Campers on Nevada's public lands find activities as diverse as ice fishing, hunting, cave exploration and boating. The National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, State of Nevada and local counties all manage campgrounds that vary from full-service RV facilities to primitive sites that must be reached on foot.
National Parks
The U.S. Park Service controls two large recreation areas in the state: Great Basin National Park, along the state's eastern border with Utah, and the Lake Mead National Recreation Area at the Nevada-Arizona border. Great Basin is the site of Lehman Caves, which are open for guided tours all year. Visitors to Great Basin also can see bristlecone pine trees, some of which are estimated to be 5,000 years old.
Lake Mead is popular for boating and fishing and the park includes full hookups for RVs.
National Forest
The sprawling Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, managed by the U.S. Forest Service, provides more than 6 million acres of land for camping and outdoor recreation in Nevada and a small part of eastern California. Its Web site states that it is "the largest forest in the lower 48 states." This huge area lends itself to backpacking and primitive campsites, so be prepared to pack in everything you need.
State Campgrounds
Of the Nevada's 27 state parks, 18 offer overnight camping, at a cost ranging from $14 to $17 per night for tent camping, and $30 a night for RV spots with hookups. In the northeastern part of the state, Wild Horse State Recreation Area was once home to bands of wild horses, which can sometimes still be seen. In winter, anglers set up on Wild Horse Reservoir for ice fishing.
At the southern end of the state, about an hour from Las Vegas, is the Valley of Fire State Park, where visitors can see ancient rock art created by Indians about 3,000 years ago.
Preparation
With only two large population centers, Reno in the north and Las Vegas in the south, most of Nevada is sparsely populated with fuel and food stops sometimes hours apart. Nevada's changeable weather can force winter road closures. Wildfires in summer can close areas to traffic and camping. Thunderstorms are frequent summer events, and a hot day can turn into a chilly desert night. Not all campgrounds are open year-round so visitors should check in advance whether their preferred location is open.
Reservations
Many Forest Service and National Park campgrounds are on a first-come, first-served basis, although a small number do take reservations. Check with the individual park or ranger station to see its requirements. Groups need to make reservations for larger sites. Some state of Nevada campgrounds accept only cash or checks.
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