Wolf Creek California

Overview

Wolf Creek Campground is a modern facility on the north shore of Union Valley Reservoir. The reservoir offers plenty of opportunities for water activities like sailing, boating, swimming and fishing. Bring a bike to explore the neighboring bike trail.

Eldorado National Forest includes the famed gold mining territory of the 1800s. Remnants of the days of the California Gold Rush are all around the region.

Recreation

The paved 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, starting from Wench Creek on down to Jones Fork Campground. Interpretive signs along the trail tell the story of the use and development of water resources in Union Valley. This trail can be used by both hikers and bikers.

Anglers seek rainbow, brown and mackinaw trout or kokanee salmon. The reservoir also offers opportunities for swimming, water skiing and boating. The nearest boat ramp is at Yellowjacket Campground.

Facilities

Sites in this two-loop campground come with picnic tables, campfire rings and bear-proof food storage lockers. Most of the family sites will accommodate up to five small tents (1-2 person) or two medium-sized family tents (4-6 people). Vault toilets and drinking water are provided.

Single, double and group campsites for up to 25 or 50 guests are all reservable. Some sites are tent-only.

A host is on-site, and firewood may be available for a fee (more campground details).

Natural Features

At an elevation of 4,900 feet, Wolf Creek sits in the Crystal Basin of the Sierra Nevadas. This is an area known for granite peaks, alpine lakes and pine forest.

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.

Nearby Attractions

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

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).

Camp site features

Across 44 camp sites:

  • Pets allowed: all 44 sites
  • ADA accessible: 16 of 44 sites
  • Group sites: 3 of 44 sites
  • Longest rig: 50 ft
  • Largest party: 50 people

Fees

Recreation 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.

Directions

From Placerville, get on Highway 50 and head east for 21 miles to Icehouse Road. Turn left 21 miles to turnoff. Then go three-quarters of a mile to campground.

Stay Limit

Check in from 2 PM, check out by 1 PM.

Reviews

86 reviews
5 stars
60
4 stars
13
3 stars
6
2 stars
5
1 stars
2
Christopher D
Loop:Cali
Site:
Reviewed 8 days ago
We loved our stay at Wolf Creek. Our site was steps away from the Union Valley Resovoir which made for a fun day on the water. We will be back.
kamiar d
Loop:Cali
Site:
Reviewed 11 days ago
The new host, Theresa is wonderful. She pays close attention to the bathrooms as well as being friendly and helpful with tips on local hikes and the like. We've been coming here for a while now and she is a breath of fresh air. I would rate her a 10 out of 10.
Nicholas D
Loop:Grp
Site:
Reviewed 21 days ago
Host this year was lovely, super friendly, kept the bathrooms and other facilities clean and stocked. There are bears here, keeping a clean camp and putting your coolers away at night is a must. You’ll hear the yelling and car alarms now and then from the people who don’t… but don’t be one of them! The lake is always great and doesn’t disappoint.
Bernadette M
Loop:Grp
Site:
Reviewed a month ago
We stayed for 2 weeks and our site was amazing. The camp host was amazing as well. Bathrooms were cleaned and stocked during our entire stay. We definitely could have used at least 1 or 2 more tables. Two tables for 25 people just isn't enough. Sites are well shaded and a good amount of space for tents.
Brooke D
Loop:Cali
Site:
Reviewed a month ago
Camp host was very accommodating and pleasant. Let us switch our site to 34, which we thought would be better than 29 because of the view and lake access; however, it was downwind from the toilet, which wasn’t a problem until our last night and someone kept leaving the lid up. Beware of families who want to claim the entire beach for themselves and jet skiers who want to tear up the cove to make wakes to jump. 29 was closer to a much calmer cove because there wasn’t much sandy beach access, but the water was still accessible from rocks.
Stephanie A
Loop:Cali
Site:
Reviewed a month ago
This is the most beautiful campsite! Nice and clean with plenty of bathrooms available around the sights. The host is really nice and does a great job keeping this place clean for guests. She really makes you feel welcome! Make sure you keep your food in the bear box at all times though we did get a visit from Two big bears but they didnt disturb anything. Are food was locked up but they still come around. The lake is nice and warm can get a bit choppy but early hours is nice and calm.
Availability

See the Camp Sites section below to find detailed booking availability.

Popularity: Moderate

Busiest in August, when about 50% of guest capacity is reserved. Based on 11 years of reservations.

Camp Sites

Nearby Campgrounds