Boulder Basin, near Idyllwild, California, is a fantastic spot for those seeking a bit of adventure and stunning views. This campground is all about the basics, offering a no-frills experience that lets you soak in the beauty of the [San Bernardino National Forest](https://thedyrt.com/camping/california/near/san-bernardino-national-forest).

With sites that come equipped with picnic tables and fire rings, it’s perfect for gathering around the campfire after a day of exploring. Visitors rave about the breathtaking scenery and the chance to stargaze at night, with one camper noting, “The hike to the lookout tower for sunset is truly magical.” Just remember, the bathrooms can be a bit rough, so be prepared for that.

If you’re into bouldering, you’re in luck! The campground is right next to some great climbing spots, making it a popular choice for families and outdoor lovers alike. The drive to get there is a bit bumpy, so a vehicle with good clearance is recommended. Plus, you’ll find plenty of hiking trails nearby that lead to even more incredible views.

Boulder Basin is dog-friendly, so feel free to bring your furry friends along for the adventure. Just make sure to pack enough water, as potable water isn’t always available. Whether you’re tent camping or rolling in with an RV, this spot offers a great escape into nature.

## Overview

 Black Mountain Road is is poor condition at this time. A four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle is recommended with a minimum ground clearance of 6 inches. Drive at your own risk. 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.Boulder Basin Campground offers solitude and primitive camping in a scenic mountain landscape. The area provides ample recreational opportunities, including hiking, mountain biking, boulder climbing and more. Black Mountain Road, which accesses Boulder Basin Campground, is a narrow rough dirt road which may not be suitable for all vehicles.
## Recreation

 The campground provides access to a number of trailheads, including the Black Mountain Trail, a 3.6-mile, moderately strenuous hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding trail that travels through the forested slopes of Black Mountain. The trail provides excellent views of the Banning Pass and Mt. San Gorgonio. The trail provides access to the famed Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, which begins at the Mexico border in Southern California and leads to Washington border of Canada. 
## Facilities

 The campground offers multiple single-family campsites, available for tent and small RV / van camping. Each site is equipped with tables and campfire rings with grills. Vault toilets are also provided. 
## Natural Features

 The campground is located in a mixed conifer forest, which provides ample shade throughout the day. It is situated at an elevation of about 7,300 feet. Roads to the campground are not paved but the campground does have paved roads. 
## Nearby Attractions

 This group site is located approximately 50 miles southeast of San Bernardino, California, and 14 miles north of Idyllwild, where fuel and a variety of small town shops and restaurants are available.

Boulder Basin

Are you in need of a campground near Idyllwild-Pine Cove, CA? Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Idyllwild-Pine Cove campgrounds just for you. Find the best campgrounds near Idyllwild-Pine Cove, CA. Read reviews from campers like you and find your perfect campsite.

Idyllwild-Pine Cove

The Best Camping Near Idyllwild-Pine Cove, California

The bumpy six mile drive up a dirt road to reach this campground is well worth it. The campground has garbage cans and pit toilets. There were water spouts around the campground, but they were all turned off. Each site has a table and a fire pit. Hike up to the fire lookout for great views. The Pacific Crest Trail is another three mile drive up past the campground, but you'll be rewarded with more great views along the way. We had a blast exploring the area, including the nearby town of Idyllwild and Lake Filmor. 

Great Views

Love this small campground, lots of bouldering in the campground. Beautiful scenery. Some hiking too. Went up the look out tower where the woman staying there at the time was very knowledgeable and share a lot of information with us!

Rock Climbing Galore

Took the family for a little adventure at Boulder Basin Campground. The Campground is set off the main highway about 5 miles and only accessible if have a suv or truck as it is a switchback dirt road. Trailers would not be able to make this trek. Pretty primitive; there are no park rangers. They do come around occasionally throughout the morning and mid day but that is it. The cell reception is not the best but that was just what we were wanting to get out of cell service range and in touch with great outdoors. Since the campground is pretty remote the bathrooms are not as cleaned as often as other campgrounds. So if you go I would suggest bringing your own portable bathroom. Make sure to bring your own water as someone had to steal the campground pump; hopefully it will get fixed but just bring your own water just in case. Was an incredible trip with some of the most spectacular views. Lots of things for the kids to explore and climb on. A hike to the lookout tower for sunset is truly magical. The campground and surrounding area is very dog friendly. 

Primitive Camping / Amazing Views 

I love this spot because it's got some great bouldering and amazing views, but the bathrooms are loud. And by loud, I mean STANKY. Be prepared for that. The road up there is not the best and I'd recommend a vehicle with 4wheel/AWD and/or something with at least 8-9 inches of ground clearance. Other than that, enjoy the beautiful views and STARS at night. We stayed at site #3.

Great campground, bathrooms are gnarly

This campground fills up quickly with families, hikers, and boulderers. Pretty affordable at only $10 a night. You can also camp at nearby yellow post sites for free. There is bouldering available right in the campground - doesn't get much more convenient than that! Hiking the trails a few minutes outside the campground also brings you to breathtaking views. Each site has a table and campfire ring with grill. Vault toilets are available. Although water is sometimes available, it is not potable and spigots are off during droughts. So make sure to pack enough water ahead of time.

Popular campground with easy access to bouldering

Love camping here via both tent camping and van life. Beautiful surroundings and nature all around. Tricky to get to and recommend 4WD/AWD vehicles. Trailers would be tough on the dirt switch backs. Bathrooms are gnarly but tolerable if you’re in and out quickly. But they are clean and stocked, it’s just the stench! No water so bring plenty of your own. No open fires this time of the year but nonetheless enjoyable and plenty of stars to be seen. Plenty of bouldering to be had in the area. Super fun times! Can’t wait to go back! 

Love it!

Another fabulous time at a wonderful campground! We prefer ones that little harder to get to that offer more solitude. The views from this campground are spectacular. Campground itself doesn’t offer to much other than basic which is fine with us. So much to do and explore here that we will be back again! 

Perfect solitude 

Great campsite about 30min up a fun easy rated 4x4 trail. The spots are well spaced out so you aren't on top of your neighbors and the bathrooms were clean and stocked with TP. Lots of bugs of the crawling variety but nothing too bad, no mosquitoes!

awesome

Our stay here was quite the adventure. We went on a Sunday and left Monday night, the camp ground was empty. We made it up the mountain in our VW golf🤦🏼 and got stuck right before the top, as there had been heavy rains the prior week that had eroded much of the soft earth in some areas. The trek was incredibly bumpy but the car handled it great until that one point. Many kind people stopped to assist us, and an hour n a half later we were free and thankful. The process for reserving our site was simple. Many of the sites are sloped subtly so next time I would spend more time picking a more flat one so the tent could be more comfortable, but it wasn't bad. Bathrooms were clean but had bees and such. The forest was exceptionally beautiful, with pinecones as big as your head, and a great excess of firewood, although it was no fire season, so if you were to camp in the off season you wouldn't even need to buy wood. I was worried about bears but we never saw or heard any sign, only squirrels and ravens visited us. It was cold at night, low 40s, and by late morning it was back into the high 70s. Getting down the mountain was still bumpy and nerve wracking but with gravity on our side we experienced no issues. Overall an incredibly beautiful place that we'll never forget! 

Photos of Boulder Basin

Real photos from real campers