Quaking Aspen

Spent the second weekend of July at Quaking Aspen for three nights. The weather was perfect. Getting there can take a while because of the winding mountain roads from either direction, but the scenery is beautiful. Just give yourself plenty of time and fill up your gas tank before heading in. The campground is heavily wooded and very nice. We stayed in Site 001, which is right near the entrance and had plenty of room for a few tents. There was no cell service at the campground, although we were able to get a signal by driving down the road in either direction. The campground roads and spaces are pretty tight. We only saw one small trailer make its way through, and that looked challenging. Overall, the campground felt a little worn in places. Some of the picnic tables have definitely seen better days. The vault toilets were clean, but let's be honest—they're still vault toilets. The camp hosts were helpful and friendly and seemed to do just about everything, from collecting trash to cleaning the restrooms and handling whatever else came up. They also assured me they hadn't seen any bears in the campground this season, which was reassuring since I had probably spent more time than necessary worrying about that before the trip. The only real downside was that the campground was nearly full, with what appeared to be a large group spread across several sites celebrating something. There was a fair amount of loud music and barking dogs. It didn't ruin the trip, but it was more noise than we expected. The camp hosts did their best to manage the situation and mentioned that a few campers actually left because of it. On the bright side, no bear was going anywhere near that campground that weekend. One thing, there is a no-glass policy in effect. We didn't see mention of it on the reservation sites, but there are notices posted all along the road from Kernville and some signage in the campground. Apparently, this is tied to a Kern River corridor rule.

Quaking Aspen campground was beyond our expectations. It's a 15-minute drive the Trail of 100 Giants. The campground itself was clean and staff were friendly, helpful and welcoming. There are hiking trails nearby. I am looking forward to another trip next summer.

The campground was clean and the staff were very welcoming and helpful. I look forward to another family trip to this campground

Beautiful campsite (#33) and a convenient location only 15 Min from Idyllwild. Only drawback is that campfires were not allowed when we were there. Watch for campfire postings before selecting this location

My first time camping, I stayed on site 12, and it was the best experience I’ve ever had. The restrooms are nearby. They also have running water. The site was spacious and in the middle of the campground; however, it’s secluded for those who like their privacy. The owners are super friendly when you check in and sell wood for cheap. Will be coming back again.

Our campground was spacious and the scenery was beautiful. The staff was kind and helpful, and I would definitely camp here again! It was very peaceful.

The site is big but doesn’t have enough land to fit 25 people as most of the area is not flat. The place is great and continently located. I wish the neighbors were quieter at night.

Great campsite! Loved it. Only consideration is that site 006 have an underground beehive right in the middle. They didn’t bother us but were present. Great experience and will come back

Very large camp spot! We had our large 12 person tent along with another 2/4 person tent, lots of room for our dogs to run and play still, you could probably fit 2 more tents as there are 4 flat spots for tents,

Site 25 was great for our 8 person tent. The camp hosts are super duper awesome. They just got there and are taking great pride in their new rolls as hosts. Ask them about George Bush. 😉

I booked a site a few days in advance. Pulled into the campground about 8pm on a Friday and someone had taken our site. The reservation card had not been updated so it looked to the person as though the site was open even though it was reserved. Had to have an awkward conversation asking her to please move. There was also a large group in one of the group sites on the meadow who were very loud until well after midnight. I don’t know if there was a host. We did not see a host site, nor saw anyone driving through that night or in the morning.

GREAT HOST. OFF THE GRID!

Beautiful experience!!

Quiet campground in a evergreen forest. Pit toilets were clean. Picnic table was splintery, consider bringing a table cloth.

Tim the host was incredible and made our experience worth the long drive up. The campsite was very well maintained and had the cleanest pit toilets I have ever encountered at a site. Tim makes sure you’re well taken care of! Bring $10 for firewood and a nice book! You will have 0 service an hr both sides of the campground- which was honestly amazing! No bears, keep trash and food stowed away and you will have a fabulous time.

Great campsite that is not too far away from small markets, but still very isolated.

Site 22 is on a hill that goes down to a creek. The tent spot was not entirely flat but not a huge deal. The bigger issue was the fire ring is surrounded by large rocks for some reason? It was in the 30s at night so putting your camp chair outside the rocks left you cold, and trying to sit on the rocks put you way too close to the fire so you were getting smoke in your face and your knees got seared by the heat. I would not camp here if you plan to use the fire as a heat source.

Clean camp, beautiful surroundings, the camp host was very helpful and knowledgeable.

Camp host was extremely helpful and friendly! Sites were clean and easily accessible to restrooms, trash, and water

Great campground and host! Close to lots of hikes and backroads to explore. 7k elevation keeps things cool at night; camp fires are allowed, potable water and firewood available (bring cash). It can be a little noisy, but no deal breaker. People are respectful and shut it down at 10pm. The area does have significant fire damage, but it is still worthwhile visiting.

Tim is a great host. He was very supportive and helpful. He sells and delivers big bundles of wood for $10. Most people adhere to the quiet hours, but those who don't probably just don't understand how the human voice carries in a quiet forest. We were in Spot 32 where our tent could be far from others with some privacy. There wasn't a lot of shade in the morning hours where the table, tent, and fire pit are so we had to move a few times to not be hit by the direct sun for too long.

We had a great stay at Quaking Aspens. Camp host was awesome - very knowledgeable about the area. We booked sites 13 & 14. 14 was very small (only reason for 4 stars), but had an opening in the bushes which made it easily accessible to pass between both sites - which was very nice. Site 13 was MUCH larger. I would recommend not booking site 14 alone. We checked out Trail of 100 Giants which was about 30 mins from camp. There was also a small creek and meadow very close to camp that was great for our toddler to explore. Fire had torched much of the surrounding area, but camp was seemingly untouched.

We had a great stay at Quaking Aspens. Camp host was awesome - very knowledgeable about the area. We booked sites 13 & 14. 14 was very small, but had an opening in the bushes which made it easily accessible to pass between both sites - which was very nice. Site 13 was MUCH larger. I would recommend not booking site 14 alone. We checked out Trail of 100 Giants which was about 30 mins from camp. There was also a small creek and meadow very close to camp that was great for our toddler to explore. Fire had torched much of the surrounding area, but camp was seemingly untouched.

Gorgeous area, well kept restrooms, what more could you ask for? Camphost Tim was very helpful and kind!

The area is very peaceful and beautiful. The camp host was amazing and helpful. He knows the area and gave us some hiking tips.

Camping was awesome! Be aware no cellphone signal at all, no showers. You can find a cold waterfall.

This site was so much fun for the 5 of us. It was clean, and the only complaint i would have is how low the picnic tables there are. But, that’s not really a complaint, and more of an observation. We made it work. Despite the devastation around the campground from wildfires years ago, the campground was in good shape, and beautiful. The creek below was gorgeous, and we all had fun visiting it. The camp host, Tim was just the best. He was warm, friendly, and checked in to ensure we were comfortable, and didn’t need anything. Tim kept up the bathrooms with toilet paper, and cleaning. No bear boxes in a bunch of sites, but we didn’t need them, thankfully. I’m glad we found this campground.

A beautiful campground with lots a great spots. Bathroom was pit style and fairly close. Fun little hiking path and our kids loved walking around the area. The guy who monitored the campground was so nice and attentive, he even brought us wood! Would definitely come back!

We stayed at Aspen Campground for a few nights. The area itself is beautiful and peaceful, and luckily there were no other campers around during our stay, so it felt very quiet and private. The road to the campground was in good condition — no issues getting there. However, there were several downsides that affected our experience. First of all, the toilets were extremely smelly, even though toilet paper was available. More importantly, there was no campground host present during our entire stay. That was a big problem because we had a few questions, and there was no one to help or provide guidance. Also, it meant that we couldn’t buy firewood on site and had to drive to the nearest town — over an hour round trip just for wood. Another thing that wasn’t clearly mentioned anywhere: not all campsites have bear-proof storage containers. Some do, but some don’t, which felt unsafe considering we were deep in bear country.

Tim, the host was great. Site 25 was great. Overall the campground was great! Very shady and lovely

Beautiful camp grounds. Many nice hiking trails from the grounds. Lots of potable water pumps and bathrooms. Very nice camp host, Tim. Our one complaint was that our Yurt #28 was very close to another camp site and it just so happened that a big family group staying there. Even though they were respectful, we could hear them talking and baby crying from our yurt.

This was one of our favorite campgrounds to date! Amazing services and access, and great accommodations. A special kudos to Camp Host Tim who was a great asset and a wonderful host. He gave great tips and recommendations!

Love this campground. Third time visiting. Host Tim was so nice and helpful. First time staying in the Yurts and they were great

The campsite was absolutely amazing—spacious, clean, and perfectly nestled in nature. A special shoutout to our camp host, who truly went above and beyond with his hospitality and attention to detail. The toilets were surprisingly spotless and well-maintained, which made the stay even more comfortable. Highly recommend this spot for anyone looking to unwind and enjoy the outdoors with top-notch service!

The campground is clean and beautiful. The pit toilets are well maintained. Our yurt was perfect with a bunk bed (twin over queen), a futon, and a rocking chair with side table. There were loud parties in the group sites making a bit of noise, but all was quiet every night by 10pm. The camp host was awesome. He gave great directions to surrounding attractions and resources. He delivered our firewood (purchased for $10/bundle after showing proof of fire permit) directly to our site. We'll definitely be back!

Great options in the area. Don’t always follow google maps shortest distance as it sent on a dirt road when pavement was available. Unless you have starlink make sure to download all your maps before you lose service. Paper map backup would be wise. 100 Giants fantastic but part closed. Dome has great views. So sad with burned trees.

Great camping. Love the yurt. Keep it well organized and clean like it is and I will be coming back for sure. One annoyance was the fire permit. I don't blame the campground - but there was not a very clear information that we need to get it before we arrive. A warning for the booker would be nice

Camp host was great. Campsite was large enough and very private as the campground was not busy. The drive up from the westside was amazing!

This campground was great, beautiful scenery, spacious sites, clean bathrooms and plenty to do around the area! Part of what made this campground as nice as it is was our host. He was super knowledgeable, friendly and does amazing working keep this campground nice. We stayed in site 20, it was shady and the perfect distance from the restrooms, water and trash. However, I would have preferred it to be flatter. Not very many level spots to put a tent. I will be choosing a different site next time.

Quaking aspen was a really beautiful place with a tremendous meadow that just stunning in the morning. I did a very short hike and enjoyed a relatively shaded stroll. The yurt was great. Highly recommended if you don’t want to set up a tent. I connected with Tim the host for a bit, he’s a great guy and knows the area super well. Cheers

I’ve stayed her over many years happy to see the campsite in excellent condition Camp host Tim is on it and went out of his way to be available for guests Really pleasant experience

This campsite was perfect for our large group. The views of the meadow were so beautiful and the campground was very quiet at night, along with having no phone service this was a great place to unplug. Shout out to the camp host, Tim, who was so friendly and incredibly helpful during our stay. He was also constantly cleaning the bathrooms and we found them to be pleasantly clean compared to any other campground we’ve been to. Tim gave us directions to hiking trails and fishing spots nearby, and our whole group had the best time. We’ll definitely be back!

Very private from neighboring sites and has a nice sunset view! . This campsite is quite large and pretty deep with two picnic tables and two firepits, could easily fit 3 family sized tents. A downside is there is really only parking for 1 vehicle, maybe two if small. Was pretty cold at night since the campground is at 7000 ft elevation. Beautiful area, however wildfire burn scar surrounds the grounds.

Tim, the campground host, was exceptional! He Helped us get set up and explained the area with excellent knowledge.

The Camp Manager was wonderful. He assisted us with getting a Campfire Permit and was very helpful and attentive to us, while giving us the space we needed to camp and enjoy the atmosphere and environment. We will definitely be returning and recommending this Camp site to others.

I love this campsite. The host, Tim, is super nice. The only gripe I had was he informed me a CAMPFIRE PERMIT is needed which was pretty annoying since I had to drive somewhere to get WiFi - take the test (it’s free) and get my permit. It would be very useful to have that posted somewhere in the booking instructions so we get it BEFORE getting there. Other than that it was great.

One of the best campgrounds we go during the summer time that, everywhere else is too hot. It’s pretty much always cool at nights. And the host is a very nice person. And so informative. We always enjoy staying there.

The main thing I like is there is a host very actively on duty. If people screw up, they hear from him. He's also very helpful with info like where to hike, etc. It didn't hurt that the sheriff cruised through a couple of times. The message was clear that if you wanna screw up/make noise/be unsafe, you'd better go elsewhere.

Clean, pleasant, host was wonderful, very helpful and knowledgeable