Silver Creek

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.