Fern Basin Campground, Idyllwild, CA

Fern Basin Campground is located in the San Jacinto Ranger District, San Bernardino National Forest (1 hr 4 min west of Palm Springs, CA) with an elevation of 6,252 feet. There are a total of 15 campsites. The campground is normally open from mid May to the beginning of September. Sites can accommodate RVs and trailers up to 20 feet. All sites are currently reservable. Reservations can be booked up to 6 months in advance. Each site includes a picnic table and fire ring. There is a fee of $10.00 per night. Activities include biking, fishing, horseback riding, hiking trails.

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Campsite Reviews (49)

4.1 out of 5

5 star		53%
4 star		20%
3 star		14%
2 star		4%
1 star		8%

@DeeannaSF72201 · Camped on Nov 3, 2024 at Campsite #7

Campsite was clean, close enough to bathrooms, and had beautiful views all around it. The road to get there is a paved, one lane road, but smooth and well maintained. Flat area for a tent, big enough campsite to spread out a bit. Boulders were fun to climb and explore. First weekend in November and it got seriously cold - 34 degrees in the morning. Windy at night, so be prepared. No other campers staying around us, but if it were during peak season, site 5 & 6 park right next to 7 car space and is VERY close to site 7, so people walking right by your campsite would be a regular thing. Overall, beautiful, quiet, and close enough to town to enjoy the shops before heading to the woods.

@AnnieGC44D67BF · Camped on Oct 21, 2024 at Campsite #7

I liked this place, I'm a car camper and so it seemed this place is aimed more for tent campers. You park in your area, and walk to your site. They had clean and well maintained bathrooms, but trash bins where all over flowing with only 3 campers there. Beautiful area, no service at all with at&t, ear wigs fall down from the trees a lot in mornings, beware of that lol There are precious deer and wood peckers, very beautiful place

@ClaudiaM911D2C · Camped on Oct 11, 2024 at Campsite #18

We had bad experience. When I arrived at the camp site that I had reserved on line. I found other people camping there. I told the guy that I have reserved the camp spot. All he said was that he filled out a form and that he already paid. I told him that I was going to call a ranger to come and help us. When I called the office I was told that it was closed. Then I saw a state peace officer and asked him to help me then he said that he would be able to help me because he worked for the state and I have reservations in a government camp site. The peace officer gave me phone number that they could help me. All I found out was that the person that supposedly could helped me was in Big Bear and that was going take him like 3hrs to get to our camp site. So it was best for me to spend the night on a first come first serve camp site. By that time it was Dark. So I went and set my tent up so I could spend the night there. And I thought that I had a safe spot reserved for me and my daughter. What a night.

@NaomiL2281645 · Camped on Sep 17, 2024 at Campsite #7

Very cute secluded campsite with clean restrooms

@NicoleBE2B1D89 · Camped on Sep 17, 2024 at Campsite #15

Love this campground! Site 15 and 14 have parking right next to each other. It is such a great spot for a big group trying to camp together. This campground is shaded pretty heavily.

@christoph22613 · Camped on Aug 11, 2024 at Campsite #10

Camped here Sunday-Tuesday in mid-August. The campground was mostly vacant on the weekdays. Maybe the lack of running water was an extra deterrent. It was very peaceful. Got my fill of nature just staying at the site the whole time. Recommend a campsite with tree shading during this time. Bathrooms were just fine. Some flies, but nothing a decent amount of bug spray couldn't take care of. Didn't run into any mosquito problems, thank goodness. Maybe the only con was there was still some minor light pollution as you can see city lights in the distance from the site. Still didn't stop me from getting some good stargazing in in the middle of the night and seeing some of the brightest shooting stars I've ever seen.

@ClaudiaM911D2C · Camped on Jul 25, 2024 at Campsite #15

I really enjoyed the quiet and the sound of the forest. Specially the weather it was very pleasant.

@BrianR3295011 · Camped on May 24, 2024 at Campsite #17

Site was advertised as rv/trailer but campsite was tiny, not allowing for a small trailer. All spots can accommodate a single care, maybe two. Not advised for folks with RVs or trailers.

@ToddS5367268 · Camped on Nov 3, 2023 at Campsite #17

Great campsite. The area is very dry and in need of some serious rain.

@NicholasS29081 · Camped on Sep 17, 2023 at Campsite #4

MOSQUITOES AND FLIES AND GNATS!!!I used 2 types of insect repellent and citronella candles.did not work. The campfire kept them away until the Forrest service worker came by and said no more campfires. The bugs were bad after that and I wound up leaving early.

@RogerG6151829 · Camped on Aug 25, 2023 at Campsite #17

The site that I stayed at didnt have any flat space (we ended up sleeping at an angle but made it work for the first night). The water near our site was not functioning (may have been posted that this was a dry site but was not any anything I read). With all that said being this close to the forest made up for the inconveniences. The kids had a wonderful time adventuring in the wilderness. Overall I would give this campground another try given more time to find a good site. Last note T-Mobile didnt have reception at this campground (a wonderful disconnect from technology).

@MaryZ21E6B1231 · Camped on Aug 7, 2023 at Campsite #14

Secluded, lovely, and comfortable! We love this campground!

@ArinT6F8E68EE4 · Camped on Jul 3, 2023 at Campsite #8

Even on hot summer days, this site stays cool with the shade and breezes.

@GreciaR633B1ED · Camped on Jun 16, 2023 at Campsite #9

This is one of the best camp sites in this area. Very spacious and lush . Great for bird watching or just getting away. This was our first time here and we do plan to come back soon.

@PaulH7895659 · Camped on Jun 11, 2023 at Campsite #4

Pros: Campsite #4 is set apart from the other campsites, so it is as quiet & private as it gets at Fern Basin. Cons: Campsite is backed up against a hillside, so there are no flat tent pads near the picnic table & fire pit. There is one flat spot up the hillside, but it means walking up a short hill to get to it, but it is not so bad. Camped here in #4 early June. Weather was beautiful. Very quiet, peaceful campground. Plenty of kindling firewood for the fire pit, supplemented with a bundle of wood from the local market in Idyllwild 3-4 miles away. Although there is a water spigot in the campsite, the incoming water pipe for the entire campground was broken when I stayed there; t was a short ride up to Marion Mountain campground to retrieve water. Hopefully they will have the water line repaired soon. I was told by rangers that no bears frequent this campground, so for me the food stayed in a bin in the car without issue. Other campsites at Fern Basin that looked good for me: #7 has a cool outcropping of rocks, that provide some privacy from other campsites, although it is adjacent to the loop road. #18 is nice, a small creek runs through it, but it was closed when I was there because it was too damp for tent camping. #19 is large, and 50 yards away from latrine. Lots of flat spots, and no immediate other campsites around it, since #18 was closed.

@RuthA3078855 · Camped on Jun 11, 2023 at Campsite #8

quiet, lovely, temperature was cool, off a paved road, good hiking

@MarkA9878568 · Camped on Jun 8, 2023 at Campsite #13

Enjoyable location, easy to find. Do your research on towable gear and size. Some sites just wont “fit”’certain towables.

@JannikaL84BA18 · Camped on Jun 2, 2023 at Campsite #17

Quiet, simple set up. Lots of trees, lots of trails. About 15 min to cute town of Idyllwild.

@CarolineM73728 · Camped on May 25, 2023 at Campsite #10

Awesome view! Flat area for rent and a few trees for hammocks.

@RenataM5101438 · Camped on Nov 1, 2022 at Campsite #4

We arrived lately, then the check hour, and wasn't anybody there. Even on the next day. We verified the area, and we couldn't found anybody for check-in. It was very creepy and the ground wasn't flat. No water, no signal just after 10 minutes driving, no one else there so we left the campground earlier with one day.

@ErinH2940388 · Camped on Oct 28, 2022 at Campsite #8

Loved it! I went with a group of friends and we had a great time. The campground was a little hard for us to find. It's set back a ways from the main road, down a narrow, windy road through what appears to be a (very spread-out) residential area. There is a clearly marked sign for Fern Basin at the fork in that road, but there weren't signs along the way. It really isn't bad in hindsight, but we couldn't make it until dark and the lack of signs made us worry that we were lost. Just don't second-guess yourself and don't listen to your GPS if it says you've arrived halfway down the road :) The camp itself is so beautiful, and I really appreciated that there are paved and clearly-marked parking spots next to the sites. The sites are huge. Many of them are pretty hilly though, so keep that in mind when finding a spot for your tent. The area is gorgeous and very peaceful. It's not far from Idyllwild (with supplies and a cute town center if you want that "luxury") but it felt tucked away in another world. Even when we went to Mt. San Jacinto up the road, we only saw a handful of people. (Highly recommend taking that hike, by the way!) Our time there was exactly what we needed and we definitely want to come back again.

@JoanneJ5885253 · Camped on Oct 10, 2022 at Campsite #10

Lovely mountain experience. Bathroom structures are cinder block & tile, locking doors, and two vault toilets each building, They are checked by Forest Rangers minimum three days each week. Recreation.gov labeling of campsites was accurate, but because I'm local, I actually visited Fern Valley to scope out the best site , and its condition overall before reserving. I camped alone for three nights (S, S & M) in mid-October, and most of the time, I had the entire campground to myself. I watched weather websites closely to gauge storms and temps and for mountain conditions; they were very accurate. Owls at night, squirrels, I heard raccoons at dusk but didn't see them. I took caution and stored food inside my vehicle all the time. Parking spaces are level; sites are within about 70% deep shade. Tent sites, however, are mostly on a slight incline; I walked and looked at all of them. If that bothers you, bring a rake and maybe a flat edge shovel. Loose scree, and some on small gravel, camping is clean (not dusty). Cell reception bars were almost nil; only a teensy bar and that, only sporadically. No water, no fires, great place to commune with nature. I will definitely be returning.

@MarieJS3965452 · Camped on Oct 7, 2022 at Campsite #5

Fun and small campground. Despite the whole campground seemed online to be booked for the entire weekend we were supposed to be there, barely any other campers showed up. Nice and quiet therefore! Unfortunately, that we couldn't make a campfire and that there was no water, but as we knew this in advance, we could prep for it (brought extra water).

@KaiL2855654 · Camped on Sep 23, 2022 at Campsite #16

Water didn't work. Bathroom is pretty dirty, lots of bugs. Can install a solar powered motion sensor light? No campfires allowed.

@DomenicA840228 · Camped on Aug 19, 2022 at Campsite #17

Campground was clean and quiet but we left early because of mosquitos and yellowjackets. Glad we brought a screen 'tent.' Also, we had reserved site 17 and were quite disappointed to discover most of the trees at that site had been recently cut down and it has no shade. Fortunately we were able to use a different site.

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