Silver Creek

Wonderful place to camp. Gorgeous creek and wonderful camp host created nice trails to access different points of the creek. Kid friendly and a lot to see and do off of highway 4. No cell service, no water, so plan accordingly.

Our camp host was great!

Beautiful campground with a terrific host- the inimitable Gunny.

Gunny was an excellent source of information about the area and soothed our concerns by answering our questions and letting us know what we needed to know. Site 15 was great! Good tree coverage, ample space for 2 campers, and enough of a gap between sites that we felt comfortable and could enjoy the sounds kf nature. The trail up to the waterfall was short and outlined by logs. The path down to the river was steep in some places, but calming when you get there. Worth a visit!

The campsite was clean, the camp host was friendly, and the location was good

Always a great place to stay.

Beautiful area . Camp host Gunny was stellar. Drove through several sites to find the one best for us. Water would be nice.

Excellent in every way. Absolutely beautiful! There’s no running water so plan ahead, which we did!

Enjoyed a relaxing and peaceful week at Silver Creek Campground. Our site ( #10) was clean and the campground was as well. The host “Gunny” was welcoming and helpful and we enjoyed visiting with him during our stay. Our trailer is self contained and we had a full tank of water but it would be nice if the campground had water available. We will be back again next year.

My boys and I had the most magical experience! The campground is nestled next to Silver Creek, which leads to two beautiful waterfalls and offers plenty of great hiking spots. The host, Gunny, was absolutely wonderful—so hospitable and welcoming. He checked in with everyone daily, which was especially helpful since there’s limited service and sometimes you just need an extra hand, like getting water for the campfire. My boys loved when he came around—it added to the fun of our stay. This was such a special way to spend time together before the school year began. We’d definitely recommend this spot and look forward to going back!

This quiet campground is close to many amazing trails. The on site attendant is very helpful and keeps the place clean.

The camp manager, Gunney, provided exceptional service

Host , Gunny, provides an excellent atmosphere and outstanding service. Site is secure , observed at all times, and extremely well-maintained. Top- shelf experience.

The campsite is well managed by the host. Despite the lack of piped water, they have ensured that there is at least a gallon of potable water in the each of the bear containers. All of the sites are designed for campers and trailers, the site 18, the one we reserved lacked a proper location for a tent, but appears to be the only one like that (we had to make do with an area of deep duff which meant the stakes were not secure, and also obscured our view of the road from the picnic table). During our visit the host was quite helpful with various issues we had with setting up camp.

Camp Host ( "Gunny" ) was friendly and helpful. The character of some sites at Silver Creek has changed considerably in the wake of hazard tree removals a few years ago; Site 4 has almost no afternoon shade now so if you're booking that site, take some sort of free-standing shade structure. Raymond Meadow Creek and Silver Creek offer the opportunity to take a refreshing dip on a hot summer day; both are fueled by snowmelt and some years these creeks can be hazardous. Highway 4 bisects the campground so one should expect traffic noise, especially on summer weekends when motorcyclists take their rigs past the campground on their way to / from Ebbetts Pass. The drive to the Ebbetts Pass summit is pretty and requires the driver's complete attention due to blind curves and narrow roadway and is not recommended for larger RV's or trailers in tow. Between Silver Creek and Markleeville is a pretty drive (via Highway 89) over Monitor Pass, another route that is popular with motorcycle enthusiasts. From Topaz Lake, you can head south (Highway 395) to the junction of Highway 108, then head west on 108 to view and explore the spectacular scenery offered by Sonora Pass. Like Ebbetts Pass, the Sonora Pass route isn't suggested for larger RVs - towed travel trailer combos. The Eastern Sierra Nevada is a wonderful sight-seeing destination.

Silver Creek is a beautiful and fairly isolated campground with accesss to lots of great drives and hiking. Gunny is an excellent host, friendly and very knowledgeable. Well worth returning to.

The overall campground has been improved quite a bit over the past couple of years. Dead trees and overgrown vegetation have been removed. Campsites are generally quite large with good privacy. Gunny, the host, is very friendly and helpful. The setting at 7,000 feet for me is great. The only drawback that campers should be aware of is that Silver Creek is a dry campground, ie NO WATER. If you run low,water sources are hard to come by.

great spot. Clean

Great host and a beautiful setting

very nice quiet campground. The cleanest vault toilets I have seen. great campground host

I had campsite 2 at Silver Creek for 3 nights recently. Recreation.gov says "fully shaded" which was very wrong.....both the bear box and the picnic table and most of the site, are in direct sun all day long. I was able to locate my tent in a spot that stayed shady into am but it was all of 15' off hwy 4, which admittedly is very quiet . Campground is very nice esp the spots on the east side of hwy 4, and some of the sites on the west side too....really best to pick in person if you can. Very clean bathroom (pit toilet) although only one of the 2 was open on the sold out holiday time July 4th stretch. Gunny the camp host was very welcoming and very on top of his job and cruised around in golf cart several times a day making sure things were in order. Mosquitoes were horrific in July. We had great hiking at Kinney Reservoir to Kinney Lakes, and enjoyed dipping in the river in the campground (accessible via trail off east side of campground). Also had a nice day at Grover Hot Spring state park 30 min down the road , where we had reserved a soak time. Definitely recommend this campground, and I hope the update the shade status on sites more accurately . Gunny did tell us that 100 trees had been chopped down in the campground in the last year. Thanks Gunny!

Our camp host Gunny was great!

Silver Creek is well administered by WESTrek. They are not responsible for the USDA's unwillingness to restore water service to the Campground but it appears they aren't pushing the issue. Humboldt-Toiyabe staff don't see it as a big deal. Hazard trees removed throughout the campground mean less shade than in years past. Fire rings and bear boxes are of recent vintage. Access roads are in fair shape as are the parking pads. A camper improvised walking path between Sites 3 and 4 provides easy access to Hiway 4, a hundred yards or so from Raymond Meadow Falls, a pretty spot for photos or a refreshing dip on a hot day. Using those Falls involves risk and children cannot be left unattended, especially when the Spring run-off is in full force. Bring plenty of bug spray, sunblock, and water. Pop-Up Shades are also very handy. Vault toilets are cleaned daily. Dumpsters are a bit undersized for the amount of traffic the campground receives; be prepared to haul your trash home if the dumpsters are full. Markleeville and Grover Hot Springs State Park are within a half hour drive. You can venture west on Hiway 4 to the Ebbetts Pass summit which includes scenic Kinney Reservoir and access to the Pacifc Crest Trail. Have been going to Silver Creek since 1994 (tent camping) and will continue to visit as long as I able.

If you get the right campsite here (some are pretty small) you will love it. It was quiet except for sound of the rushing creek, which was relaxing. Camp host was terrific and there were clean restrooms 👏🏻👏🏻. Easy access to places along Highway 4.

Great place

I've been camping at Silver Creek since 1994, long enough to recall the era when running water was available. Best thing about it: NO CELL SERVICE, so it really forces one to unplug from the noise that accompanies 21st century life. I live in the Reno area so getting to this facility is a breeze. Wildfires in the area leading to the campground have decimated the scenery along significant sections between Woodfords and Ebbetts Pass, but the views from the campground and along Highway 4 as it passes Kinney Reservoir remain pristine. As it is a DRY campground, bring more water than you think you'll need. Westrek, the vendor responsible for staffing the campground has had good success with its campground hosts as the last three have been great at keeping up with site cleanliness and maintaining the vault toilets also. If you are bringing a RV over 20' long over Ebbetts Pass ( Highway 4) from West to East, be aware the road is one lane in spots and features some blind hairpin turns.

The host was very kind and the camp was very clean. However... He drove around the camp doing laps just about every hour on his golf cart during the day and into the evening. It was the first time I had ever experienced anything like that and would honestly have rather gone without the "patrols." I feels silly to write now, but it felt excessive at the time. Luckily we brought a gas stove with us, otherwise we would have gone hungry for breakfast as we were told "we dont do fires in the mornings." It wasn't hot or the middle of the day and there were were no restrictions in place. I understand the cause for concern, but with water jugs in every camp, fire rings, and regular patrols one would think you could cook some eggs. If you are on the loops anywhere near the highway you will hear and see the cars and headlights late into the night. Lastly the lack of water was very frustrating. We had accepted it going in and brought enough with us, however, it was still frustrating. Watch out for 13, there's a huge ant's nest right under the only spot to put a tent. Sure you expect wildlife when camping, but if you pause for even a long moment in front of your tent they will be ALL over your feet and legs.

The camp host was amazing. Gunny was the best. Campground clean. Campsites raked, tables leveled along with the bear box.

When I arrived my campsite was raked, clean, tables and bear bins leveled. I have never seen that in any other forest campground in CA. Gunny the host was great and keeps a keen on how the campground runs.

Beautiful campground and Gunny was an excellent campground host. Our only disappointment was in the lack of water available at the pumps. That said we will be returning n the future.

This is a beautiful campground. Some of the campsites are quite small and others are very specious. I think that some are singles / some doubles. It straddles Highway 4, but there's little to no traffic at night. We stayed one night only (on a Thursday) and there were many spaces still available for a last minute camper. The campground has no water. We knew this in advance, so we brought our own and it worked out great. The campground host is fantastic - really goes out of his way to be helpful.

Eric (Gunny) the Camp Host was wonderful. The campsite was clean upon arrival and the pit toilets were kept clean our whole trip. We are wondering if they will ever get the water system fixed here. Especially with the fire danger prevalent, it is hard to carry enough water for personal use AND campfire suppression in the evenings, especially on a long trip. Thank you.

This is one of the best campgrounds in America: spacious, beautiful, lots to do nearby, great camp host. Doesn't get any better than this.

Rest room was clean and restocked daily. Trash dumpster had not been emptied when we arrived on a Thursday. By Saturday morning, it was too full to utilize. When we left on Sunday, we had to take our garbage with us. Humbolt-Toiyabe Forest District and/or Westrek Services need to restore the water supply at this campground by making the infrastructure repair required. If it raises the nightly rate, so be it. It's laughable a heavily used campground of this quality does not have running water. Current campground host ( "Gunny' ) is pleasant to deal with.

great location for hiking/fishing silver creek

The campground was beautiful and peaceful. My only complaints are that we had people fairly close to us, closer than I wouldn't liked. And the second complaint is not being able to have a campfire, kind of takes away from the camping experience. But overall, I would definitely go there again

Silver Creek is a small campground. It was very quiet. Great views of the creek and mountains above at site 19 . Sites 5 & 4 have great views of the silver creek canyon. Hikes on the Pacific Crest Trail are nearby. Sorry that water is no longer available, but this time I was prepared.

Beautiful campground. Sites are spaced well apart. Our site was right by the stream. Quiet even though near the road. Near great hiking on the PCT or surrounding areas. Bring your own water!

great great campground! Very beautiful, quiet, alpine environs

We usually camp at Grover Hot Springs in Markleville. We decided to try some place new. We had space 003, nice spacious drive-thru spot. It was close to highway, but its very quiet, cars traveling 30 miles an hour. NO water .. I mean no flush toilets, no water sinks and no water spikets. So if you need water, bring it or keep going, We have a full contained travel trailer so no big deal to us. 12 miles from Grover Hot Springs, dining and grocery store in Markleville. Beautiful area. 30 minute drive to a beautiful little lake for fishing, swimming or paddle boarding. We will be back. Off the grid, no cell.

Campsite is clean and the toilet paper never ran out. But the sites themselves are difficult for tents, as none of the pads are flat and were very rocky. There's no water - be aware before you go!

Lack of water at the campground apparently prevents the campground hosts from cleaning the bathrooms. The men's vault toilet floor on the campground loop for Sites 1 - 10 was filthy. Silver Creek hasn't had running water for 4 or 5 years now (either Westrek or USFS Humbolt-Toiyabe District are to blame) yet previous campground hosts found a way to clean and disinfect the vault toilet on a daily basis.

Beautiful campground. When booking, try not to book near the restroom, it was incredibly foul. The hosts were hands off. The website advertises that they have water, but there is none.

I had a reservation for three nights. I only ended up staying for two nights. This was actually a nice campground (clean bathrooms and bear boxes and campfire rings with grates) and I found myself thinking on the first and second day that I couldn't wait to come back and to bring a group of friends later in the summer. So, my rating is from my personal experience and not the result of the campground itself. There are tons of great hiking trails in the area and a great reservoir lake near the campground. However, I did have someone who came into my camp site in the middle of the night. In spite of trying to get them to leave by pressing the panic button on my car to activate the alarm, this individual returned. I once again activated my alarm and was able to get to my car and drive away (I came back in the morning to get my gear). I camp solo frequently and have never had an experience like this. However, I think the proximity to the road made for easy access for someone to enter the campground undetected. I highly discourage any solo camper from staying here, but it would be a great place for a group.

Have been camping at Silver Creek since the mid 1990's. Great spot at 7,000 feet. Nearby Raymond Meadow Creek provides a spot to take a refreshing dip on a hot day. Fire rings are relatively new as are the bear boxes. Traffic on Highway 4 calms down after dark so there's not a lot of man-made noise. The water system hasn't worked for four or five years now, so bring plenty for drinking, washing, cooking. No cell service ( AT&T) is a plus. Ice and other essentials available at the Markleeville General Store. There's a walking path between Sites 3 and 4 which leads to the highway.

I love the location of this campground. Hwy 4 is relatively quiet and 7000 ft elevation is a sweet spot in summer - not too chilly at night and not too hot during the day. Site#4 is spacious with plenty of level ground and good shade. Markleeville general store is only 10 miles away with lots of river access points between. Camp hosts Mike and Sierra made the rounds unobtrusively. There's a combo lock on the dumpster which is unusual. The lack of fresh water is the only real draw back, but perhaps that keeps the numbers down. I just had to think ahead and carry water in. Overall it seems reasonably well kept and made a wonderful retreat away from the fireworks over 4th of July weekend.

I have been camping at Silver Creek for 50 years. Last three camp hosts have been great. Only problem is with company running campground. No water? Seems like a readily fixable problem

Most beautiful views. Clean restrooms. No water though because of a break in the line somewhere. So it was dry camping but we were in a 28foot class C rig. Camp host was great. We were there the last weekend before closing for the winter, so it was quiet. Definitely will be returning as this is our family’s favorite campground for the last 25 years!

There are two separate campsites that are both called "Silver Creek" that are about an hour's drive apart. If you type the name into maps, you will end up at the wrong one. Please consider renaming one of the sites. Once we got to the correct campsite, it was nice and quiet, but the host was sold out of firewood.

Would have been 5 stars, but there was no running water, necessitating trips to town and a state park to obtain/buy water. This is inexcusable. Hopefully you have repaired this problem. This is not a remote backpacking only site, so people come expecting running water. Otherwise, a very nice place.