Camping In Nevada

As the 7th-largest state, one that’s more than 80% public land, Nevada is essentially a camper’s dreamland. With 24 state parks, 2 national parks, and dozens of recreation areas across its 100,000+ square miles, hundreds of beautifully developed campgrounds appeal to those seeking the comforts and tried-and-true amenities of a traditional campsite. From tent sites shaded by pine trees to RV pads overlooking sandy beaches, Nevada campgrounds run the gamut, generally with low (or no) fees and no reservations required.

Above: Camping on public lands is often the best way to camp in Nevada.

If an off-grid adventure is calling your name, ditch the pavement and aim for the vista or landscape you want to call home for the night right in our backyard. You’re almost certain to come across a preexisting fire ring and other telltales of responsible dispersed camping.

If you’re totally self-contained in that badass adventure mobile of yours—RV or camper van—welcome to paradise. There may be more free camping in Nevada than just about anywhere else in the country, from 10,000-foot summits to hot spring havens. Basically, if you can get your vehicle to a spot you dig, home is where you park it.

Best and Unknown Attractions Near Campgrounds

Even Nevada’s world-famous destinations, like Lake Tahoe and Valley of Fire State Park, offer prime real estate for both tents and RVs. You’ll want to bring your camping A-game to snag a site at the big name beauties, like Nevada Beach campground, since all Nevada State Parks campgrounds are first-come, first-served. But cruise a little further off the beaten path and you’re likely to be rewarded with a slice of Cathedral Gorge State Park or even Great Basin National Park all to your lucky self.

If it’s solitude you’re after, we’ve got plenty. With vistas and vastness stretching for miles, the Black Rock Desert is one of the largest open spaces in the world, and you can set up camp almost anywhere you want. Off-grid hideouts like the lush, aspen-shrouded Pine Creek Campground, located in Alta-Toquima Wilderness at the heart of Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest feel beautifully remote, but still offer the bells and whistles of a maintained campground.  

If it’s a waterfront view that floats your boat, the unspoiled section of the East Fork of the Walker River—fabled among fly fishermen for decades—remains pristine and primitive. This recreation area delivers, with 29 miles of picturesque river captivating kayakers, birdwatchers, and, of course, campers.

Speaking of which, Great Basin—one of the country’s most underrated and least crowded national parks—stuns visitors before they’ve even left the highway. Venture within those park boundaries and get ready to pitch your tent at the foot of some of Nevada’s highest peaks (we’re talking upwards of 13,000 feet here). The impressively intricate Lehman Caves, ancient bristlecone pines, and the other jaw-dropping features that put this place on the map will definitely have you considering an extended stay. You can’t go wrong stargazing from any of the park’s developed campgrounds, but base camping at 10-000-foot Wheeler Peak Campground launches you 3,000 feet higher into the sky than the bottom of the scenic drive that leads you to it.