I'll start with a trick of the trade. After turning up icehouse road off hwy 50, on yer way up the hill there's a U.S. Forest information center. They have free maps of the entire area. Also, they usually have up to date info on which campgrounds have availability (if you don't have a reserved site). It will save you time driving around to each campground. Plus the map shows all the Reservoirs in area and hiking biking trails....the more you know!
This is one of the best Lakes/Reservoir around. There's several Reservoirs in the crystal basin area but this is probably the most "wooded" areas. The lake does have fishing and boating & in the years Ive been coming up I've never thought of it being busy with noisy boating.
Photographers..Take a drive up to nearby BIG HILL..park in parking spaces and walk out to the bluff (look for sign).....you'll thank me later..this is very handicapped accessible too with ♿ parking available
Jones Fork CG: Smaller with maybe 10-12 sites and is always FCFS, no Reservations. very tight for trailers and turn around difficult.
Foshada/Sunset CG: The most popular/busiest of CG in the area and probably more families with it being large/closest to freeway/boat launch/showers. Foshada is drive up drop your stuff off & park in upper parking area. All 3 loops of Sunset were just upgraded road/sites/bathroom.
Wench Creek CG: Huge. Plenty of group sites. Plenty of sites near the water (water level depending obviously) & plenty of sites further away from hustle & bustle.
Yellow Jacket & Wolf Creek CG: they are refurbishing the CG & i haven't been able to camp there yet after it refurbished. These are at the North Side of the lake & usually not as busy.
Camino Cove CG: off the beaten path. They made road improvements to get there however dirt roads at CG are tight. CG usually full but free which is why it's always full.
You can make reservations for most CG sites online but there's a ton of Fisrt Come First Serve at every CG.
Nearby things: Big Hill (gives a mountain top view of entire Reservoir & surrounding mountain ranges). Basi Falls (great waterfall hike when there's water). There's hiking and biking trails all around the Reservoir.
Biking & hiking ideas; Theres free day parking available at Jones Fork CG just before you get down to the CG. You can bike or walk down through the campground to get to a walking/bike path that runs along the lake. There's also free parking for day use at Foshada CG with bike/hiking trails short distance away by the boat launch. The path also runs along the lake. Theres pack in pack out camp sites along these paths for more adventurous people.
Geocachers...there's several in the area..probably could use a few more too.. if you need something to do..just saying
The is off road "boondocking" camping around the Reservoir too..stop at the information center and ask where these sites are.
Stop at the crystal basin information center and they will give you a free map