Best Camping in Nevada

Nevada's camping options span from Great Basin NP's alpine sites to Valley of Fire's desert camps to the hot spring dispersed camping of the remote north.

Great Basin National Park: Wheeler Peak Campground
Camping at 9,886 feet in a grove of aspen and conifer at the foot of Wheeler Peak — the finest national park campground in Nevada. The elevation means cool nights even in midsummer; the bristlecone hike starts from the campground. Sites are first-come-first-served (no reservations); the campground fills in summer and is typically empty in winter.

Valley of Fire: Atlatl Rock and Arch Rock Campgrounds
Two campgrounds in the heart of Nevada's most spectacular state park — surrounded by red sandstone formations. Arch Rock Campground has electric hookups; Atlatl Rock has water. The sites sit among boulder formations with petroglyphs nearby. Sunrise and sunset lighting on the red rock from the campground is exceptional.

Spencer Hot Springs (BLM, near Austin)
Free dispersed camping around a series of natural hot spring pools in the Toiyabe Range foothills. A primitive experience — no facilities beyond the springs themselves — but the soaking under Nevada's extraordinary dark sky is memorable. The site can get crowded on weekends but is empty mid-week.

Ruby Mountains: Thomas Canyon Campground
In the glacially carved Lamoille Canyon at 7,500 feet — the finest mountain campground in northeastern Nevada. Surrounded by aspen, pine, and the steep walls of the Ruby Mountains. The Liberty Pass trail starts nearby; the canyon wildflower display in July is excellent.

Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park: Nevada Beach Campground
The only campground directly on Lake Tahoe's Nevada shore — 54 sites in a Jeffrey pine forest steps from the beach. Tahoe's clarity and the mountain backdrop make this one of the finest lake campgrounds in the western US.