Recreate Responsibly

Nevada’s huge. More than 80% of it is wide-open, wild, and — most importantly — public, waiting to bring your wildest get-outside dreams to life. Whether you’re chasing outdoor passions in boots or skis, on two wheels or four, or virtually any other way, get the scoop on how to explore the Silver State safely and responsibly, to ensure Nevada’s sacred spaces remain pristine and special for generations to come.

For information on long-term access issues or closures that may affect your visit — along with links to the best resources for real-time updates on roads, weather, and other temporary travel impediments — click here.

Lake Tahoe

Visit Carson City

Highlights

Navigate Nevada Like A Dusty Ol’ Pro
Come Out and Play It Safe on Nevada’s Public Lands
Land Use Etiquette, Safety, and Stewardship

In love with the Silver State as much as we are? Get the lowdown on how you can do your part to protect the places we love, and move the Nevada story forward for good.

Know Before You Go

Stay on All Trails, Tracks, and Roads. We’ve already got plenty; don’t blaze your own.
Know Where You’re Headed. With so many unfenced landscapes, everything can feel like it’s limitlessly yours. But remember, whatever land you’re on—whether it’s private or public—it’s owned and managed by a person or an agency. Respect all posted No Trespassing signs and leave gates in whatever way you found them.
Tread Lightly! Whether you’re off-roading, hunting, target shooting, fishing, or simply exploring, make sure you’re operating motorized vehicles legally, safely, and responsibly. Brush up on designated OHV routes before you head out into Nevada’s backcountry.

Finders does NOT mean keepers. Whether it’s a ghost town mining relic, arrowhead, or any other kind of artifact, whether it looks historical to you or not, it’s a vital piece of the Silver State story. Take all the photos you’d like, but leave every object, however big or small, exactly where you found it for others to discover. Taking—AKA stealing—artifacts is not only extremely uncool, it’s also illegal.

Got fishing, hiking or hot spring hunting on the brain? More than 80% of Nevada is public land—the highest percentage among all states. Meaning this land is literally your land. Be sure to navigate it safely and responsibly while you’re out here.

Leave No Trace. Familiarize yourself with the “Seven Principles” of LNT outdoor ethics. At the very least, always travel with extra garbage bags so you can pack out all your own—and anyone else’s—trash. Leave every place better than you found it.
Watch for Wildlife. Beyond the asphalt, Nevada’s diverse fauna ranges from rabbits to rattlesnakes, burros to bighorns, reptiles to rare birds, cattle to coyotes, pronghorn aplenty, more wild horses than anywhere else, and an abundance in between. If you’re going so fast that you miss them—or worse, that you can’t when you need to—then you’re going too fast.

Feeding wildlife of any kind is not only extremely uncool, it’s also illegal. Human food is not healthy for wild animals, and they do not need food from humans to survive. Wild animals have specialized diets, and they can become malnourished or die if fed or become dependent on human food. Don’t do it!

Playing with Fire

Recreating Safely with Invasives in Sagebrush Country

For more information about ways to play it safe in the sage, head for PartnersInTheSage.com.

See a complete list of statewide fire restrictions here.

Play It Safe

Venturing off the pavement? Brush up on Nevada’s Dirt Road Code for driving tips, responsible practices, and packing list suggestions for crucial gear and supplies.
Bring more water and food than you think you’ll need.
Carry a full-size spare tire and tire patch/plug kit—and know how to use it before you need to!
Here for the natural hot springs? Embrace these etiquette and safety tips so you only get yourself into the right kind of hot water.
Be sure to check all current fire restrictions—local guidelines vary on everything from campfires to personal stoves. Fire season hits Nevada harder than ever these days, with catastrophic blazes started by campfire embers, vehicle undercarriages, hot bullet casings, and much more. Arm yourself with the info you need to keep things cool.
Nevada’s night skies are some of the darkest in the Lower 48. Before you deck out your camp with twinkle lights and light saber-style flashlights with enough lumens to land a jumbo jet, remember you may be blowing out a fellow camper’s night vision, and otherwise prime stargazing conditions. Help protect this disappearing, sacred natural resource by lighting your camp mindfully.
Above all, use common sense. Just like back in kindergarten, if you feel like you’re doing something wrong, you probably are.

Don’t count on your phone to bail you out of a jam! Nevada’s wild places are some of the country’s most remote—which is one of the reasons they’re such a haven for outdoor fun. However, that also means they’re often way out of cell service and, thus, far from help. Do your damndest not to need it in the first place.

Get the Lowdown on Silver State Recreation Spaces

Come Out and Play It Safe

Nevada National Parks

US Forest Service

Nevada BLM Public Lands

Nevada State Parks

Nevada Department of Wildlife

#RecreateResponsibly Coalition

With 48 million acres of space to be your rad self, Nevada is packed with let’s-see-what-happens adventure around every corner. Flex those freedom muscles and find your own Silver State surprises in some of our favorite locales.

Buckle Up

What to Know about Driving in Nevada

Whether you want to unearth graveyard tales in ghost towns, treat yourself to mineral baths in hot springs, or cruise from the Valley of Fire State Park to Great Basin National Park, chances are, we’ve got a #NVRoadTrip with your name all over it.

Nevada teems with bucket-listable destinations. But the best road trips are all about the journey where your Silver State stories come to life. So hit one of our scenic byways and feel free to roam. However, there are a few need-to-know tips and tricks for keeping your wheels turning and the adventure unfurling.

Driving in Nevada

Before you buckle up for the adventure of a lifetime, better brush up on a few basics, both on and off the pavement. From navigating wintry roads to braking for the occasional cow, Nevada highways are untamed, unforgettable, and unlike any other state’s.

Cell Service

In some of the more off-grid slices of Silver State sanctuary, cell signals are scattered at best. Map out your #NVRoadTrip with gas stations, meal breaks, and night stops. And always tell someone where you’re headed and when you plan to return.

Weather

Nevada is a land of extremes. Plan for glorious changes in weather, climate, and terrain as you explore our vast state. Pack clothes for both warm and cold temps in any season, and don’t forget your swimsuit. Because you never know what Nevada will do next.

Travel Guides

Order or download our Official Nevada Visitor’s Guide and get your hands on events, things to do, and even more road trip ideas. You’ll find page after page of surprising scenery, intriguing attractions, and endless inspiration for your Nevada adventure.

Camping In Nevada

Whether you want to tent it up beneath the darkest, brightest skies, back the truck up to trout-packed streams, park the RV in a beautiful park, or grab onto millions of acres of free camping in Nevada’s backcountry, the Silver State’s unbeatable variety of unspoiled, all-to-yourself landscapes guarantees you the off-grid solace we all dream about.

Camping In Nevada

Nevada Ghost Towns

With around 100 zip-coded locales to its 600+ ghost towns, Nevada actually has more historic mining camps and bygone boomtowns than actual populated cities and towns.

Nevada Ghost Towns

With around 100 zip-coded locales to its 600+ ghost towns, Nevada actually has more historic mining camps and bygone boomtowns than actual populated cities and towns.

Hiking in Nevada

From celebrated Nevada state parks and national park wonders to crowd-free conservation areas and the 36-mile long, peak-hopping Ruby Crest National Recreation Trail, learn where to get some Nevada dirt on those boots.

Hiking in Nevada

Stargazing

With millions of acres of rugged, untamed wilderness, and thousands of miles of get-outside potential, it’s safe to say the Silver State offers dark sky lovers a lifetime of some of the most stellar exploration on Earth. Savor true darkness and celestial wonders in the Silver State.

Stargazing

True Tales & Travel Tips