$30
Ballinger
Total sites: 13
Available Today: 10 FF*
Available this Weekend: 13 FF*
Booking Window: 6 months
Available Today: 10 FF*
Available this Weekend: 13 FF*
Booking Window: 6 months
3,118 ft
63°F
48°F
48°F
poor
Los Padres National Forest › Mt. Pinos Ranger District › California
› Kern County
› Maricopa
› Ballinger Campground
Ballinger Campground, CA - Latest Reviews, Photos & Campground Map
Ballinger Campground is located in the Mt. Pinos Ranger District, Los Padres National Forest (2 hrs 1 min northeast of Santa Barbara, CA) with an elevation of 3,118 feet. There are a total of 13 campsites. The campground is open all year. Sites can accommodate RVs and trailers up to 70 feet. All sites are currently reservable. Reservations can be booked up to 6 months in advance. Each site includes a picnic table and fire ring. Prices start at $30.00 per night. Some amenities include restroom. Activities include biking, ohv allowed from campsite.
Campsite Reviews (18)
3.7 out of 5
| 5 star | 28% | |
| 4 star | 33% | |
| 3 star | 28% | |
| 2 star | 6% | |
| 1 star | 6% |
@brandonp176704 · Camped on Nov 9, 2023 at Campsite #8
Great experience. The site management company is great. Keeps the peace
Some Coverage
@JamesW5759385 · Camped on Dec 2, 2022 at Campsite #9
A great spot! Ballinger has everything you need to have a good time camping and riding. Get out there!
Major Issues
@BARRYH3340879 · Camped on Nov 18, 2022 at Campsite #1
The camp site was excellent, the road into the camp is terrible 5 mph due to pot holes. Please use some green sticker money to correct this problem.
@Jeffrey348 · Camped on Mar 25, 2022 at Campsite #1
We have been going to Ballinger for years and really enjoy it. It is great to see that they have finally made some improvements to the sites and put in new restrooms that were needed for years.
No Service
@DavidH833 · Camped on Nov 24, 2021 at Campsite #2
Great place to come for dirt biking and hanging out with family and friends.
Some Coverage
@JENNIFERS862 · Camped on Nov 24, 2021 at Campsite #6
Fun place!
@JamesR198 · Camped on Nov 19, 2021 at Campsite #4
Ballinger is a nice campground if you get the right site. Unfortunately for being a contract operated camp it is not monitored or sites marked well. I had to convince a group to vacate the campsite I had reserved because of no indication at the site and the site not being marked clearly. The access road into Ballinger Campground is in very poor condition. It would be nice if the ATV trails were not a 60" restriction but were 66' for sxs's also.
Some Coverage
@GuadalupeLunaL · Camped on Oct 15, 2021 at Campsite #2
Restroom were clean nice place to camp love it
@Roberti127 · Camped on Apr 16, 2021 at Campsite #1
We arrived at approximately 3 in the afternoon. There was no host available to check in with and the campground was mostly vacant. The road getting in was one of the worst I have ever seen. The sites are unmarked. We left early due to a pet emergency. The one ride we took was very nice.
@Jeffrey377 · Camped on Mar 19, 2021 at Campsite #1
We have been going to Ballinger for years glad to see that the finally put in new vault restrooms that very much needed for yeeaarrsss! We really enjoy our stays there and dirt bike riding!
Some Coverage
@MatthewT999 · Camped on Feb 19, 2021 at Campsite #8
Ballinger is not set up well enough for reserved camping. Nobody there to monitor the camp sites, the sites are horribly marked and there is little to no improvement on the park itself. I think it needs to go back to first come, first serve if they don’t want to improve it.
Major Issues
@MatthewT486519 · Camped on Feb 19, 2021 at Campsite #8
Ballinger is not set up well enough for reserved camping. Nobody there to monitor the camp sites, the sites are horribly marked and there is little to no improvement on the park itself. I think it needs to go back to first come, first serve if they dont want to improve it.
Major Issues
@MIKEH639 · Camped on Feb 6, 2021 at Campsite #1
First thing is first...this place is the wild west on weekends. Reservations mean nothing. I booked two sites only to find them squatted on by folks who said they had never made reservations for Ballinger in the past. I was able to grab the last spot there luckily. If you're OK with Metallica and the sound of two strokes buzzing around at 2pm, then you'll be fine. No offense to Metallica ( I love them).
I suspect the weekdays are much less impacted. The campground is quiet and nice albeit the trash situation is a bit obnoxious (beer cans, plastic) whatever. I don't think recreation.gov has any business "Selling" you a site. Don't waste your money. Just go and grab a site if you can (weekends).
I suspect the weekdays are much less impacted. The campground is quiet and nice albeit the trash situation is a bit obnoxious (beer cans, plastic) whatever. I don't think recreation.gov has any business "Selling" you a site. Don't waste your money. Just go and grab a site if you can (weekends).
Some Coverage
@erink2180723 · Camped on Nov 13, 2020 at Campsite #7
The only thing I would recommend is a better way to know which site are already reserved when you arrive there. A lot of people that have been goi g there for decades still dont know that you can reserve spots and there has been many times where we have had to ask people to move spots because they are in a spot we reserved. It is just unnecessary confrontation that can be eliminated with proper notices. Especially on busy holiday weekends.
Some Coverage
@NicoleD972 · Camped on Jul 17, 2020 at Campsite #2
On map quest it said it was 2 hour and 45 min. To get there but in reality it really took about 5 hours. It was so small. I haven't been camping aloft on 3 time so far. This place by far the worst. It had Only one restroom area. I will never visit again. I truly hope I never come across another camp site like this worst experience ever. I wouldn't recommend this Camp place to no one that's how bad Ballinger Campground wass...
No Service
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