Ice House

About

Ice House Campground occupies a prime location on the shores of 700-acre Ice House Reservoir within Eldorado National Forest's Crystal Basin Recreation Area. At 5,500 feet elevation, the campground is surrounded by mixed conifer forest where towering ponderosa pines fill the air with their distinctive vanilla aroma. The 81 campsites are distributed across four loops: Meadow, Boulder, Upper, and Boat Ramp. Some sites sit directly on the shoreline while others are set back in shaded areas beneath cedars and manzanita. Recreation centers on the reservoir. Rainbow, brown, and other trout species swim in these waters, and an on-site boat ramp provides direct access for fishing, jet skiing, and swimming. The Ice House Mountain Bike Trail stretches 3.1 miles along ridge tops and shaded northern slopes with views of the reservoir and Crystal Range. Nearby Bassi Falls can be reached via a 1.2-mile hiking trail to a 109-foot cascade over granite cliffs. The campground was renovated in 2022. Each site includes a fire ring with grill top and picnic table. Three sites are ADA accessible. Bear boxes are provided for food storage. Firewood is available for purchase on-site.

Directions

From Pollock Pines, take Route 50 east 8.3 miles to the Crystal Basin Recreation Area sign. Turn left onto Icehouse Road and go 10.8 miles to the Ice House Campground directional sign. Turn right onto Forest Route 32, go 1.1 miles to the campground/boat ramp intersection, and continue straight to the campground.