Crystal Basin Recreation Renovations will focus on Ice House Reservoir Facilities in 2022
PLACERVILLE, Calif. – Recreation facilities at Ice House Reservoir will be a focus this year for the ongoing renovations in the Crystal Basin by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and the Eldorado National Forest. Recreation facilities are being upgraded around reservoirs as a condition of SMUD’s license to operate the Upper American River Project.
Temporary facility closures at Ice House Reservoir will begin May 9, 2022. Camino Cove Campground and Wolf Creek Group Campground closures began on May 1st. The forest orders for these closures can be found on the forest website here.
“Kayaking and other non-motorized boat use will still be available at Ice House Reservoir with access from Upper Silver Creek Day Use Area,” said Pacific District Recreation Officer Karl Goodwin.
These sites will be closed for renovations during for the 2022 season:
· Ice House Campground (all year)
· Ice House Dam Day Use Area (all year)
· Ice House Boat Ramp and Day Use Area (all year)
· Ice House RV Sanitation Station (all year)
· Camino Cove Campground (all year)
· Wolf Creek Group Campground (all year)
Closures will begin at these sites after Labor Day:
· Wolf Creek Campground
· Yellowjacket Boat Ramp Parking Area
· West Point Campground
What to Expect
The improvements to be completed around Ice House Reservoir in 2022 include upgrading the boat ramp parking area with new paving and the addition of new bathrooms and a shower facility; a rebuilt RV sanitation station; and a whitewater boating put-in below the dam. Ice House Campground will be completely renovated to meet current vehicle and accessibility standards; bathrooms will be replaced; and a new water system will be installed. New picnic tables, fire rings, recycling containers, and bear proof storage bins will also be added. Lastly, the existing day use area by the dam will be rebuilt and expanded from 10 to 12 units, and a new boat-in/hike-in day use area will be constructed on the south shore that includes picnic tables and a composting toilet.
Among last year’s accomplishments were the complete renovation of Yellowjacket and West Point Campgrounds on Union Valley Reservoir and starting the extension of the Union Valley Bike Trail. The work expanded the capacity at West Point Campground from 48 to 240 people by adding 15 new campsites, a 30-person group site, and a new water system. Yellowjacket Campground improvements included a complete redesign and rebuild to join several adjacent sites into larger sites to meet the needs of extended family or social groups. The boat ramp was also expanded to allow use at lower reservoir elevations.
Temporary Campground Closures
The temporary closures at Camino Cove, Wolf Creek, and West Point campgrounds, along with the Yellowjacket boat ramp parking area, are due to continuing work on the Union Valley Bike Trail. Sections of the Union Valley Bike Trail and the Ice House Bike Trail will be closed near construction areas.
Northwind and Strawberry Point Campgrounds on Ice House Reservoir will not be affected by the renovation closures, but have not yet opened for the season. These and other recreation facilities in the Crystal Basin such as Sunset-Fashoda, Wench Creek, Gerle Creek and Loon Lake Campgrounds, and many more across the forest, will be opening in the coming weeks as routine maintenance is completed. Many campgrounds require reservations which can be made at www.recreation.gov.
For information on recreation site status, visit the Eldorado National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/eldorado or contact a visitor information specialist by phone from
8:00 AM – 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday:
· Forest Supervisors’ Office – 530-303-2412
· Georgetown Ranger District – 530-334-6477
· Pacific / Placerville Ranger District – 530-644-2324
· Amador Ranger District – 209-259-3774