Idyllwild Park
Idyllwild Park
4.5

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles36 reviews
Excellent
22
Very good
8
Average
5
Poor
0
Terrible
1

Steve H
Palm Desert, CA2 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022 • Family
There was a massive party with stage dj movie screen bar on one campsite. At least 100 people were there overnight. The ranger, a jerk, was too cowardly to stop the party that ruined our and other campers exerience.
Written 28 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Barb H
Huntington Beach, CA54 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2020
Great place for a hike with multiple options. Great campsites as well. Everything is clean and well-maintained, and the rangers are friendly.
Written 20 May 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chris Satterfield
Los Angeles, CA62 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019 • Couples
First night we got there, which was a Saturday evening, around 6:20pm, it was crowded! Come to find out, the Boy Scouts Organization had, obviously, booked an a entire mega area of the camp park. And to our dismay, camp site #27 was right near a couple of the BSO sites. These people were loud and disrespectful, and...there went our quiet nature getaway.

We had purchased a propane grill for our camp trip, because the website clearly stated there were to be NO FIRES on any of the campgrounds. As soon as we arrived at our campsite, we see that everybody has a fire lit. It caused us a lot of confusion. It was really cold, so ultimately, we decided to light a fire ourselves.

Fast forward to the next day, as it seemed that most of the BSO crew was packing up and heading out, we decided to go purchase another log for a second night with the fire but was told, as we returned, from a female caretaker, that there were to be no fires at all. I immediately told her that our previous night the Boy Scouts organization all had fires. She seemed bewildered. She stated that they were not supposed to do that and there should have been someone surveying the area to make sure there were no fires.

Long story short, I felt she was disingenuous. How does one stage an entire organization’s event, and not know that they’re going to want to create camp fires. Especially a huge organization like the Boy Scouts. And zero park rangers that night? I feel that the Boy Scouts of America were ALLOWED to create fires in an extreme fire prone area. Very disappointed with this campground.

Side note: These “camp” sites are all on top of each other. You can hear everyone and their children all around. Zero authentic privacy and zero sense of boundaries.

Also, a small, very hilly and unleveled campground. Website photos are misleading. Expect more of a tailgating party vibe as opposed to a nature getaway. It’s quiet ONLY on off seasons.

Save up for a real nature trip. I definitely will.
Written 13 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mercedcampgirl
Orange, CA1,010 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019
We booked four campsites in July, 2019, for our large family. The campground surpassed our expectations! We did have to take an alternative route in due to the washed out 243 North from Banning. As we came in from the south, we passed miles and miles of charred tree stumps and blackened ground due to the arson-caused Cranston Fire. But the campground, which had been evacuated during the fire, escaped harm thanks to the awesome firefighters (according to the campground host). It is a clean, well-maintained campground thanks to the camp hosts who are attentive to its care.

Our campsites, 47, 48, 49 and 50, were roomy and right next to Strawberry Creek, which is pretty skimpy in summer but enough to get the kids' feet wet. They enjoyed climbing on the boulders there, too. There are lots of trees at these sites so the shade is ample, even in summer. The asphalt campground roads were happily used by the kids on their razor scooters.

Each site has parking for two cars, a firepit and a picnic table. (No bear boxes to deal with...yay!) We were able to create a community dining area by moving a couple of tables together and putting a canopy over them. Be SURE to put your tables back if you do this, or the hosts will have to chain them down like they are in many campgrounds. For non-cooking meals, a quick drive to the village and the Idyllwild Pizza Company offers yummy food!

There was a handy water spigot in site 48 or 49. Our sites were in between two restrooms. Toilet flushing was a challenge and one stall was out of order the whole 3 days we were there. But soap was provided (nice!) and one restroom had a couple of showers attached (one was inoperative), $1.00 for six minutes, quarters only.

There are nearby hikes to choose from. A quick walk next to the campground is okay for little legs. We took our kids on the Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail (had to drive to it), and they were only good for a couple of miles. Others in our group hiked the 9 mile round trip Suicide Rock Trail (also had to drive to it). One day, everyone drove 15 minutes away to play at Lake Hemet. It's pricey, but everyone had fun.

I met the camp host and his co-worker, and they are SO nice and helpful with information.

Camping at this park is highly recommended!
Written 17 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michael C
San Diego, California, United States28 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2019 • Solo
Great campground! 88 camping sites, clean bathrooms and roomy campsites.
Five minutes to town, hiking trails abound.
Written 6 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Joe P
Glendale, AZ12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2019
I experienced a late May 2019 weekend at the Idyllwild Campground. I was meeting two of my childhood friends for a nice campout. Upon entering the park, I stopped at the Ranger's Office and checked in. The ranger was friendly, provided me with a list of the campground rules and also gave me some information about hikes and nearby attractions. The campground we were assigned (Number 8), was more than large enough to accommodate our three tents. The site was close to the restrooms, which were clean and flush toilets. Showers were also available at a cost of $1 for five minutes. The town of Idyllwild was within walking distance of our campsite; about a 15 min stroll. In town, there are a number of restaurants and shops. We had dinner one night at an Italian restaurant. If you like to hike, there are trails aplenty in the area. If I was forced to come up with a downside for the campground it would only be that it is close to the highway, and we could hear the sounds of the cars and trucks on the road. That is about it! I will be back.
Written 4 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Passport15657831373
3 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2019
Upon entering the park , we were greeted in a hurried fashion an sent off on the adventure to find a spot to park. Map given to us was not clearly defined or accurate. Quite hilliy with sharp turns no annotated for standard turning radius for vehiv
Clos with tows. Any way after going to sites designated to meet our requirements several were not accessible to terrain of site. After overcoming those few hours and locating a site it was enjoyable and relaxing time
Written 27 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lock-N-Load765
Coronado, CA29 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2019 • Friends
We were a group of 5 adult couples and headed up from San Diego the weekend of April 13/14. We were in sites 9 - 13, which were perfect for our group. The overall condition of the campground was great and all of our sites were clean including the tables and fire pits. One of the water supplies was not operational, but others were close enough. The bathroom facilities were in good condition. I'd call them typical campground bathrooms with available pay showers (bring quarters).

As is reported and reviewed on heavily, the walking and hiking around the area has many options. Some of the group enjoyed a short “hike” into town to check out the many cool shops and then stopped in an establishment for an adult beverage. It’s nice to have a place where you can get away a bit into the woods and be able to go into town to hang out if you want. That is one cool thing about camping in Idyllwild: it provides so many options for people who are looking for different experiences.

I think it is good to be aware of the fact that many large groups of “scouts” go to the campground. By large, I mean large. If you’re in a site that’s right next to one of them it could be a bit loud, but I guess that’s what comes with local camping. Lastly, to the dads participating, it doesn’t do much good to hide your alcohol consumption in coffee mugs all day long if you wake up the next morning puking your guts out in front of all of the kids.

The staff at the park is awesome. They are friendly and helpful on arrival and will make sure you know exactly where your spot is. We had a great exchange with one lady (I think her name was Catherine) at the end of our weekend where she shared some local knowledge including her opinion on some of the best sites in the park.

If you live in San Diego or Orange County and want to get away for a couple of nights, get some hiking in and don’t want to venture too far, it’s hard to go wrong with this campground.
Written 7 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MollyW
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2019 • Family
We drove up to the campground this weekend and were surprised at how much fun the kids had in the snow. The entire campground was closed for what the park called snow play and it was great. Easy parking, friendly staff and close to the town. Best of all worlds, we'll be back in the spring.
Written 11 February 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Orange traveler.
Gilroy, CA47 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2018 • Couples
We bought a annual pass. Staff was very nice. There was a generous volunteer woman wearing a vest who checked us in. A young man in clean uniform with a beard read us all the rules. The park was clean, cozy and very quiet. The sites and BBQ areas were spacious. This park was litter free. The bathrooms and showers were sparkling. You gotta long 15 minute clean, hot shower for $1.00. We spent 5 hours walking around and enjoying the wildlife. We observed, blue Jays, woodpeckers, skunks, chip minks, squirrels, a coyote, some bobcat cubs, and two deer. We checked out the camp sites . They are spacious, clean and some are paved and very flat. The sites are for tents or up to 45 foot 3 axle length rvs. Staff was very friendly and extended themselves graciously. Most of the staff lives at the park and we felt very safe and very at home with them. The staff here takes great pride. They are always attentive and on task, patrolling and beautifying the grounds. Check in procedure is quick, grounds sparkling, and the early evening was peaceful and quiet. We had a great experience. Definitely will be using our annual membership more often. Thank you idyllwild park staff. We shall return after the holidays. Stay warm, stay dry and stay awesome! Jonathan and Jann.
Written 24 December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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