Every Year we take a couple camping trips, usually to the coast. The past couple years we have gone to the same 2 places. This year we decided to try something different. We are still taking one camping trip to the coast, but we decided to try out some camping in El Dorado National Forest. We heard Bassi Falls was beautiful, so I searched for campgrounds close by.
I found Yellowjacket Campgrounds. It's close to Bassi Falls, and it is next to Union Valley Reservoir. Having not been there before, we didn't know what to expect, and we were pleasantly surprised by the campground spaces! We had space #5, and it was very large. At so many campgrounds you are packed in right next to other people, but this wasn't the case here at all. The kids could run around all over near us (in plain site for us to see), so they didn't feel confined to a small space at all.
As soon as we arrived, a little girl from the campsite across from us came over to visit with the kids. Her brother arrived shortly after. This was very nice for us because it kept the kids entertained while we set up camp! We found out they were part of a huge family that gets together once a year to camp. The dad said they came from (mostly) the West Coast. The little girl had said they drove 10 hours to get there, and the father confirmed they came from San Diego! A quick count told me there were well over 40 people (stopped count at 40) in their group! When you have a family that comes back year after year, that give you an idea how much people like this campground!
The campsite itself came complete with a BBQ, fire ring, picnic table, and a metal food locker (yes, we were warned there could be bears, but none were around while we were there). There was plenty of space for our two tents, and the parking spot was large enough for two cars or a car and trailer. We were surrounded by tall pines, so there were pine cones galore! There was a tree stump that was hollowed out and the kids had fun collecting pine cones and putting them inside.
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With four adults, and two kids, we were able to get time in as a family, and some time alone. On our second day there, we were able to take a hike around the lake alone for awhile, while the others went hiking a Bassi Falls. The lake is beautiful! You can bring a boat or other motorized water craft. There is a boat ramp, and parking area at the campground. Some of the lake has rocks right up to the water, but as we walked around, we found beachy areas with families swimming and playing in the water with various blow up type "floaties".
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For years we have used Rubbermaid tubs to put our camping supplies in. Awhile ago I saw a clever trick, on Pinterest, to keep things more organized, and I decided to give it a try. I found 2 plastic drawer units. I filled one with cooking items, and other things that seem to get lost in tubs, and the other I filled with foods like crackers, bread, and snacks. This was so much easier than looking through tubs. Each unit has 3 drawers, and the drawers have latches on front to keep them closed while traveling. The cooking one fit right under the end of our picnic table, and the food one fit in the metal bear locker. Had the site not had the locker, we planned to put the food one in the back of the car each night.
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One thing I have to mention is this campground does not have showers. There is a sign that says there are public showers at another campground close by, and next time we will want to drive over to use the showers, because after 3 days camping you really start to feel grubby. Luckily, there is water nearby, with the lake and creek area at Bassi Falls, and it feels so good to play in it. The water at the creek is very cool and it felt wonderful after hiking around in the heat! It made us feel much more refreshed.
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We had a great time camping at Yellowjacket. The kids had fun, and the campsite was very large. I wish it had a shower, but the lake and nearby creek helped a lot, and we saw the campground with showers on our way home, so next time we will stop in and check them out.
Yellowjacket Campgrounds is part of the El Dorado National Forrest. It is located off of Highway 50. You take Ice House Rd from Highway 50 until you see the sign for Yellowjacket, pointing to the left, and it leads you to the campground. Pets are allowed.
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