Facilities

Picnic Areas

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panoramaThe Kern County Parks Division has 40 picnic areas in almost every community in Kern County. Most of these parks offer you cooling shade trees, playgrounds and picnic tables. They are an ideal spot for a family gathering, for example, as an inexpensive and fun alternative for your children's birthday parties. You can even bring a bounce house, with a confirmed reservation, if it is on our list of approved providers.

We also offer group picnic areas to accommodate events such as a family reunion, a company picnic or a wedding. We invite you to visit our parks to determine the best one for your upcoming event.

Some of the amenities may include raised bandstands with electrical outlets, deep pit barbecues, food preparation area, large grills, picnic tables and children's play areas - just about everything you need for a successful event.

See Also:

Hart Park is one of Kern County's oldest parks. The park was dedicated in 1929 as the Kern River Park, and renamed in 1947 for Kern County Supervisor John O. Hart.

The 370 acres of Hart Park along the Kern River now constitute the centerpiece of the 1,012 acre recreational complex called Kern River County Park, which also includes the:

Hart Memorial Park Improvement Plan

Location/Directions/Hours

General Location: Hart Memorial Park is located eight miles northeast of Bakersfield on Alfred Harrell Highway.

Hours: 5:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Contact Information

Hart Park Field Office
Phone: (661) 872-3179
Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Activities & Amenities

  • Two lakes of 10 acres with trout, catfish, bass fishing (state license required)
  • Wildlife habitat: kit fox, possum, raccoon, beaver, muskrat, skunk, white egret, blue heron, ducks
  • Individual and group picnic spots with tables and grills. Alcohol with Permit from the Kern County Parks Division.
  • Parking lot at east park entrance for access to hiking and equestrian trails
  • Fishing spots
  • Children's playgrounds
  • Restrooms

Warnings/Regulations/Restrictions

  • Swim at your own risk. The Kern River's currents sweep both adults and children to their deaths every year. Children even momentarily unattended are at great risk. River swimmers can be carried down into pockets in the rocks, and lake swimmers encounter a parasite that causes a nasty, itchy rash. No lifeguards are on duty.
  • All pets must stay on a leash for the sake of other park visitors and wildlife.
  • All fires must be lit only in the designated fireplaces or grills. Visitors must bring their own fuel because no cutting or use of park vegetation is permitted.
  • The discharge of all firearms or weapons, including bows and arrows, spears, BB guns, pellet guns and sling shots, is prohibited.
  • Parking along the park roadways is permitted as long as vehicles are not on the lawns.
  • Please deposit trash in waste receptacles and clean off tables properly. These actions will preserve public health and keep the park pristine.
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