Belknap is a gorgeous area located at the southern end of Sequoia National Forest.
It is right off Nelson Drive, just a few minutes from a charming town called Camp Nelson. At "Camp Nelson" there is a small motel, convenience store, and gas. You also pass through a beautiful town called Springville, which has shops and restaurants.
The campground has all the basic facilities, including sinks and bathrooms. The sites are very private due to the huge trees. The trees are breath taking, and you can see one giant Sequoia after the other. Some of the giant Sequoias are right in the middle of the camp ground and are unbelievable. If you want to see more giants, there is the "Trail of Giant" which starts right around the camp site.
Since the camp site is high up in the mountains (4,000 ft +), the camp site gets quite cold and night and in the early morning. It starts warming up around 10am so make sure to bring warms clothes and a hat. The cold weather makes for great camp fires and night. Since the sights were very private, we were able to play games, play music, and have a roaring fire without disturbing our neighbors.
There is a river that runs through the site, which is beautiful. You can hike along this river, and get some great pictures. In the summer, the river offers a refreshing place to stop and dip your feet. There are also many quiet and private locations along the river which make for good fishing or reading. Fishing requires some level of skill and the river is not stocked. We did see some fishermen though with some good looking trout.
Belknap was one of the best and most fun camp sites we have ever been too. We are trying to make it a tradition to go there every year. The scenery is amazing, and the camp site is well designed.
