Kernan
Kernan Trail is a 5.6-mile trail in Cleveland National Forest, California. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking and e-bikes.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Cleveland National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 32.7246° N, 116.5592° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 32.7421° N, 116.5215° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start.
The trail
| Length | 5.6 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 10-12 percent |
| Typical tread width | 36-48 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 802 |
| Forest | Cleveland National Forest (unit 0502) |
| States | California |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed |
| E-bikes | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Trailheads
Four Corners Trailhead No season published · listed closed | under 0.1 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedOak Woodlands Wcsl Rx
7 mi from the trail midpoint
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Kernan Trail?
The Forest Service records 5.6 miles under this name in Cleveland National Forest, the sum of 1 segment.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Kernan Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking and e-bikes are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Kernan Trail start?
The line begins at 32.7246° N, 116.5592° W and ends at 32.7421° N, 116.5215° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Four Corners Trailhead, under 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Kernan Trail in a wilderness area?
No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Where can I camp near the Kernan Trail?
Bobcat Meadow Campground (0.4 mi), Corral Canyon Campground (1.1 mi) and Boulder Oaks Eqst (2.4 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 4 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Kernan Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Kernan Trail?
The typical grade is 10-12 percent. The typical tread is 36-48 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Kernan Trail?
Cleveland National Forest, Forest Service unit 0502. The trail is in California.
Is there a fire near the Kernan Trail?
The interagency feed shows 1 active incident within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Oak Woodlands Wcsl Rx at 7 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named Kernan in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0502. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.