If you’re live anywhere between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, then you’ve probably heard of Union Valley Reservoir. It is a fairly commonplace to camp, located just off Highway 50 and Ice House Road.  The area surrounding the water consists of several campgrounds including West Point, Camino Cove, Wolf Creek, Yellowjacket, Azalea, Wench Creek, Big Silver, Lone Rock, and Sunset.

I have had the pleasure of camping in two different seasons and two different ends of the Reservoir.  In late September and early October, I camped on the North shore in Wench Creek campground. For the Fourth of July, I camped on the Eastern shore in Azalea campground. Believe it or not, the two ends are surprisingly different.

Wench Creek is extremely larger in size. It has roughly 100 sites. The natural landscaping is different on the North end as well. Trees are spread out, the sites are flat, and the ground is mostly dirt. The entire campground is about a two-minute walk to the water’s edge. At night, aside from one night of rain, the sky was mostly clear. I could look through the treetops and into the sky to see infinite amounts of stars. If you walk to the water on a full moon, the moon reflects across the lake and lights it up. It is actually really peaceful to look out across the water; it appears to expand forever and ever.

Azalea campground is smaller (10 sites) and a lot denser. The sites are almost right on top of each other. Almost all the sites sit on top of a mildly inclined hill, so if you decide to put your tent closer to the water, you will be sleeping at an angle. The brush is different as well. Instead of dirt, the floor is blanketed in fallen leaves, dried pine needles, acorns, and other earthly things.  I like this campground because it is a lot closer to the water’s edge, but I would never return to it…It has way too many bugs. I camp a lot, and I have never shared my space with so many bugs (of every abomination) before in my life. I’m not sure if it was because of the time of year, or lack of rainfall, or what….but it was terrifying. I came home with more bites than I could scratch.

Overall, I think Union Valley is a wonderful place for families. It lies right on the water and many people bring boats, jet skis, paddle boards, canoes, and kayaks. (I had the pleasure of using all of the above while staying at Azalea). Some sites require reservations and some don’t. It all depends on the season. There are also bathrooms, fire pits, grills, picnic tables, and bike trails. Some sites allow RV’s.  It is also one of the cheapest areas I have had the pleasure to experience.

I think the best part about the location is that Bassi Falls is located just a few miles away. For those of you who don’t know Bassi, it is one of the most breathtaking waterfalls in Northern California. It is my favorite. It cascades down 120 feet of solid rock and pools into little springs and rivers. The hike to the falls is short and fairly easy. I think I would recommend it to families with even children who are just beginning to hike. The view is worth it.