Idyllwild Campground Mt. San Jacinto State Park California
Idyllwild Overview
Idyllwild Campground in Mt. San Jacinto State Park has 34 campsites (8 with hookups – 30 amp) and is located in the town of Idyllwild next to the State Park HQ.
Campsites can accommodate tents, trailers and small RVs (25 feet maximum). Many campsites have uneven parking and/or camping areas. The sites with hookups are 1-6, 26 and 28. Hike & Bike campsites are also available.
Campground amenities include drinking water, flush toilets and showers ($). Each campsite also has a table, fire ring and grill. Firewood is also available for sale from the camp host. Cell service is good and overflow parking is available.
There also four other campgrounds in the area including: Stone Creek (50 campsites), Dark Canyon (17 campsites), Fern Basin (21 campsites) and Marion Mountain (24 campsites).
Idyllwild – Area Recreation
Outdoor recreation in the area includes hiking, mountain biking and picnicking. Wildlife viewing is also nice here.
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 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 Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is also located in the Park. It is one of the largest and longest single-lift tramways in the world and can carry passengers 2.5 miles from the Valley Station to Mountain Station. After a lift of nearly 6,000 feet, visitors can explore the alpine forest and also hike trails of varying difficulty.
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Amenities
- BBQ Grills
- Campsite Tables
- Cell Service - Good
- Comfort Station
- Drinking Water
- Electrical Hookup
- Equestrian trail
- Fire Pit
- Fire Rings
- Firewood Available
- Grills
- Hike/Bike Campsites
- Overflow Parking
- Pets OK
- Picnic Tables
- Ranger Station
- Recycling Center
- Restrooms (Flush Toilets)
- RV Hookups
- Showers
Activities
- Biking
- Bird Watching
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Historic Sites
- Horseback riding
- Mountain Biking
- Museum
- Nature Trails
- Photography
- Picnicking
- Stargazing
- Visitor Center
- Wildlife Viewing
Idyllwild, California 92549
951 659-2607
Lat / Long:
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Campsite Types
- ADA
- Hike/Bike
- RV
- Tent
- Trailer
# of Campsites:
34
# of RV Hookup Campsites:
8
Campsite Vehicle Size:
25 feet
Season:
Year Round
Elevation:
5,401
Idyllwild Comments & Reviews
Visited Idyllwild Campground lately? We'd love to hear about your adventure. Did you find us useful? Did we forget something? Anything our community should know before heading out to Idyllwild?
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Hi! Do you allow camp fires? We would be coming mid November. Thank you!
Hi Staci,
No campfires are allowed at this time or in the foreseeable future:
Fire restrictions and guidelines include:
Open fires, including campfires and barbecues, are prohibited. Portable propane or gas stoves are still permitted for cooking with designated campsites and day use areas.
Fireworks are prohibited.
Smoking is only permitted in designated areas.
Hi does your campsite has shower? Thanks
Hi Halena,
Idyllwild Campground has flush toilets and drinking/potable water, but no showers.
Hi –
I just booked two campgrounds but a trailer (small teardrop) wasn’t an option – is this just a tent campground? Thank you
Hi Zayna,
The campsites at Idyllwild campground can accommodate tents, trailers and small RVs (24 feet maximum).
Hi,
Are fires allowed yet?
Hi Dina,
Fires are allowed in campsite fire rings, but all campground are currently closed due to snow. Fires will be allowed until conditions change. You can check status at this website: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=636
Sorry to keep asking. Are fires permitted this weekend? I can’t find any info on the parks.ca.gov website. Thanks!
No problem Nick. For current fire conditions & restrictions you should contact the San Jacinto Ranger District at 909 382-2921. I believe fires are permitted in campsite fire rings, but that could change based on wind/weather conditions.
Hello! When I bring up Idyllwild Campground’s map on the Reserve CA website it shows the symbol for a shower near site #ID09, but I see in the comments above that you stated that there are no showers in the campground. Have showers been added to the campground or is the inclusion of the shower symbol on the campground map an error on the part of Reserve CA?
Hi Joey,
Yes, Idyllwild Campground has showers, but they may have closed those last year due to the pandemic. Not sure status of them now, but you can try calling up there to double check: 951 659-2607
I have a roof top tent affixed to my truck. Can site ID23 be accessed by vehicle or is this a haul-in spot only. Is there a designated parking spot for this site? Thank you
Hi Jake,
Campsite ID23 is a walk-to site. It is about 50 feet from the parking area. Parking is on the road that runs through campground (near the site). You’re campsite fee pays for one vehicle, but you can have a 2nd (for an additional fee). This indicates (to me) that you should be able to set up your roof top tent on your truck and camp/sleep in the parking spot.
We are looking to camp just after Christmas, is there usually any snow in the campground?
Hi Audry,
During a normal/average winter – there’s a good chance there will be snow on the ground (5,400 feet) at Idyllwild campground. However, the last few years have been relatively dry (snow free). I’d keep an eye on the weather. You can generally check about 10 days out. This is a La Nina year, so that means fewer storms, but colder ones with more precipitation. If a storm does hit in December – the snow will be there. Hope this helps some.
Can I bring my doggy to camp with me at the idyllwild campgrounds?
Hi Donnie,
Yes – dogs are allowed in the campgrounds, but must be on a leash at all times. Have fun with your friend!
Stay: Site #9, 4th of July week, 2022. Showers/Toilets were fully operational and among the very best ever experienced! The campground was extraordinarily well monitored by the camp host and ranger; clean, and well maintained. Yes, there is some road noise during the day, but not so much to interfere with sleep. It’s a trade-off for walking and biking to town. The town of Idyllwild is terrific! Don’t worry if you forget something, want to have breakfast at a cute local cafe, or an afternoon of music and drinks. A Nature Center and plentiful hiking await you. We already have reservations for October!
I’ve reserved site #05, which has electricity hook ups. What kind of hook up is available? Can you share the type of outlet and the amps/volts? I will be running my CPAP machine from the hook up. Thanks!
Hi Kayla,
I did some checking and was not able to find out what the amps/volts are for the electric hookups at Idyllwild Campground (Mt. San Jacinto Park). Maybe some knows and can comment, or you can try calling the park/campground to check: (951) 659-2607
Thank you! I called and they confirmed it’s a 30amp plug.
Great – glad you got through and confirmed the 30amp plug. We will also make a note of that on the camp page.
Does anyone know if there are overflow parking lots here? how does this work since each camp site is allowed 2 cars.
Hey Bryan,
Yes there is overflow parking available at Idyllwild Campground. Click on the ‘campground map’ button (but viewable only if you’re a Pro Member) to see where the overflow parking is located. There are a few areas near the entrance – hold about 5 cars each. The overflow parking is first-come, first-serve.
I’m wondering what criteria is used for determining “favorite campsites”? I recognize it’s different for every campground, but our short list is a flat space for a tent, proximity to toilets and parking lots (not always a good thing with foot/vehicle traffic), privacy, view, rocks to climb on, and distance from standing water and accompanying bugs. This may be a more generic question, just happen to be looking at a camping trip to this location and thought we’d ask!
Hi Chameleon,
Great question. While walking/photographing the campground our photographer will make a list of favorite/best campsites based:
– Location (with a view, next to water, features unique at the campground, etc.)
– Has more privacy than other sites (has more space between neighboring sites and/or trees, rocks or bushes between sites)
– Is quieter – away from high traffic areas like trails, toilets, trash receptacles, camp road intersections or entrance)
– Larger and with level parking/camping areas
– And if the parking area is fairly close to the table/fire pit, camping area (tents)
We also consider hookups (unless every site has hookups), but not always.
Hope this helps!