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
nicholas s
VerifiedSeptember 27, 2023 • Stayed at: 004, Loop: FERN
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.
nicholas s
VerifiedSeptember 27, 2023 • Stayed at: 004, Loop: FERN
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.
Roger G
VerifiedSeptember 3, 2023 • Stayed at: 017, Loop: FERN
The site that I stayed at didn’t 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 didn’t have reception at this campground (a wonderful disconnect from technology).
Roger G
VerifiedSeptember 3, 2023 • Stayed at: 017, Loop: FERN
The site that I stayed at didn’t 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 didn’t have reception at this campground (a wonderful disconnect from technology).
Mary Z
VerifiedAugust 15, 2023 • Stayed at: 014, Loop: FERN
Secluded, lovely, and comfortable! We love this campground!
Mary Z
VerifiedAugust 15, 2023 • Stayed at: 014, Loop: FERN
Secluded, lovely, and comfortable! We love this campground!
Arin T
VerifiedJuly 12, 2023 • Stayed at: 008, Loop: FERN
Even on hot summer days, this site stays cool with the shade and breezes.
Arin T
VerifiedJuly 12, 2023 • Stayed at: 008, Loop: FERN
Even on hot summer days, this site stays cool with the shade and breezes.
Paul H
VerifiedJuly 3, 2023 • Stayed at: 004, Loop: FERN
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.
Paul H
VerifiedJuly 3, 2023 • Stayed at: 004, Loop: FERN
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.
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.
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Last updated: June 5, 2026
