Mountain Home

Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest will open for camping on Thursday, June 18, 2020. To help stop the spread of COVID-19, there are some changes that will be implemented at our campgrounds and day-use areas.

The State of California recognizes the importance of outdoor activities and exercise during this challenging time of COVID-19. As such, CAL FIRE Demonstration State Forest staff are working with local officials on a regionally-driven approach to increase access to camping and recreating.

While stay-at-home orders may be modified, it does not mean things are going back to normal. It is critical that Californians continue to stay close to home, practice physical distancing, and avoid congregating with others outside their immediate household to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, CAL FIRE is asking that visitors and campers at Demonstration State Forests adhere to the following guidelines to keep you and our staff safe:

• Stay Clean:
  • Bring and use your own soap, disinfectant supplies, hand sanitizer, paper towels, and toilet paper.
  • Bring plastic table cloths for picnic tables that can be disposed of or taken back home for washing.
• Pack out what you pack in:
  • Pack out all trash wherever possible to minimize the amount of trash staff must dispose of at the campsite, trailhead, or other facilities.
• Practice Physical Distancing:
  • Maintain a physical distance of 6 feet or more
  • Do not gather in groups larger than currently recommended by the local county.
• Camp Safely
  • Leave it at Home –Just bring what you need while camping.
  • Only one household should occupy a campsite.
  • Only TWO passenger vehicles will be allowed per campsite.
  • No more than SIX people may occupy a campsite.
  • Outside visitors are prohibited at campsites.
  • Group campsites remain closed.
• Stay Informed:
  • Visit CA GOV for the latest information on COVID-19.
  • Check the local city and county reopening guidelines for additional regulations and safety procedures.
  • When arriving at a Demonstration State Forest for camping or other recreation activities, be sure to follow any posted signs or verbal direction from CAL FIRE staff.

We expect that our facilities and campgrounds will be unusually busy this summer, especially on weekends, so plan your trip accordingly. We also expect that increased cleaning and sanitation measures will put an additional strain on our limited staff. Therefore, Hidden Falls, Moses Gulch and Methuselah Campgrounds will remain closed.

As always, our campgrounds are available on a first-come-first-served basis and sites may not be available when you arrive. Reservations at our campgrounds are strictly prohibited. Please practice physical distancing and follow the COVID19 guidelines posted around the Forest and verbal direction by CAL FIRE staff. With your cooperation, we can ensure that the campgrounds remain open during this challenging time.

Tulare County COVID-19 Information: https://covid19.tularecounty.ca.gov/#covidcontent 

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Established: 1946
Area: 4,807 acres
Elevation: 4800 - 7600 ft.
Precipitation: 42 inches per year
Temperature: Max: 78 - 45 F - Min: 45 - 20 F

Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest (MHDSF) is located in Tulare County in the Southern Sierra Nevada range, 22 miles east of Porterville, California. Mountain Home has several of the largest and oldest giant sequoia trees in the world with some reaching 240 feet tall and 27 feet in diameter. Many of these specimens are more than 2,000 years old. In 1946, the State of California acted in an effort to conserve the huge redwoods on the Mountain Home tract that John Muir called "the finest in the Sierra," and purchased the land from a logging company. The result has been the preservation of more than 5,000 old-growth giant sequoias through active management of the mixed conifer forest that surrounds them. The giant sequoia flourishes among ponderosa pine and sugar pine, white fir and incense-cedar.
The local Native Americans used this area in the summer to camp, hunt and gather food. An interpretive exhibit at Sunset Point leads visitors through an archaeological site with evidence of occupation dating back 8,000 years. The California Department of Fish and Game stocks three ponds in the area with trout for public fishing. Two of the ponds are located at Balch Park (owned and operated by Tulare County) while the other, Hedrick Pond, is part of Mountain Home. The Wishon Fork of the Tule River is also popular with anglers. Backcountry lakes can be reached by foot or by horse. Overnight camping in the Golden Trout Wilderness requires a wilderness permit that can be acquired at the USFS Tule Ranger District office in Springville. Guide service and rental horses are available at the pack station located near the Shake Camp Campground. Informational brochures with maps of one to two mile interpretive hikes and a motor tour are available at the forest headquarters. Off-highway vehicle use is limited and not recommended. The forest is closed during the winter.
Campsites are open from May through October, depending upon snow conditions. There are 5 public campgrounds with campfire rings, tables and bear-proof food lockers provided. Campgrounds have potable water and pit toilets. Camping at MHDSF requires a camping permit and payment of a fee. Permits and payment information are available at the entrance to each campground. Pets are welcome but must be controlled by the owner at all times. Horses and pack animals are not allowed in campgrounds but may be kept in the public corrals near Shake Camp. Hunting is permitted under applicable State game laws and regulations.

Camping at Mountain Home