Facility Details - YELLOWJACKET, CA

Overview

Yellowjacket Campground provides plenty of opportunities for outdoor fun on Union Valley Reservoir. The water plays host to an array of activities like water skiing and fishing. The surrounding cedar and ponderosa pine forest is a lovely setting for hiking and biking.

Natural Features:

Union Valley Reservoir sits in the Crystal Basin within the Sierra Nevada Mountains at an elevation of 4,900 feet. The area is part of the Eldorado National Forest, which includes the famed gold mining territory of the 1800s. Protected remnants of the days of the California Gold Rush are all around the region.

The climate is similar to that of the Mediterranean, with warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters.

An abundance of wildlife can be found within the Sierra Nevada Range, including black bears, mule deer, bobcat, gray fox, bighorn sheep, pikas, martens and a variety of squirrels. Several species of reptiles, amphibians and birds also inhabit the area.

Recreation:

The Union Valley Bike Trail spans 4.8 miles with an easy climb of 300 feet. The trail connects campgrounds on the east side of the lake, from Jones Fork Campground to Wench Creek, and is open to hikers and bikers. The Bassi Falls Hiking Trail is also worth exploring.

Anglers seek rainbow, brown and mackinaw trout or kokanee salmon. The reservoir also offers opportunities for swimming, water skiing and boating. A boat ramp and boat trailer parking are provided at this campground.

Facilities:

Sites are equipped with picnic tables, grills and campfire rings. The campground offers a dump station, drinking water and both flush and vault toilets.

A host is on-site. Some sites at this camp are available on a first-come, first-served basis (more campground details)

Nearby Attractions:

The Desolation Wilderness is nearby, offering the opportunity to get away from the crowds and enjoy the serenity of nature.

Activities and Amenities

Within Facility
Biking Birding Boat Ramp Boat Trailer Parking Campfire Rings Drinking Water Dump Station Fishing Flush Toilets Grills Hiking Host Hunting	Lake Access Parking Area Pets Allowed Picnic Area Self Pay Station Swimming Tent sites Trails Vault Toilets Water Skiing Water Spigot Wildlife Viewing

Know Before You Go

Depending on weather, fire restrictions may be enforced; call (530) 644-6048 for local information and conditions
Bears frequent the area; all food must be kept in approved containers
This facility has first-come, first-served sites
Use only dead and down wood for your campfires
Please check with the campground attendant or entrance board before setting up camp
The number of vehicles included with the price of the sites has changed to 1 for single and 2 for double sites; vehicles above those numbers will be charged a per day, per vehicle extra vehicle fee on site
A trailer or RV plus a tow vehicle counts as the 2 vehicle maximum even though it is allowed with the price of the site
For more information on Eldorado National Forest, click here

Getting There:

GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):
38.89167, -120.39167
38°53'30"N, 120°23'30"W

From Placerville, take Highway 50 east. Go 21 miles to Icehouse Road. Turn left on Icehouse Road. Then drive 14 miles north to the Yellowjacket turnoff. Drive a half mile to the campground entrance.