Idyllwild RV Resort & Campground

I really wanted to give this one a 5 star because the park and location and weather were all amazing, but being on only 30amp power and no sewer made that a bit tough.

We came in from the north and the last 20 or so miles up the mountain were at high grade, took over an hour and gained about 6000-7000 feet in elevation. Be ready to drive slow, have plenty of fuel before you start up the mountain, and provide time to get up there as well as driving around the park to find a spot.

This Thousand Trails park (like all the others we have been at) is first come first served on the spots, so if you are going on a weekend or busy time, be ready to drive and look. We asked at the front and the park ranger was nice enough to drive us in a golf cart to look at spots. Since we have such a large rig, we called ahead and they actually did mark us into a spot - a rare situation, but never hurts to try.

Once there - the hiking was great, weather was so nice, and the activities were great for the kids. We enjoyed the pool, hiking trails, activities center, live music on weekend, movie under the stars, and more.

We will be back here for sure when we have a smaller RV, but I suggest you check this one out!

NAVIGATING: Getting to the park is a long, winding drive up into the mountains (~45 minutes). It involves a lot of curves and pulling into turnouts, so the cars behind you can pass. The good news is it is an absolutely beautiful drive coming in from any direction. As you rise up from the arid desert below, you become surrounded by conifers, boulders and the smell of pine.

GETTING SITUATED: We love so many things about this park, but driving through it with our rig is not one. It is filled with tall trees and steep hills. The turns are tight and some of the loops can only be entered from one direction; if you pass it, it's almost impossible to get in coming back from the other direction. After driving though the park to scope out the available spaces, we ended up having to go all the way back to the entrance to find a place to turn around and try again.

DOCKING STATIONS: The angles to get into some of the spaces are sharp! We picked a spot that had a cabin across from it so we could use the driveway to straighten out and back in.
Even with that advantage, this was still one of the toughest spaces we've ever had to back in to. The sites are mostly sand, so we also had to spend some extra time leveling out our rig. All good with the hookups.

THE SCENE: Reading this review so far, you may be wondering why on Earth we gave it 5 stars. It's because it's BEAUTIFUL! There was a smidge of snow left when we were there (even thought the temps were regularly in the 70's). This park is filled with tall trees, giant boulders and hilly, winding roads and trails to explore.

THE FACILITIES: The bathrooms and showers were clean and maintained very well while we were here. The pool was closed for the season, but looked to be in good condition from what we could see. The lodge was a little aged, but clean and comfortable.

STUFF TO DO: The town of Idyllwild is about a 10 minute drive - and it's great! Plenty of places to eat, quaint shops, a small grocery store and even a modern beer pub. When you think "small mountain town," this is what you want it to be like. The grocery store (Fairway Foods) has an okay selection of beer and wine. There is a liquor store (Mountain Top Liquor) that charges insanely inflated prices - beyond any level of reason we could grasp. We'd recommend you bring your bourbon with you. If you are in need of any of the other "suburban sprawl" services like Target or Walgreens, you'll need to endure the 45 minute drive down the mountain to one of the surrounding towns.

HIKE FACTOR: You can realistically get in a decent hike and not leave the park. There are enough elevation changes, vistas and trails to keep a person busy for a bit. However, there are several other county/state parks nearby for the more hardcore hiker looking for much longer treks, including trails linking to the Pacific Crest Trail and Desert View (looking over Palm Springs). We did some hiking in the Idyllwild County Park, which also has a nature center.

GEEK FACTOR: There are a few cell towers at the top of the mountain right next to this campground. No Sprint, but Verizon and T-Mobile are crazy fast all the time.

Verizon: 71.11 MBPS down/15.21 MBPS up
Sprint: 0 MBPS down/0 MBPS up
T-Mobile: 23.87 MBPS down/5.70 MBPS up

In life, our only guarantees are changes. It's nice to see changes. At first, we are uneasy. At second, we are home w them. It is really a treat to experience so many changes in so little time at Thousand Trails Idyllwild. Upon check in, 2 of life's changes were 2 new faces in the respective rangers station. I had the pleasure of being introduced to green T.T. staff "Diego" and to T.T. staff "Nikkie." Green for the record indicates, new, young. What was the icing on the cinnabon was observing senior T.T. staff Security rangers, Aaron and Michelle training the green, shiny and crispy new editions to Tom's Reiders team of amazing professionals.

    As usual, we were checked into the park in under a minute. Our paperwork was extended to us by T.T. senior staff "Chris Watts."  We like Chris alot,  he wears more hats then an octopus can hold. Chris Watts always offers pleasant conversation and everytime so very neat and professionally groomed in his appearance. Chris conducts himself courteously and is highly eloquent in all dealings w the paying public, towards staff and all of the T.T. members. As we made our way up the hill, we had noticed the park Manager, "Tom Reider" flowering, digging, planting, weeding, tinkering, fertilizing and watering some freshly new editions to the grounds. I've always believed that the park manager, "Tom Reider" possessed not only the green thumb,  but the entire arm and connected green shoulder. The park is visually thriving, exciting and exploding w colors thanks to Tom's magical green touches and exquisite eye for decorative design, knowledge of ornamental horticultural.

      We enjoy the backdrop of 12 shades of green combined w 22 new shades of brown as we climbed the hills peering thru the pine forest. We had taken special note of Tom Reider's 2 new flower beds and exquisite water fountain at the entrance to his sweet Idyllwild. We thought to ourselves, such a beautiful park.  

      We continued rolling forward up and on into this happy mound called Idyllwild. Our 42,000 Lb,  4 wheeled monster was going to land a site on that mountain, despite the gossipy reviews of pessimists persons. I thought to myself as we climbed further and only after waving to a big brown, wooden art carved bear wearing a US flag sache waving back at us,  "we should live here hun." It was cozy feeling. We weren't even in a formal campsite yet and stresses which had followed us up the 9,000 foot mountainside had now long fallen from us.  We felt 30 pounds lighter as we rolled deeper into Tom Reider's pine cone paradise!

    We arrived to our site and were politely greeted by T.T. supervisor of Maintenance Isaac. Isaac was on his way to do the parks water quality testing and had also just replaced 15 pig tailed site lite bulbs. There were 15 empty lite bulb packages In his mechanized maintenance cart.  Isaac is not typical T.T. staff. He stops to talk to members briefly about weather,  sports, politics, also asks members and the paying public if everything is OK with their sites, and if he could be of further assistance in anyway. T.T. staff Isaac is always clean cut w a sharp gentleman's beard. He is extremely courteous w myself and his coworkers. T.T. maintenance staff Isaac is liked by other T.T. members because he gets work orders physically realized. 

  After a good solid nights slumber, one bright morning, Joanne and I walked down to the T.T. Idyllwild welcome center w our dogs to grab a complimentary cup of flavored, "Keurig brewed" gourmet coffee. It's always clean, neat and organized inside the welcome center, and the gourmet coffee bar almost always is well over stocked w goodies thanks to hard working T.T. senior staff members, and assistant manager,  Chris Watts. Chris Watts gets 5 stars for his duties in resort operations. 

   T.T. Cleaning,  housekeeping staff Marcy and Roxanne do a thorough and diligent cleaning job in the welcome center, in all the guest cabins and for all bathrooms. On one occasion, I heard a T.T. staff had called in sick,  I next observed Chris Watts,  perform his responsibilities, a rangers duties,  security,  management,  maintenance  and also housekeeping duties in one magnificent Monday morning spectacle. I always make reference to "the Octopus." That's Chris Watts. Mr. Versatility. 8 arms for 16 tasks.  He performs well under pressure and always w quality in mind.

       To conclude my review, I will kindly extend to readers a one on one which had transpired between T.T. staff Diego and myself one nite after I pinned my rv on-the-go badge onto my lapel. Diego's confidence,  posture and seriousness had reminded me of park manager Tom Reiders. At that moment, I was looking at a future T.T.  park manager. I brought this feeling to young Diego's attention and his posture straightened more. I told "Diego, Tomorrow's managers were yesterday's rangers."  He smiled proudly and confidently opened the gate for me.