Established Camping
Ice House Campground
Warning 1 Alert is In Effect
There is 1 alert for this campground. Camp safely!
Warning 1 Alert is In Effect
There is 1 alert for this campground. Camp safely!
<strong>TRAVEL NOTICE</strong>: Ice House Road will be undergoing repairs starting May 2024 and going through Setpember 2024. Be aware that when planning your camping trips there could be possible road delays.
About
National Forest
Eldorado National Forest
Overview
Ice House Campground is surrounded by a mixed conifer forest on the shores of Ice House Reservoir. Just 12 miles from Riverton, CA, the campground offers hiking, biking, jet skiing and fishing. Ponderosa pine is a pleasing part of the surrounding region. The trees fill the air with a vanilla aroma and it's the tallest known pine tree in the country. To date, the tallest Ponderosa measured was an impressive 268.35 feet tall.
Recreation
Enjoy swimming, fishing, and boating on Ice House Reservoir. Rainbow, brown, and trout swim in these waters. A boat ramp is located on-site. Hike or bike on the Ice House Mountain Bike Trail, which stretches for 3.1 miles along ridge tops and shaded northern slopes. The trail boasts views of the reservoir and the Crystal Range.
Facilities
Amenities include a picnic area, drinking water faucets, vault toilets, showers, and a dump station. Firewood is sold on-site and a nearby resort offers a restaurant, gas and limited groceries.The facility was newly renovated in 2022.
Natural Features
Some campsites at Ice House are right on the shoreline while others are set back just enough for plenty of shade from towering ponderosa pines, cedars and Manzanita bushes. The reservoir spans 700 acres at 5,500 feet elevation. The area is part of the Eldorado National Forest, which stretches across the famed gold mining territory of the 1800s. Its climate is similar to that of the Mediterranean, with warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters.
Nearby Attractions
Head to Bassi Falls, which can be reached via a 1.2-mile hiking trail. The glorious waterfall cascades over a 109-foot granite cliff.
Charges & Cancellations
Change Fee: A service fee may be charged at the time a modification is made depending on the changes. Cancellation Fee: A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refunds for a cancelled reservation. Cut-Off Window: The latest date and/or time that you can make an advanced reservation or a change to an existing reservation. Cut-off windows can vary by location, but are typically 4 days before your arrival date. A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (see Late Cancellation below). Late Cancellation: If you cancel your reservation too close to the start date, additional service fees may be withheld. Refunds: Refund requests made through www.recreation.gov will be charged a $10 processing fee. This fee is retained by the reservation service contractor along with the non-refundable reservation fee. All requests for the return of the non-refundable reservation fee and the cancellation fee will be declined by the campground concessionaire as they did not receive these fees (these are the fees retained by the reservation contractor, a different entity).
Fee Info
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
- Boat-InSites accessible by watercraft.
Stay Connected
- WiFiUnknown
- VerizonUnknown
- AT&TUnknown
- T-MobileUnknown
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
Features
For Campers
- Market
- Trash
- Firewood Available
- Phone Service
- WiFi
- Drinking Water
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Sanitary Dump
- Big Rig Friendly
Mountainous with amenities
At 5000 feet elevation, it’s real mountain camping but with amenities. Easily accessible from highway. Plan ahead , it fills fast in summer.
Upper Loop is the best at Icehouse CG
Love this lake/reservoir! It’s large enough to explore with a SUP and small enough to keep the motor boat and jet skis to a manageable amount. Nice wild life viewing. I saw Bald Eagles and Comorans with their babies. Butterflies, chipmunks and a few squirrels. And that was just on and around the lake. I didn’t hike this trip.
Camp Host was great. Bathroom clean and smelled good for a vault toilet. Site was large and shaded for part of the day.
My go to campground for over 30 years
We've used other campgrounds since, but we always wind up coming back to Ice House. It's far enough away without being a all day drive, and it's right on the water.
The boat ramp is right in the middle and you can get anything from walk in tent sites to family sites big enough for an RV and a large group. There's a resort a few miles down the road so you can get ice and supplies.
Most of of camp sites have pretty good shade, and with a little strategic placement you can make sure your tent isn't baking in the evening.
They've been installing bear boxes, so if you're a motorcycle camper you don't have to worry about where you're going to store your food overnight. Water spigots are rarely more than a short walk from any camp site.
Really, all that's missing is RV hookups, so people tend to run their generators. The 10:00 noise cut off is usually well enforced, so the nights are very peaceful. I've even seen a few black bears roaming through my camp sites over the years.
All in all, Ice House is a great, well maintained and peaceful campground that keeps me coming back.
Location
Ice House Campground is located in California
Directions
From Pollock Pines, CA, take Route 50 east 8.3 miles to the Crystal Basin Recreation Area sign. Turn left at sign onto Icehouse Road and go 10.8 miles to the Ice House Campground directional sign. Turn right at the sign onto Forest Route 32, then go 1.1 miles to an intersection with a campground/boat ramp sign. Continue straight to campground.
Address
ELDORADO
CA
Coordinates
38.8233333 N
120.3588889 W