Van Vleck Bunkhouse
Winter guests take on a more challenging adventure and must traverse an approx. 6-mile trek with a 1,300-foot elevation gain to reach the bunkhouse. The route is marked by blue reflective diamonds and this journey is for intermediate to advanced backcountry skiers only. Winter vehicle access from Jan. 1 through May 15 is restricted by snow. Winter user access is from the Loon Lake Campground vehicle pull out. Summer guests can access the bunkhouse by road and enjoy the simple pleasure of the cabin and nearby hiking and horseback riding. Vehicle access is restricted to the Bunkhouse parking area.
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Cabins | 1 |
Site guide
1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Surface | People / vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| 001 | Gravel | 6 / 6 |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 1:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
The bunkhouse has a 10x10' deck, two rooms and an indoor bathroom with a flush toilet, shower and sink. Outside is a vault toilet, picnic table, and campfire ring. The parking area accommodates up to six vehicles. The main living area includes a kitchen, a table with chairs, a gas log stove, a sleeper sofa and a bunk bed. The bedroom has another bunk bed and a queen-size bed. The heater and cook stove operate on propane. During the summer season, the bunkhouse is supplied with well water. Hot and cold running water is available in the kitchen, bathroom sinks, and the shower. Please conserve water as the supply is limited and can run out during dry periods. Due to freezing temperatures, the water system is shut down during the winter. If available, melt and boil snow for water during winter months, or bring water with you. There is no electricity. Other items to bring year-round include food,utensils,pots,pans, bedding, toilet paper, paper towels,flashlights, headlamps,matches, a first aid kit and all other basic camping gear.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
From Placerville, drive 21 miles on Highway 50, then turn left on Ice House Riverton Road. Go 23 miles north and turn right on Tells Creek Road. Then drive 5 miles east and turn left on the gated, dirt/gravel road to the bunkhouse, which is 0.5-miles ahead on the left side. Winter access is from the Loon Lake parking area.
| Nearest town | Camino, California |
| Coordinates | 38.9292° N, 120.3250° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedTmu Rx Support
19 mi from the campground
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 7.3 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Sierra ↗ | 17.3 mi |
| RV sales & service | Custom Truck Accessories ↗ | 33.1 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
The nearest general store is at Ice House Reservoir, a 30-minute drive away. In winter this is closed, so the nearest store is in Pollock Pines, a 1.5-hour drive away. Tells Creek Primitive Equestrian Campground is located near the bunkhouse.
- 3.8 miLoon Lake Day Use And Boat Launch ↗Boat launch
- 4.4 mi
- 4.8 miGerle Creek Picnic Area ↗Day use
- 7.5 miWest Point Boat Launch ↗Boat launch
- 11.5 miEagle Falls Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 11.5 miMckinney/Rubicon Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Show all 7Hide
- 13.9 miBaldwin Beach ↗Swimming
Trails nearby
- 0.1 miBassi3.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.4 miHighland ↗4.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.8 miSunrock1.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1 miRed Peak ↗6.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1 miTwo Peaks ↗5.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1 miLoon Lake Trail4.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Eldorado National Forest.
- inEldorado National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 793,653 acres
- 2.6 miDesolation Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 64,041 acres
- 4.7 miLake Tahoe Basin Management Unit ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 331,807 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
Natural features
Van Vleck sits halfway up a small peak of the Sierra Nevada, about a half-mile from Cheese Camp Creek, at an elevation of 6,000 feet. The front deck overlooks a meadow and offers a view of the Crystal Range. If skiing or snowshoeing to the bunkhouse, guests will pass over a bridge on the South Fork of the Rubicon River, and past a small aspen grove and Milkhouse Meadow.
Recreation
Popular summer activities include mountain biking, hiking, backpacking in Desolation Wilderness, stream fishing in Cheese Camp Creek, horseback riding, and bird watching. The Tells Creek Primitive Equestrian Trail leads into Desolation Wilderness. In winter, cross country skiing or snowshoeing is required to reach the bunkhouse, so these are the featured activities of the trip.
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Van Vleck Bunkhouse?
Sites at Van Vleck Bunkhouse are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Van Vleck Bunkhouse?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 1:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Van Vleck Bunkhouse have?
1 site, including 1 cabin.
Source: Recreation.gov
Are there showers or a dump station at Van Vleck Bunkhouse?
The bunkhouse has a 10x10' deck, two rooms and an indoor bathroom with a flush toilet, shower and sink.
Source: Recreation.gov
Is there cell service at Van Vleck Bunkhouse?
FCC coverage maps show T-Mobile 5G at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is there to do at Van Vleck Bunkhouse?
Popular summer activities include mountain biking, hiking, backpacking in Desolation Wilderness, stream fishing in Cheese Camp Creek, horseback riding, and bird watching. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Van Vleck Bunkhouse?
Camino, California. The nearest general store is at Ice House Reservoir, a 30-minute drive away.
Source: Getting there
What if Van Vleck Bunkhouse is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Loon Lake (3.7 mi), Wench Creek (3.9 mi, partly first-come), and Big Silver Group (4 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby