About Fern Basin
Number of accommodations: 15
Nearby Activities & Attractions
Hiking
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
Water and Hygiene
- Potable Water
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Rates, Sites & Availability
15 Sites Available
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Site Details
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15 Sites Available
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Reviews (162)
What Guests Are Saying
Fern Basin is a charming and peaceful campground ideal for tent campers, offering friendly park rangers and clean vault toilets. Visitors appreciate the shaded sites, beautiful surroundings, and opportunities for nature exploration, with many highlighting the tranquility and lack of noise. Some challenges include tight roads, limited privacy, and occasional mosquito issues, but overall, it is well-regarded for a restful camping experience.
What Guests Are Saying
Fern Basin is a charming and peaceful campground ideal for tent campers, offering friendly park rangers and clean vault toilets. Visitors appreciate the shaded sites, beautiful surroundings, and opportunities for nature exploration, with many highlighting the tranquility and lack of noise. Some challenges include tight roads, limited privacy, and occasional mosquito issues, but overall, it is well-regarded for a restful camping experience.
Review Summary
Kyle W
VerifiedAugust 19, 2020 • Stayed at: 006, Loop: FERN
The Fern Basin campground was a clean, quiet, and well shaded camping location. The bathrooms are drop toilets and mid-day did have a few fly's but were generally clean with plenty of toilet paper. The individual camp sites vary in size and distance from assigned parking location; however, each site has a fire ring and picnic table. I used this camp site to hike the Marion Mountain Trail to the peak of San Jacinto and this only added a short distance to the trail head. There is no service for TMobile in the camp ground itself but there was service in town if you need to check up on things. Idylwild is approximately 15 minutes away and there are plenty of places to purchase ice, food/drinks, and fire wood. Overall the campground was well kept and shaded. I will certainly camp here again.
Kyle W
VerifiedAugust 19, 2020 • Stayed at: 006, Loop: FERN
The Fern Basin campground was a clean, quiet, and well shaded camping location. The bathrooms are drop toilets and mid-day did have a few fly's but were generally clean with plenty of toilet paper. The individual camp sites vary in size and distance from assigned parking location; however, each site has a fire ring and picnic table. I used this camp site to hike the Marion Mountain Trail to the peak of San Jacinto and this only added a short distance to the trail head. There is no service for TMobile in the camp ground itself but there was service in town if you need to check up on things. Idylwild is approximately 15 minutes away and there are plenty of places to purchase ice, food/drinks, and fire wood. Overall the campground was well kept and shaded. I will certainly camp here again.
Jamie F
VerifiedJuly 25, 2020 • Stayed at: 015, Loop: FERN
Excellent Campground. Very Quiet, although there weren't too many people. A bit of a drive for Wood and Ice. The kids liked all the boulders to climb on. We'll be back.
Jamie F
VerifiedJuly 25, 2020 • Stayed at: 015, Loop: FERN
Excellent Campground. Very Quiet, although there weren't too many people. A bit of a drive for Wood and Ice. The kids liked all the boulders to climb on. We'll be back.
Christopher B
VerifiedJuly 11, 2020 • Stayed at: 009, Loop: FERN
We really enjoyed this quiet spot. We liked how much space there was between sites, and all our "neighnors" were respectful tent campers, no RVs. Plenty to do close by.
Christopher B
VerifiedJuly 11, 2020 • Stayed at: 009, Loop: FERN
We really enjoyed this quiet spot. We liked how much space there was between sites, and all our "neighnors" were respectful tent campers, no RVs. Plenty to do close by.
Gary M
VerifiedJanuary 24, 2020 • Stayed at: 014, Loop: FERN
Fern Basin is the place to go for a good camping experience. The campground is very clean and not noisy at all. Beautiful surroundings, great hiking. In the summer be prepared for not having a camp fire though which is a drag. But some people still do. There was one thing though that was very irritating. Every time you get ready to cook out comes the bees. Very irritating ‼️Almost didn’t want to cook because of it. But other than that it is fine. I will go there again if we can have a campfire. But still a very beautiful place. 🇺🇸☮️
Gary M
VerifiedJanuary 24, 2020 • Stayed at: 014, Loop: FERN
Fern Basin is the place to go for a good camping experience. The campground is very clean and not noisy at all. Beautiful surroundings, great hiking. In the summer be prepared for not having a camp fire though which is a drag. But some people still do. There was one thing though that was very irritating. Every time you get ready to cook out comes the bees. Very irritating ‼️Almost didn’t want to cook because of it. But other than that it is fine. I will go there again if we can have a campfire. But still a very beautiful place. 🇺🇸☮️
John S
VerifiedJanuary 23, 2020 • Stayed at: 009, Loop: FERN
Great place. We'll definitely go back soon.
Brian P
VerifiedJanuary 23, 2020 • Stayed at: 007, Loop: FERN
we've been to Fern Basin many times over the years. it's a great spot, not too crowded, well maintained.
we certainly appreciate this and other campgrounds in the area.
Location Fern Basin
Address:
P.O. Box 518
Idyllwild, CA, 92549
United States
From Idyllwild, travel north on State Route 243 about 4 miles. Turn right at the campground sign and continue to Forest Service Road 4S02. Turn left and proceed less than a mile to an intersection. Continue straight on the Forest Service Road and turn left into the campground.
Latitude & Longitude: 33.7886 / -116.738
Elevation: 1906 feet
Policies & Rules
Cancellation policy
- Reservation fees are non-refundable. For campsites, cabins, lookouts, yurts, group sites, and similar stays, we charge a reservation service fee of $8.
- Standard cancellations usually have a $10 cancellation fee. Customers can generally cancel before the check-in date online.
- Late cancellation rules differ by stay type.
- Individual campsites: cancelling after 12:00am local time the day before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
- Cabins, lookouts, and yurts: cancelling less than 14 days before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
- One-night reservations: a late cancellation usually forfeits the full amount paid, up to the total original reservation cost.
- Modifications are allowed before the cut-off window, but fees depend on the change. Changing to dates completely outside the original reservation dates may trigger a $10 change fee. Extending or shortening a stay that still includes original dates usually has no change fee, though refunds may depend on timing and facility rules. Switching to the same type of campsite for the same dates usually has no change fee, but price differences are charged or refunded.
- Early departures may or may not be refunded. At certain facilities, partial refunds may be possible if staff can mark the site available for other visitors. No refund is given for a night if the early departure is requested after that day's check-out time.
- Security deposits are separate. Security deposits may be refunded to the original payment method if the facility is left in acceptable condition, as determined by the property.
Nearby Campgrounds
Nearby destinations
Last updated: June 5, 2026
