Openings · last 7 days
7
Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 7 site openings here in the last 7 days
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-231969
When Fern Basin reopens
Fern Basin's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
16
Openings · last 90 days
16
Only 16 openings in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18 – Nov 8, 2026 · of 15 monitored sites
Of the 780 tracked site-nights (Sep 18 – Nov 8, 2026): 522 open for online reservation · 228 reserved · 30 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative).
Where the open windows are
33.1% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 522 of 780 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18 – Nov 8, 2026Not open online33.1%
Open site-nights522 / 780
Reserved (of online inventory)228 / 750
Weekday openings398
Weekend openings124
Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 398 fall on weekdays and 124 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Nov 2026October holds the most room. 325 of 465 site-nights are still open there.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 15 sites| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open | |
| Thanksgiving | THU Nov 26 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Nov 27 | 0 | None open | |
| SAT Nov 28 | 0 | None open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night. Thanksgiving: no online availability on any tracked night.
Best-availability sites
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| 010 | 42 |
| 005 | 37 |
| 012 | 37 |
| 013 | 37 |
| 009 | 36 |
The 5 sites with the most open site-nights in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateTue · Sep 22
Next open weekendFri · Oct 16
The next bookable night is Sep 22; the first open weekend starts Oct 16. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
522 open site-nights across 15 sites at Fern Basin, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 90 2-night, 87 3-night, 14 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Sep 22 at site 005.
All 15 sites with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 010 | 20 ft | None | 42 | 29 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7 +30 more |
| 005 | 20 ft | None | 37 | 12 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7 +25 more |
| 012 | 20 ft | None | 37 | 11 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7 +25 more |
| 013 | 20 ft | None | 37 | 14 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7 +25 more |
| 009 | 20 ft | None | 36 | 12 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7, Oct 8 +24 more |
| 006 | 20 ft | None | 35 | 11 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7 +23 more |
| 017 | 20 ft | None | 35 | 11 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7 +23 more |
| 019 | 20 ft | None | 35 | 12 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7 +23 more |
| 004 | 20 ft | None | 34 | 12 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7, Oct 8 +22 more |
| 016 | 20 ft | None | 34 | 11 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7 +22 more |
| 018 | 20 ft | None | 34 | 9 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7 +22 more |
| 007 | 20 ft | None | 33 | 5 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7 +21 more |
| 008 | 20 ft | None | 33 | 5 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7 +21 more |
| 014 | 20 ft | None | 30 | 5 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7 +18 more |
| 015 | 20 ft | None | 30 | 5 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7, Oct 8 +18 more |
About Fern Basin
Overview
The picturesque Fern Basin Campground is a perfect escape from a busy lifestyle. It provides peace and quiet in the mountains of southern California as well as access to countless recreational opportunities.
The San Bernardino National Forest is submitting a proposal to increase fees at various sites across the Forest and is seeking public input. Please visit the https://www.fs.usda.gov/sbnf for more information and to submit comments regarding this proposal.
Recreation
Visitors to the area enjoy hiking on the Marion Mountain Trail, which leads to San Jacinto Peak. Views from the peak extend to the ocean and across the Palm Desert, as well as the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains on a clear day. The 11.8-mile Marion Mountain Trail is the shortest route up the mountain, but is also quite strenuous in areas.
Facilities
Please be aware that potable (safe for drinking) water may or may not be available at this campground. Please bring ample water for drinking, cooking etc. Fern Basin campground offers about two dozen campsites for both tent and small RV / van camping. All campsites are equipped with tables and campfire rings with grills. Vault toilets are available within the campground.
Natural Features
The campground is located in a grove of mixed oaks and shrubs. A surrounding mixed conifer forest provides spotty shade for the campground. It is situated at an elevation of about 6,300 feet, in the mountains overlooking California's desert.
Nearby Attractions
The campground is located approximately 50 miles southeast of San Bernardino, California, and about seven miles north of the small town of Idyllwild, which is known for its shops and restaurants.
15 monitored sitesRVs up to 20 ftNo hookupsPets OKMax party 8
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.
P.O. Box 518, Idyllwild, CA 92549909-382-2922
CampingFishingHikingHorseback RidingLookout TowerMountain Biking
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-231969 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-231969 · Fern Basin · Idyllwild CA12 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Fern Basin?
Reservations for Fern Basin are made through Recreation.gov. 522 of 780 tracked site-nights are currently open (66.9%). Campsite Sniper has also detected 16 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Sep 18, 2026 17:19 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at Fern Basin?
Campsite Sniper detected 7 site-date openings at Fern Basin in the last 7 days, 16 over 30 days and 16 over the last 90.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Fern Basin?
87 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Sep 22 at site 005. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which sites at Fern Basin fit a 35-foot RV?
No RV-analyzable site here has a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 20 ft.
Which month has the most availability at Fern Basin?
October 2026, with 325 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 465.
When is the next open date at Fern Basin?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Tue, Sep 22 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Oct 16. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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