California / El Dorado County

Silver Creek Group Campground

Closed — Closed for the winter season. The campground typically operates seasonally from late spring through early fall, with exact dates depending on snow conditions and road access.

About

Silver Creek Group Campground offers a scenic setting for group gatherings in the Crystal Basin area of Eldorado National Forest. Located under a canopy of ponderosa pine and other conifers, the campground sits along the South Fork Silver Creek, which provides a peaceful atmosphere and excellent opportunities for swimming and fishing for rainbow and brown trout. The group site can accommodate up to 40 guests for tent camping, with 9 walk-to units and 4 sites with parking spurs. A central kitchen area features one large group fire ring, which is the only fire area at the site. No drinking water is available on-site, so campers must bring their own or properly treat stream water. The nearby Ice House Campground provides a dump station, and showers are available at Fashoda Campground. Ice House Reservoir, less than 2 miles away, offers additional recreation including motor boating, jet skiing, canoeing, and water skiing. The area provides access to hiking and mountain biking trails, and the Desolation Wilderness is nearby. Wildlife is abundant in the Sierra Nevada Range, including black bears, mule deer, bobcat, gray fox, and various bird species. The region showcases remnants of California's Gold Rush era. The entrance gate is locked; call ahead to arrange entry.

Directions

Travel 23 miles east of Placerville on Highway 50. Turn north and travel 9 miles on Forest Road 3 (Ice House Road). Look for signs to Silver Creek Campground.

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