Like so many of our trips, this destination was inspired YouTube videos (mostly watched by Kimberly) and this case, we hit the jackpot.
Nestled at the foothills of the Sierras, at an elevation of 2667 feet it’s not a mountaintop destination but it feels like it is when you are there. Aside from the apparent charm of the little village itself, the beautiful Kern river runs through the middle of town. There are many places to stop and dip your toe or just enjoy the sounds of the river and watch it flow past.
But I’m getting ahead of myself.
The route to get to Kernville is a simply gorgeous drive through a canyon created by the Kern river. It’s an easy drive and one filled with beauty. As you leave the narrow canyon the road opens into driving through the foothills and in between the southern Sierras until you arrive in Kernville.
The heart of Kernville is a small town square centered around one small park. It’s basically one block with businesses facing three sides. There is, of course, more along the river but overall, Kernville is not a teeming metropolis, which is its charm.
We had lunch at the Sequoia Mountain Bakery which was a great choice for us. They had a little patio where we could sit with the dogs and enjoy their amazing offerings and yes, they are incredible. They serve some breakfast and lunch items as well as their baked goods. I doubt you will leave hungry.
We spent some time at the park on the river next to the square. It’s nice little park that runs along the portion of the river that cuts through town. There are tables to sit at, grills to cook on and plenty of nice rocks to sit on as well.
All this an easy and wonderful hour drive from our home in Bakersfield. We’ve since been back a couple of times just to explore and soak it in. We recommend Kernville if you’re in the area and definitely the drive from Bakersfield to Kernville on the state road 178. We averaged 39MPG for the entire trip.
