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Ice House

FSU.S. Forest Service — California · Eldorado National Forest

AgencyFSU.S. Forest Service
AreaEldorado National Forest
LocationCalifornia · Eldorado National Forest · 38.82333, -120.35889 · Map
Sites87 public sites counted from the federal listing — 60 standard nonelectric; 17 rv nonelectric; 10 walk to
Getting a siteReservable — the federal listing marks this campground as taking reservations. Some sites or seasons may still be first-come; the listing’s own words are below.
HookupsElectric at 0 of 87 sites
Water hookups at 0 of 87 sites
Sewer hookups at 0 of 87 sites
Full hookups (all three at one site) at 0 of 87 sites
Counted site by site from affirmative reports in the federal record. A site with no report is not counted either way.
Max RV lengthLongest reported site fits 45 ft
Sites that fit at least — 25 ft: 22 sites · 30 ft: 17 sites · 35 ft: 6 sites · 40 ft: 4 sites
Months openNot in federal data — the federal listing does not publish a season for this campground. Check the official description below or Recreation.gov.
FeesRecreation Fee: Recreation fees are the fees a visitor pays for things like overnight camping, a day-use pavilion, group facilities, a tour or a permit. Recreation fees vary by location and/or activity. Reservation Fee: A fee may be charged at the time a reservation is made to cover the cost of reservation services. This fee is in addition to the Recreation Fee and is non-refundable. Fees for camping, day use, group sites, cabins and lookouts: $8 if made on-line; $9 if made through the call center; $3 if made in-person.
Check-in / outIn 2:00 PM · Out 1:00 PM (most common in the listing)
PetsAllowed at 82 sites, as reported
Accessible sites2 marked accessible in the listing
AccessibilityN
Phone831-245-6891

Check availability & book on Recreation.gov →

This site takes no reservations and shows no live availability. Source: Recreation.gov (RIDB export pulled November 5, 2026); this listing was last updated in the federal record on 2026-05-28.

From the official listing

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. 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.

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. 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. Charges & Cancellations

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

Directions, from the listing

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.

Nearest federal campgrounds

FSU.S. Forest ServiceNorthwind Campground
1 mi straight-line · California
FSU.S. Forest ServiceStrawberry Point Campground
1 mi straight-line · California
FSU.S. Forest ServiceSilver Creek Group Campground
2 mi straight-line · POLLOCK PINES California
FSU.S. Forest ServiceJones Fork Campground
3 mi straight-line · California
FSU.S. Forest ServiceFashoda
4 mi straight-line · POLLOCK PINES California

Trip Card — Ice House

California · Eldorado National Forest

AgencyFS · U.S. Forest Service
LocationCalifornia · Eldorado National Forest
FeesRecreation Fee: Recreation fees are the fees a visitor pays for things like overnight camping, a day-use pavilion, group facilities, a tour or a permit. Recreation fees vary by loc…
Getting a siteReservable
HookupsNone reported
Max RVUp to 45 ft
Months openNot in federal data
Sites87 sites

Book: recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232061 · Source: Recreation.gov, pulled November 5, 2026. Facility details come from federal recreation data and may be out of date — this site takes no reservations and shows no live availability; confirm details and book through Recreation.gov or the managing agency.