Yellow Jacket Campground

Set amidst the scenic expanse of Union Valley Reservoir in Eldorado National Forest, Yellowjacket Campground offers an ideal blend of water-based recreation, forested tranquility, and accessibility. With its direct lakeside location, visitors can enjoy activities like boating, fishing, kayaking, swimming, and water skiing, while its surrounding cedar and ponderosa pine forest provides serene hiking and biking trails. This campground caters equally to tent and RV campers, with paved parking spurs, picnic tables, bear-proof food lockers, fire rings, and grills at each of its 40 sites.

Located 23 miles east of Placerville and just off scenic Ice House Road, Yellowjacket Campground sits at 4,900 feet in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Its proximity to the Union Valley Bike Trail and Bassi Falls Hiking Trail makes it a perfect base for active adventurers exploring the area’s natural beauty. The campground also features vault and flush toilets, drinking water, a boat ramp, and overflow parking, but visitors should note the absence of hookups. Wildlife enthusiasts will appreciate the diverse fauna, from black bears to the trout-rich waters, offering an immersive outdoor experience ideal for everything from weekend getaways to extended vacations.