Ice House

ICE HOUSE

Part of 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.

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.

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.

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.

Important Notices

  • Travel Notice: Starting May 2024 and continuing through September 2024, Ice House Road will be undergoing repairs. There will be traffic delays so plan your camping trip accordingly.

  • Bears frequent the area. Food must be stored in approved containers

  • No electric/water/sewer hookups at this facility

  • Forest Order No. 19-15-01: Prohibits camping for a combined total of no more than 14 days during a calendar year (January-December), forest-wide. Visitors may book campsites annually but the maximum stay may not exceed a total of 14 days each calendar year (January-December)

  • Please Note: One vehicle per single site. Most sites can accommodate 1 extra vehicle that is not included with the reservation fee. Extra vehicle will be charged a per night fee and collected at the campground.

  • Fire Restrictions: Fire restrictions may be imposed at any time due to hot, dry weather conditions, at which time campfires and charcoal fires may not be allowed. Call (530) 644-6048 for local information and conditions.

  • Reserved Sites will be held until check out time (NOON) the day following your arrival date. Sites must be occupied by the checkout time of that following day to hold a reservation or the site will be forfeited and released to other guests. Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.

  • 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).

  • Don't Move Firewood: Protect California's forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. For more information visit firewood.ca.gov.
  • First Come First Serve sites remain listed as FF for the entire season. They will not show occupied/available as the status of these sites is ever changing. You must be on site at the campground to claim a FF site. No guarantees upon arrival that these FF sites will be avaiable.

  • There is a fee for moving from a reserved site to a first come first serve site. Site Transfer Policy 

  • Click here for more information on the Eldorado National Forest

Available Activities

  • Hiking - Hiking
  • Camping - Camping
  • Boating - Boating
  • Biking - Biking
  • Water Activities - Water Activities

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.

Cancellation Policy

<ul> <li>Change Fee: A service fee may be charged at the time a modification is made depending on the changes.</li> <li>Cancellation Fee: A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refunds for a cancelled reservation.</li> <li>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).</li> <li>Late Cancellation: If you cancel your reservation too close to the start date, additional service fees may be withheld.</li> <li><strong>Refunds</strong>: 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).</li> </ul>

Contact Information

Phone: 831-245-6891

ELDORADO
CA

Rental Options

Learn more about gear rental options for your trip

Available Campsites

Photo Gallery