Fern Basin in CA -- Campground & RV Camping
Fern Basin in CA
CampgroundUSFS
3.1 mi from Idyllwild-Pine Cove
Official campground & reservations ↗
Road Access
- Road difficulty 1 of 5: an easy drive in.
- Recorded as maintained for passenger-car comfort, paved, pitching to 12%.
Rig fit
- Maximum published vehicle length: 20 ft.
- Longest published RV site: 20 ft.
- Longest published trailer site: 20 ft.
Campground details
Setting
Fern Basin Campground sits at an elevation of 6,300 feet in the mountains seven miles north of Idyllwild, surrounded by mixed oaks, shrubs, and conifers. The facility contains about two dozen campsites suited for tents, vans, and small RVs. Each site includes a picnic table and a campfire ring with a grill, with vault toilets located on site. Potable water is not guaranteed, so campers must bring their own supply. The 11.8-mile Marion Mountain Trail starts nearby, climbing steeply toward San Jacinto Peak.
Getting there: 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.
- Limited separation from through roads or other sites here, a 23-site campground with the nearest through road 0.1 miles off.
- Flat ground is scarce: under a tenth of the terrain within a few hundred yards is level.
- Marion Mountain stands 4,060 ft above the map pin, 3.0 miles east.
- North Fork San Jacinto River runs 0.6 mi off.
- Estimated night sky: Bortle 3, a dark rural sky.
Climate averages
October normals 47–69°F, 1.5″ precipitation. Monthly averages, PRISM 1991–2020.
Starlink Radar
Open sky · Terrain & buildings · Tree canopy
Estimated horizon in eight compass directions, using 10 m USGS elevation. Sky clearance 81 of 100.