Bakersfield National Cemetery

Bakersfield National Cemetery is a VA national cemetery in Arvin, California. VA lists it as open for burials. Burial is free for eligible veterans, their spouses and dependent children.

Source: National Cemetery Administration (cem.va.gov), retrieved May 2026

History of Bakersfield National Cemetery

Set in a beautiful, natural landscape, Bakersfield National Cemetery in the White Wolf area of the Tehachapi Mountains is nestled amidst wide-open stretches, mountain vistas and rolling grazing land where both cattle and camels once roamed. Dating to the days of the land grants when California was still part of Mexico, the land has hosted vaqueros and cowboys, as well as the short-lived U.S. Army Camel Corps that was based in nearby Fort Tejon from 1857 to 1863.

The cemetery land was originally part of a Mexican grant that dates to November 24, 1843, when Mexican Governor Manuel Micheltorena gave the land to the original owners, Jose Antonio Aguirre and Ignacio del Valle. They called the property Rancho el Tejon.

In the 1850s and 1860s, General Edward Fitzgerald Beale, hero of the Battle of San Pasqual and former superintendent of Indian affairs and surveyor-general of California, purchased Rancho el Tejon and three other land grants and assembled them into what he called the Ranchos el Tejon, now known simply as Tejon Ranch. Rancho el Tejon was the largest of the four land grants. The White Wolf area, where the cemetery is located, was historically used for grazing and that practice continues today. It was so named because of the packs of white wolves that roamed the area. The vaqueros reported seeing them as late as 1875.

Through the National Cemetery Expansion Act of 2003, Congress authorized the addition of six new national cemeteries, including one in the Bakersfield area. The Tejon Ranch Company, which owns the largest contiguous tract of private property in California, between Los Angeles and Bakersfield, quickly offered to donate land for use as a cemetery. It offered a choice of several locations in the White Wolf area and the National Cemetery Administration chose the 500-acre site located just south of Highway 58 and west of Highway 223. The cemetery is surrounded by the 422-square-mile Tejon Ranch.

The final transfer of land took place in 2008. The first interment of cremated remains occurred on July 1, 2009, and the first casketed interment the following day.

Notable interments

The National Cemetery Administration lists these people of note buried at Bakersfield National Cemetery, with section and site where recorded.

Directions

From the local airport - Meadows Field: Take CA-99 south towards Bakersfield/Los Angeles. Take Exit 24, on right, onto CA-58 east towards Tehachapi/Mojave. Travel 22.6 miles on CA-58 E then make a right onto CA-223/East Bear Mountain Blvd. towards Arvin. Bakersfield National Cemetery will be on the right after approximately 1/2 a mile.

From the East (Palmdale/Lancaster Areas): Take CA-58 west towards Bakersfield. Turn left onto CA-223/East Bear Mountain Boulevard going toward Arvin. Bakersfield National Cemetery will be on the right after approximately ½ mile.

Flowers and grounds rules

Fresh cut flowers can be placed on gravesites year-round. Once the flowers become unsightly, we will remove them. In addition, to facilitate a thorough cleaning of the burial sections, we will remove and dispose of all items placed on gravesites on the first and third Tuesday of each month (exception winter holiday season). Temporary plastic flower vases are available in the designated bins.

Artificial flowers and potted plants are allowed only on graves for a period extending five days before through five days after Easter Sunday and Memorial Day.

Who can be buried at Bakersfield National Cemetery?

VA national cemeteries accept a veteran who didn't receive a dishonorable discharge, a service member who died on active duty or in training, the veteran's spouse or surviving spouse (even if they remarried), and minor or, in some cases, unmarried adult dependent children. National Guard and Reserve members qualify under narrower rules. You can ask VA for a pre-need eligibility decision in advance; it does not reserve a gravesite.

What does burial here include at no cost?

• A gravesite in any VA national cemetery with available space
• Opening and closing of the grave
• A government-provided burial liner
• A government-provided headstone or marker
• Perpetual care of the gravesite

Veterans also receive a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate (presented to the next of kin at the burial) and military funeral honors, which include the playing of Taps and two uniformed service members who present the flag. The committal service is held at a committal shelter, not at the grave, and lasts about 20 minutes. National cemeteries have no viewing facilities, so the funeral itself is held elsewhere.

How do you schedule a burial at Bakersfield National Cemetery?

1. Gather the veteran's DD214 or other discharge papers, and the deceased's details (Social Security number, dates of birth and death, relationship to the veteran).
2. Fax the discharge papers to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 866-900-6417, or email them to [email protected] with the deceased's name in the subject line.
3. You or the funeral director call 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET) to request Bakersfield National Cemetery and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.

Where is the Bakersfield National Cemetery burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Bakersfield National Cemetery to see the committal services planned there. It only lists burials whose families agreed to publish them. To change or cancel a burial that's already scheduled, contact Bakersfield National Cemetery directly at 661-867-2250.

Headstone, flag and burial allowance

• Government headstone or marker: tell the scheduling office which headstone, marker, niche cover or medallion you want when you schedule the burial.
• Burial flag: VA Form 27-2008.
• Burial allowance: For a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2026, VA pays up to $1,032 toward burial and funeral costs and $1,032 for a plot; for a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001, the burial allowance is up to $2,000. Claim it with VA Form 21P-530EZ. All benefits

After the funeral: survivor benefits and the estate

A surviving spouse, child or parent may qualify for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), a tax-free monthly VA benefit, for example when the death was service connected (VA Form 21P-534EZ). The veteran's estate is settled under California law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in California and lists each county's probate court. For the rest of the paperwork, from Social Security to bank accounts, DeathUS has a step-by-step checklist of what to do when someone dies.

Nearest cemeteries

The three veterans cemeteries closest to Bakersfield National Cemetery, by straight-line distance:

• Los Angeles National Cemetery Annex, Los Angeles, CA: 84 mi, status not listed
• Los Angeles National Cemetery, Los Angeles, CA: 84 mi, closed to new in-ground burials
• Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, CA: 131 mi, open for burials