Fern Basin Campground (California)

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25905 Highway 243
Idyllwild, California 92549
951 659-2607
33.78861, -116.73778

Fern Basin campground is one of five campgrounds in Mount San Jacinto State Park and has 21 campsites for tents, trailers and small RVs. Fern Basin is at 6,300 feet in elevations and the campground has drinking water and vault toilets. All campsites sites are equipped with tables, campfire rings and grills. Mature cedar and pine trees provide ample shade and privacy between campsites. There is no campsite #11.

Mount San Jacinto State Park has four other campgrounds – Stone Creek (50 campsites), Dark Canyon (17 campsites), Idyllwild (34 campsites) and Marion Mountain (24 campsites).

Mount San Jacinto State Park is located in the San Jacinto Mountains and can be reached via Highway 243 from Idyllwild (CA) or by tram from Palm Springs. Elevation in the 14,000 acre park ranges from 6,000 to the 11,000 feet peak of Mt. San Jacinto, the 2nd highest point in southern California. The park’s granite peaks, sub-alpine forests and mountain meadows offer visitors a primitive high-country experience with many hiking trails and spectacular views. The park offers 4 developed campgrounds and several hike-in camping locations (wilderness camping permit required).

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, one of the largest and longest single-lift tramways in the world, carries passengers 2.5 miles from the Valley Station in Chino Canyon to Mountain Station, on the edge of the Mount San Jacinto State Wilderness. After a lift of nearly 6,000 feet, visitors can explore the alpine forest and hike trails of varying difficulty.

Make a Reservation for Fern Basin

Directions:

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.