Best Tent Camping near Idyllwild, CA
Tent camping options surround Idyllwild, California in the San Jacinto Mountains, with several established campgrounds and primitive sites available within Mount San Jacinto State Park. Round Valley Campsite offers walk-in tent sites accessible via a 5.1-mile hike with 2,200 feet of elevation gain. Tamarack Valley Campground provides hike-in tent camping with alcohol permitted. Little Round Valley in Mount San Jacinto State Park features tent-only sites with toilets but no electric hookups or showers.
Most tent camping areas near Idyllwild require permits, particularly for backcountry sites. The Yellow Post sites at Thomas Hunting Grounds provide free, dispersed tent camping with fire rings but minimal amenities. High-clearance vehicles are recommended for accessing many of the primitive tent sites. Several campgrounds have vault toilets, but campers should bring their own water as drinking water is limited. Fire restrictions are common during summer and fall, with complete bans during high fire danger periods. According to one visitor, "These sites aren't monitored and don't have picnic tables or any amenities, although there is a restroom down the road a little ways where the campsites start."
Tent campers frequently use these areas as bases for summit attempts of San Jacinto Peak. The higher elevation tent sites offer cooler temperatures during summer months but can experience extreme cold in winter and spring. One camper noted that "it was cold up here! There was snow on the ground but the air was the coldest I've ever felt." Sites at Thomas Hunting Grounds Yellow Post Campites are spaced far apart, providing privacy and solitude for tent campers. Most walk-in tent sites in the state park area require backpacking equipment, as they cannot be accessed by vehicle. Wildlife sightings are common at many of the tent camping areas, with deer frequently observed near Little Round Valley and other backcountry tent sites.
