We visited Vermilion over the Labor Day weekend and on the Friday we arrived, our dog Aztec passed away. It was a traumatic experienced for all of us there. Raven, one of the camp hosts arrived and attempted to resuscitate him but our pet was gone. Raven did what he could to give Aztec dignity and preserve him until we could make it down the mountain. He also went over and beyond to comfort our family in such a difficult time. I cannot thank the staff at Vermilion for the true warmth and comfort we were provided in our time of need. I didn't get the name of the wonderful woman working the Cafe register on Friday night of 8/30. She also went over and beyond in assisting us with reaching our son and ease my pain. You are all amazing. The campground is as beautiful as the people there. read more

Went during June. The lake was full and the weather was good. Campsite had a good view of the Lake. The weather was mild. The last day we were there, smoke from fires south of the Kings Canyon rolled in. But wasnt bad. The camp host was very informative-and nice. Did not see any bears. And some mosquitos..! Great hikes. go to Devil bathtub. and others if possible. Mono Hot springs was nice as well. stop in Fresno and Take plenty of food and water as the campstore is very expensive. The road to get there is one lane and you will need an SUV or a truck. Be careful and drive slow!! read more

Do not stay here - at least not at site 6 - if you are looking for peace and quiet! Which is a real shame, because the site itself is lovely. It's got a great view of the lake, multiple flat and shady places to pitch a tent, good condition bear box, picnic table, and fire pit, and the host is friendly but not intrusive. Hence the three stars. But! This site is in direct sound-wave of the resort next door and they RUN. THE. GENERATOR. ALL. THE. TIME. They have to - I get it - it's their only source of electricity. But if I had known how LOUD it was, and that it would be in operation from early morning until about 10:45 at night, I would have found another campground, or at the very least, a site further away. I walked through the campground several times and the sound did fade away the further you got, but I'm not sure at what point you actually can't hear it. I came for peace and quiet and instead it sounded like I was parked next to a machine shop. The resort also emits noise from amplified music, chainsaws, etc., but it was the generator for me that was so stressful, because it was incessant and I had really been looking forward to the tranquility of such a remote place. Also, be aware of the road! I thought "oh, it's no way it could be that bad." Ahhhh it was worse! Totally blew my mind. Fill up on gas before you come! My Toyota Corolla did a super job, but it was harrowing! Lastly, be prepared with lots of maps, most of the nearby trails have poor signage, if any at all. July 2023 the lake was great for swimming, however (cold but clear and invigorating), and wildflowers were everywhere! read more

Absolute favorite place to camp! Well kept grounds and awesome staff! Little convenience store at VVR and restaurant in addition to bathrooms and showers. There is pack station about a mile away where you can horseback ride. So much fun! Did the 4hr trail to devils bathtub. Gorgeous scenery and beautiful horses. Crystal took great care of me and didn't stop when I lost focus and bared down into the stirrups, lost my seat and bounced in the saddle on our trot/ light canter. Whoops, my bad, sorry girl. She's definitely a trail horse pro lol. Our guide was a salt of the earth, genuine, kind man. Can not wait to get back up there. Mono hot springs is/are very close by as well. Warning: if you have never driven here, the drive is not for the faint of heart. Plan on white knuckling it for about an hour until you reach lake Thomas Edison. All wheel drive recommended but not necessary, just be careful. read more

Dude, went back to Vermillion this year. The water is flowing. I mean FLOWING. Lake Edison is so full it is spilling into the runway. Campgrounds clean per usual, firewood available on site. Hit a grocery store in Fresno and get gas because there is really nothing once you start on the pass. The Resort has some stuff, but it is expensive, and there is minimal supply. Great fishing, so pick up a pole and permit before you go, you won't be sorry. Kaiser Pass seems much rougher this year, and I am guessing it is due to the snow. I highly suggest not driving this in a car, use a jeep or crossover and don't drive like an idiot, do you want to be that person? read more

(Not to be confused with Vermillion Valley Resort campgrounds, which are next door to Vermillion Campground). Beautiful campgrounds for those who seek a more remote camping experience close to water. We spent 2 nights and 3 days camping here, specifically for it's close proximity to Mono Hot Springs and more challenging, less crowded hiking trails. The lake itself is stunning views, it's a quick walk from every campground and creates stunning photos. Very cold waters though, overall, would recommend a wetsuit or sticking to canoes. You can easily rent boats and canoes next door at the Resort as well as buy groceries, beer and ice cream. Every campground does have a slight incline, as the reservation site warns, so be prepared to hunt for a spot that keeps your tents level. The campgrounds closest to the water tend to be larger and better suited for RVs, which it seems you can't reserve online and have to call in order to reserve. We decided to camp on a site on the hillside #21, with only having a tent and small car, and for 2 of us it was just fine. There are only 5 that are first-come, first-serve and this is a campground that is frequented by groups of families throughout the summer. Reservations are ideal. The camp host is set up right by campsite #17 and she tends to be gone Monday-Wednesday's. There can be some confusions with reservations - ours was confirmed online, but when we arrived the wrong last name was posted. We set up camp anyway, since host was gone on Monday, and no one else showed up in complaint at least! The other campers were super friendly and helped us hunt the grounds in case we'd been moved and then urged us to set up camp and not worry about it. Every campsite has a bear box, which is handy for keeping the adorable but insistent chipmunks from stealing your food. Amenities are sparse beyond this, though, with only outhouse toilets. There are no sinks, only taps, so would recommend bringing drink water jugs or a filter for the taps and your own hand soap. Right behind us on the hill of our campsite is the trail head for several trails in Ansel Adams Wilderness. We walked straight up and hit the parking lot that leads to it, no need to move the car. You can easily work in a day hike up to Devil's Bathtub, about a 13 miles loop, and finish up with a trip down the road to Mono Hot Springs for a soak and river float afterwards if you get up and going around 7am. Fair warning: the roads are not super well-maintained once you get to the Hot Springs in particular. I would recommend at least a 6-cylinder if not an SUV to get up here, although we did manage to get a Toyota Yaris safely up and back! read more

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stopped at VVR on my John Muir Trail hike for a layover day and it was the most relaxing place with great hostess and the best food. Would do it again. read more

Reserved for 3 days only stayed one. They lied about a campsite by the lake. There is no lake it is dried up and looks like it has been for awhile. Still fighting for refund for the other 2 nights as in no longer there but in a hotel. The drive is very dangerous and not worth it. Cafe is closed. They have nothing to offer as a campground. Very disappointed. We was at site 26 which is advertised to be by the lake. We left today and very upset. It will never happen again. Recreation.gov has not issued a refund they are a joke. This camp is a joke. I have to have my bank fight it since they took money for services not issued. read more

This is an excellent campground on the other side of Kaiser Pass. Your up 7, 648 feet in the Sierra National Forest which has some great landscape, excellent fishing, and great hiking. It's good for kids. The lake edges are nice and sandy. There are no flushing toilets, cell phone service (which makes it great), or internet. Majority of the sites are shaded with pine trees. Robert the camp host was very welcoming & has a lot of information about the area. Best camp host I've encountered here in the many years I been visiting this campground. Keep in mind if it's a dry/drought year or late in the season the water level will not be by the campsites. The lake is used to make electricity for SCE not for your pleasure. The ONE LANE ROAD is awesome but not for all drivers. I'm tired of people complaining about it. There is a lot of pot holes, some areas are on a cliff, you may have to back up to give people room. If your scared of heights, don't know how to drive or can't drive, stay off the road. Please don't come up in your minivan or prius and hold up traffic. read more

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Disappointed worst place we drove 6 hours had a 3 day reservation and we only stayed 1 night the lake is dry the camp ground is 20min from the water and we couldn't enjoy because they complained of being loud read more

Gorgeous scenery. Secluded. Quiet. The lake is pretty full. I think they had a good winter and the melted snow filled it up. Dusty. The drought has taken its toll on a lot of areas. It was really dry. There was a Forrest fire near by so there was a lot of smoke as well it it was so beautiful up there we still had a great time. read more

(Please note that the listed website is NOT for the public campground I am writing of. Please use the federal recreation.gov website to access specific and important information.) My husband, two mutts and I had reservations to stay here on September 3rd, 2011. Since I am still a novice camper, I was pretty enthused to be camping at a location known to be "The most remote campground and resort accessible by car." The campground, which is on the banks of Edison Lake, is at an elevation of 7,700 feet. Getting here, as one might imagine, takes some dedication and steely nerves behind the wheel. To get here, you must drive on Highway 168 East and continue through Prather, Shaver Lake and Huntington Lake. Once you pass Huntington Lake, you will notice that the road narrows to one lane in each direction. (This is your LAST chance for gasoline and diesel-- no joke.) After approximately five miles, the road narrows again. This last section of road (not highway) is not for the faint of heart, you will need good reflexes and a sure foot because the roadway is only wide enough for ONE car. (When an another auto approaches, it is a good idea to pull over, if possible. If there is no way for you to move to the "shoulder" (a euphemism, really) the other surely will.) Make sure your radiator is in fine condition, as you will summit Kaiser Pass (9.128 feet!!) on a steep and windy road. There is a reason that the speed limit is 10 MPH, don't push it-- enjoy the stunning scenery. Kaiser Pass Road is intersected by many U.S. Forestry Primary Routes and Routes, so it is a good idea to get turn by turn directions from an internet service, and also pay attention to the signs when present. Turn left at the dam, check out the camp store at VVR (Vermillion Valley Resort) and perhaps, reward yourself with a t-shirt or hoodie which proclaims "I survived the road to Edison Lake." (It has a cute cartoon map on the back.) Also, take this opportunity to get that deodorant or box of tampons your forgot to pack. Drive about 100 yards past VVR and you will see the campground. I *believe* there are 18 campgrounds. Since we decided to camp during the labor day weekend in the beginning of August. we got the last camp site. Even if you make a reservation, you will not be given a specific site until you arrive and check in. We got camp site #1. This site was at the entrance of the camp ground, but the location is so remote that we were not bothered by any traffic. We had a view of a sliver of the lake. If one reserves a camp site early enough, however, I see no reason why a site on the lake couldn't be gotten. The area is so beautiful that we walked our dogs near the lake for a good hour or so. Site #1 offers close proximity (100 yards or so) the camp store, shower ($6 a person), and barbecue restaurant. It is also right across the way from a water spigot for camp use. TIP: Boil the water before you drink it, as the protozoa Giardia Lamblia is present here. This is not a life-threatening infection for most people and usually just results in intestinal and digestive discomfort. For a small percentage of the population, medical treatment may be required.) Site #1 is also a short walk from the restroom (vault style), but not so close that you can smell it. (Perhaps a two minute walk.) Site #7 is the CLOSEST to the bathroom. Like much of the Sierra National Forest, this IS bear country. There is a bear box/ locker at each camp site-- and you must use it for all food and beverages (non-water), as well as anything that smells like food to a bear. (Lotion, cough drops, baby car seats, dog food, picnic baskets, etc.) Camp site #1 had plenty of tall, beautiful trees which provided daytime shade. But there was also the option for sunshine. Each camp site has a fire ring and a picnic table. Some have more trees, some less. Some have giant boulders. If tent camping, remember the high elevation can make for chilly nights. There are different options the camper can request while making reservations regarding how far back the camp site is from the road. (Twenty feet back, thirty feet back, and forty feet back.) There is a camp host who can be very helpful in providing information to campers. He/She handles all reservations. We were so smitten with our campsite, as well as the remoteness of Edison Lake, that we asked the camp host if we could extend our stay by one night. We were pleased as punch that there was a vacancy at site #1, as were the pups, who enjoyed woodsy walks and, perhaps, a (prohibited) playtime/ splash time in a remote and shallow portion of the lake. (I don't condone this, it is against the rules--- so don't get caught and spoil it for the rest of the pups who want to camp here.) If you are camping with your dog, please follow the rules so more pooches can enjoy the privilege of camping with their people. Most importantly, pick up after Fido! read more

A beautiful campsite near the majestic Lake Edison in the breathtakingly beautiful Sierra wilderness. The drive on Kaiser Pass is a mission, but the most scenic road you will ever be on so make sure to focus on the road! The people are very friendly and there is a little store with supplies and food to stock up on whatever you need. The site is clean, the bear boxes are spacious, the trails near by are perfect, surrounded by might fallen elks and giant trees, rivers, and wildlife. I will be sure to visit this campsite again soon. read more

We stayed here for a week in July 2012, and thought it was lovely. Yes, the drive up there on the Kaiser Pass Road is not exactly your typical California freeway experience, but given that you are going to a point whose remoteness would normally only be reached by backpackers, it's a small price to pay - and also, the scenery is gorgeous! Try not to bring a trailer up here if you can help it - you may have to back up on the road in order to pass a vehicle coming the other way, and if you end up doing so on one of those stretches where one side of the road is the edge of a sheer cliff, well, good luck is all I can say. Anyway, the campground is beautiful and spacious, and the vault toilets are clean. There are water spigots at regular intervals and when we were there the water did not require boiling or filtering. The dumpsters are secured with bear chains and seem to be emptied regularly. The bear lockers are on the small side, but when we asked the camp host about this, he explained that they were put in for free fairly recently, that the campground used to not even have any, and that unlike the bears around Yosemite, the bears in this area are not "trained' to look for food in people's cars (in fact he said a bear has never broken into a car at the Vermilion Campground). So we kept our cooler, which was too tall to fit into the bear locker, in the trunk of our car, and had no problems. When we made our reservation, it did not seem possible to reserve particular sites, but when we got there it did seem, based on the notes posted at a couple of campsites, that some people had somehow been able to reserve particular sites. In general I would say that the higher-numbered campsites are better, because the lower the number, the closer to the generator that they run at the Vermilion Valley Resort (switched off between 10 pm and 7 am when we were there). From about site number 14 and higher the sound of the generator is very slight; in fact when we were setting up our tent and stuff initially we didn't notice it at all. There are no showers at the campground but you can get a shower at the next-door Resort for six bucks, including soap and clean towel. When we were there, the lake (technically a reservoir) had been drawn down fairly low, so the views that would have been of lovely blue water were of dry lake bed for the most part. But the sites are dotted among beautiful tall trees, rock outcroppings, and a curved road, so there was still beauty all around us. For anyone considering going up there I would suggest trying to find out about the lake level before going if that is going to be a make-or-break factor for you (we talked to a couple people who'd brought boats, and launching them in actual water was a bigger proposition than they'd planned, with water a good half-mile away). There is a phone number at the Vermilion Valley Resort, so maybe calling there and leaving a message if necessary would be the way to find this out. read more

The drive was too long with a winding and narrow, one lane road to get there. The campground was NOT worth the drive. Although beautiful (sites 22 and 23 are the best) and scenic, there is little to do. The water in the lake is too cold and the mosquitos are in full force. There are few hiking trails unless you're doing the pct. The so called `resort` around the corner is basically just a hostel for the pct trail backpackers. There was no camp host (and don't be fooled into thinking the resort knows anything about the campground less than a mile away) when we arrived and another party was in our spot which they didn't reserve or pay for and we had to deal with it due to the lack of a camp host. We picked another spot since they were all set up and leaving the next day. Finally a camp host came and then we had to move all our stuff to the right spot! if they were there when we got there, we wouldn't have had to go through The trouble of moving! The bathrooms are basically holes in the ground and I had to try to hold my breath the whole time to prevent losing a meal. The trashcans were filled to the brim and trash was piled up outside the bins (not much worry of bears I guess). The bear boxes fit little of what would be needed for a week of camping. It is a beautiful and remote spot but I would not go back. read more

Vermillion campgrounds is a great place to get away from the valley!....was a far up drive but, so worth the drive! Nice scenery as you drive up there...(on way need stop at mono hot springs loved the scenery there and the warm water spots around its different and nice there) back on vermilion campground .....my family and I spent 3 days there the EDISON Lake was walking distance of our site #5 went with kyaks and hung out at lake was perfect ! Restrooms are descent for being port a potty style...just need your own flashlight for night time use...not far from us was a store and more restrooms and showers ...(showers are $6 need buy token to use the shower) theres trails for biking or hiking ...place was perfect! At night it does get chilly cold...during day was beautiful!!! Will be camping there again! Pet friendly...we took our dog (she loved it! ) And camp site ranger "Brian" awsome and helpful person! read more

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