Camping › California › Van Vleck Bunkhouse
Van Vleck Bunkhouse
13 mi southwest of Tahoma, CA · Verizon 4G · AT&T 5G
About 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. Van Vleck Bunkhouse overlooks a 40-acre meadow and the Tells Peak portion of the Crystal Range of the Sierra Nevada, providing a rustic camping experience year-round. Built in 1957, the bunkhouse is the last remaining building at the Van Vleck Ranch site. The area was operated as a cattle ranch…
- Fees: $75 (6 person max.)
- Managed by: Eldorado National Forest, FS
- Where: 13 mi southwest of Tahoma, CA · 38.92917, -120.325
- Winter: the road at camp is closed to cars in winter; plan to ride, ski or snowshoe in.
Things to do:
Official page for this camp (fees, closures, booking)
Weather by month
Typical daily highs and lows (°F), 1991–2020 NOAA normals. Best months: Jun–Sep (comfortable days, mild nights, little rain). Nights below freezing: Nov–Apr.
Fly over it in 3D, check today's weather and fire news, plan the drive and print a trip plan.
Trails near camp
| Trail | Open to | From camp | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bassi | Horse | 0.1 mi | 3.0 mi |
| Rock Festival | ATV road | 0.4 mi | 1.0 mi |
| Highland | Horse | 0.4 mi | 4.5 mi |
| Sunrock | Horse | 0.7 mi | 1.4 mi |
| Sun Rock | ATV road | 0.8 mi | 0.9 mi |
| Loon Lake Trail | Horse | 0.9 mi | 4.2 mi |
Straight-line distance from camp, from Forest Service, BLM, state and OpenStreetMap trail data.
Good to know
Verizon 4G · AT&T 5G
From the carriers' FCC coverage maps, which tend to be generous.The Milky Way is bright, with a little glow low on the horizon.
Class 3 of 9, from NASA/NOAA night-light data.Dump station: 7.2 mi
Water fill-up: 12.4 mi
Propane: 17.4 mi
Camps nearby
- Tells Creek Equestrian Camp 0.1 mi
- Loon Lake 3.7 mi
- Wench Creek 3.9 mi
- Big Silver Group 4 mi
- Azalea Cove Campground 4.1 mi
- Robbs Hut 4.4 mi