Harvey West Cabin
The Harvey West Cabin is located on the Silver Fork of the American River. The cabin is easily access from Silver Fork Road. The cabin has beds for 12 and can accommodate an additional eight on the floor or on the large front deck. Harvey West Cabin provides a cozy mountain cabin getaway experience while also providing a few modern conveniences. The Harvey West Cabin was constructed in the early 1930s by the Sacramento Box and Lumber Company. The building was used as an office and recreational facility until it was purchased in 1936 by Harvey West. West, a prominent local businessman and philanthropist, used the cabin as a summer retreat for his famiy until the early 1970s.
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗



Site mix
| Cabins | 1 |
Site guide
1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Entry | Surface | Shade | Waterfront | People / vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Pull-through | Gravel | Full | Riverfront | 20 / 8 |
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 11:00 AM.
Amenities & rules
| Max vehicle length | 12 ft |
The 2,000 sq. ft.two level cabin has a large, open great room, kitchen, two downstairs bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms, and two large lofts that overlook the great room. The cabin has beds for 12 (one queen, two double, four sinlge, two cots) and can accommodate an additional 8 on the floor of the great room or on the large deck that overlooks the river. The cabin contains a dining table and chairs, two couches, and other assorted furniture. The cabin has two flush toilets and hot and cold running water in the kitchen, bathrooms, and shower. There is a limited assortment of pots, pans, dishes, utensils, cookware, and other kitchen items. The kitchen provides a propane stove/oven and propane refrigerator. No open flames, backpacking or Coleman type cooking stoves are permitted inside the cabin. The cabin does not have electricity. Propane lights are placed throughout the cabin but guests are encouraged to bring their own flashlights. The great room contains a propane heating stove and large stone fireplace.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
From Highway 50: Go approximately 32 miles east of Placerville or 25 miles west of South Lake Tahoe. Turn south on to Silver Fork Road 11N40. Travel approximately 2 miles on Silver Fork Road. Turn right into the China Flat Day Use parking area approximately 300' feet past the China Flat Campground entrance.
| Nearest town | Camino, California |
| Coordinates | 38.7550° N, 120.2750° W · Directions ↗ |
Good to know
- Firewood is not provided.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedTmu Rx Support
20 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 ↗ | 7.2 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Sierra ↗ | 18.1 mi |
| RV sales & service | Custom Truck Accessories ↗ | 37.9 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
The town of Kyburz is 2 miles away and has limited services.
- 6.5 miIce House Day Use & Boat Launch ↗Boat launch
- 6.9 mi
- 7.8 mi
- 12 miWest Point Boat Launch ↗Boat launch
- 13.4 miGlen Alpine Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 13.6 miEcho Lakes Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
- 0.5 miChina Flat0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.1 miLong Canyon 4WD Trail4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, 4WD and 1 more
- 2.2 miSugarloaf Peak0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 3.7 miBald Mtn Spur 4WD Trail1.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, 4WD and 1 more
- 4.1 miNorth Shanty 4WD Trail3.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, 4WD and 1 more
- 4.2 miLyons ↗5.1 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
- 7.1 miDesolation Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 64,041 acres
- 10.9 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
The cabin sits among Ponderosa pine and cedar trees along the Silver Fork of the South Fork American River, at an elevation of 4,720 feet. The region's climate is similar to that of the Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters.
Recreation
Fishing for brown and rainbow trout is a popular activity on the river. Other pleasant pastimes include bird watching, hiking and wading in the river. The walking distance China Flat Day Use Area offers picnic tables and a beach on the riverbank.
Guidebooks for California
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Harvey West Cabin?
Sites at Harvey West Cabin are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Harvey West Cabin?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Harvey West Cabin have?
1 site, including 1 cabin.
Source: Recreation.gov
Will my RV fit at Harvey West Cabin?
The longest site here provides 12 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.
Source: Will my RV fit
Are there showers or a dump station at Harvey West Cabin?
The cabin has two flush toilets and hot and cold running water in the kitchen, bathrooms, and shower.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Harvey West Cabin?
Fishing for brown and rainbow trout is a popular activity on the river. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Harvey West Cabin?
Camino, California. The town of Kyburz is 2 miles away and has limited services.
Source: Getting there
What if Harvey West Cabin is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are China Flat (0.4 mi), Sand Flat (2.7 mi), and Silver Fork (5.3 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby


