the outdoor fun is. Melissa checked us in and it was definitely one of the most courteous and friendly welcomes that I've had at any campsite. Very clean and up kept. Will return for another awesome experience

Rhett W.

Luckily we had a shady spot in the dust bowl. However, the place is a bit rundown. This was our first KOA experience and it could have been better. The stoves are from the 70s so if you want to make your breakfast on them you will be eating that for dinner. I will give them credit when we told them about the issue they did have the local handyman on a bicycle come and bang a screwdriver on it. Overall I wouldn’t recommend it if you want an all inclusive camp experience I would go down to Kernville for that but you are going to pay a lot more.

Dawn D.

We had the very best time. We rented a Camper Cabin and it was so convenient. We enjoyed the extra amenities offered. We stayed in September and so it was hot when we arrived. We turned on our little ac unit and while we waited for the cabin to cool off, the pool was clean and refreshing. There was a protected shallow end my 1 year old could stand up in. We brought our own bedding which made it very comfortable. I slept well. The next morning it was much cooler and we checked out their picturesque parks and swings. The kids tried a very tiny (but fun nevertheless) mini golf course. The splash pad was operated by a timer but was under renovation at the time of our visit. We stayed 2 nights over the weekend. Friday night they had free Ice cream sundaes and Sunday morning they offered free pancakes. They do ask that you use your own plates, bowls and utensils. For all our other food we used the Kamper Kitchen. There were 3 stations and each had a sink and 2-4 electric burners. There was a small microwave and ample seating. We brought own kitchen supplies. There are a few small food items available in the little convenience store as well as limited hot food offered in the saloon. Drinks are available at the saloon as well as popcorn and cotton candy ($3 on Saturday). No spirits available at the saloon. They had coin operated laundry and free hot showers. The bathrooms were cleaned every morning. The staff were friendly and welcoming, the other travelers were respectful. I made sure to pick up a directory, this was our first stay at a KOA but it certainly wont be our last. 20 minutes to Vons or Lake Isabella.

Alexander

Been to this location a few times. This time is definitely more memorable than the others. This place is run down. We had about 4 cabins between the group, none with working a/c. The restrooms are unbearably hot and uncomfortable when trying to poop or brush you're teeth. The pool is out of order, the splash pad is out of order... this place needs a lot of work. It was not this bad a couple years ago. And it's definitely the worst KOA I've ever been to. The only this they have going for them is that the staff is really nice. Which counts for something.

Richie E.

This review is for the tent camping portion only.

I wanted to like this place because of the convenience, however, there were some things that were lacking and or needs improvement.

Negatives
1. Small campsite/no privacy
2. Pool closed in July
3. Poor connection/wifi not working
4. Onsite store seldomly open

Positives
1. Clean bathroom/shower
2. Close to Kernville/Lake Isabella
3. Onsite cooking area (microwave, stove top, bbq pit)
4. Personal water source / electricity outlet

So let’s start with the positive. The campground is easy to find as it sits along the main highway 178 (there isn’t many traffic running through at night so don’t worry about car noise). Each campsite has an outlet, water source, bench, and shade. There are community trash bins between every other site and large dumpsters around the campgrounds. The showers/bathroom is locked with access code provided to guest and is cleaned regularly. However, during cleaning, the bathroom is closed and there are no other facilities (so you got to hold it if you really need to go). Most of the area is dirt path and can be difficult to ride razor scooters for the kid, however bikes were okay. The campsite is located between kern river and lake Isabella where we spent most of the days to cool off. At night, if you are lucky not to have neighbors, you can enjoy the clear skies and quietness. Unfortunately that wasn’t our case. We had loud neighbors and the tents were literally right next to our site like duplex sharing a wall. If your neighbors start a camp fire, good chance it will be blowing in your face. Did I mention the fire pits are inconsistent on where they are located? Nevertheless this place isn’t bad, but I would choose other options…maybe try one of their a/c cabins. Be prepare for hot days if you come in the summer.