P
Paula S.
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GuideWashoe Lake State Park Campground
Free hot showers and dump station. Drinking water covered tables, very clean and close to Carson City and Reno. Virginia City and Tahoe
Equestrian Camping near Verdi, NV
3 campgrounds with availability this weekend
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Lookout Campground in Dog Valley offers primitive camping adjacent to Crystal Peak with opportunities for riders. Located 8.5 miles down an unmaintained dirt road from Verdi, the campground requires slow, careful driving due to ruts and loose rocks up to 5 inches in diameter. Sites are widely spaced providing exceptional privacy for campers with horses. Each site features a level tent pad, picnic table, and fire pit with either a metal ring or stone circle. Two vault toilets serve the campground, though running water is limited and requires a keyed handle to access. The road is passable by trucks and high-clearance vehicles, while standard sedans risk undercarriage damage on the rougher sections.
The trail from Lookout Campground connects directly to Crystal Peak, offering scenic riding opportunities with views of the surrounding valley. Dog Valley sees moderate off-road recreation use, but most off-road enthusiasts stay in dispersed camping areas rather than the main campground. The campground loop contains approximately 20 sites, which remain largely unoccupied during midweek visits even in peak summer season. Verizon cell service provides limited connectivity with one intermittent bar, sufficient for occasional text messages but inadequate for internet browsing. Hiking to Crystal Peak's summit improves reception to two bars with 5G service due to line-of-sight with Cold Springs. For riders seeking additional options, Logger Campground near Stampede Reservoir offers more developed facilities with drinking water and trash service.
Best Equestrian Campgrounds near Verdi (24)
1. Logger Campground
"Right next to the water, and close to town. Cell phone reception. is spotty ."
"It was late and we couldn't find the owner so we ended up staying outside the park on the road. The manager got things worked out in the morning and refunded our money for the night before."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $23 - $75 / night
2. Washoe Lake State Park Campground
"The lake and the surrounding area takes on a different appearance depending on the season you visit, and whether it's been a wet year or a dry one."
"We stayed here for just under 2 weeks around Thanksgiving. Very beautiful area with hiking near the lake and mountains. The horses nearby were nice. Right between Reno and Carson City."
5 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $10 - $75 / night
3. Lookout Campground
"But most stay in other "dispersed" camping, and there aren't nearly as many vehicles as you might see, for example, in a Nevada dunes off-road park."
"This site is really close to Reno, except for the time it takes on the dirt road. We went in one way and out the other. Our way in was from 395 at Bordertown north of Reno on Long Valley Road. "
Check Availabilityfrom $20 - $60 / night
4. Fallen Leaf Campground - South Lake Tahoe
"The campground itself is beautiful, walking distance to Fallen Leaf Lake and short drive to South Lake Tahoe. My husband, my pup and I liked the campsite a lot."
"From the East you’ll pass thru all of that, past the Camp Richardson and finally turn away from Lake Tahoe into Fallen Leaf Campground."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $47 - $128 / night
5. Chilcoot Family Campground
"I think there's good privacy even though you can see that there are other campers around. There are tables, fire pits, flush toilets, and bear boxes."
"camp spots (fairly level), beautiful area with lots of trees, a lovely creek running through the back of of the campground, clean bathrooms, just 25 minutes from Reno and three miles from Frenchman's Lake"
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $34 / night
6. East Meadow Campground
"Bugs were minimal, a far cry from about 3 weeks ago at a nearby site. We were in Site 16, which has the ‘camp’ side opposite of our camper door - only reason we gave 4 stars & not 5."
"So remote and private but everything you need at the campground with water access within walking distance. Sites are great with picnic tables and bathrooms near by."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $24 - $48 / night
7. Benson Hut
"I guess it’s a 5 minute uphill walk from the PCT and is hidden (plus not on PCT maps) so it’s relatively unused for non-locals. Always find something fun here left behind. 8 bunks."
8. Peter Grubb Hut
"Fun historical place a nice hike away from Castle Peak and far enough away that you don’t get the crowds. Kitchen, firewood, fireplace, and a bunch of bunks"
9. Loon Lake
"Just returned from a weekend getaway to Loon Lake. We (2 people, 1 pup) stayed two nights at site #25 at Loon Lake Campground. Perfect location for daytime fishing and nighttime stargazing."
"These two sites are right on the road next to the toilets and trash bins. Some smells and lots of noises and foot traffic, some 4x4 traffic as well."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $30 - $160 / night
10. North Canyon Campground — Spooner Lake State Park
Drive Time
- 5 min from Reno, NV
- 36 min from Carson City, NV
- 1 hr 57 min from Yuba City, CA
Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Verdi, NV
10 Photos of 24 Verdi Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Equestrian Camping Reviews near Verdi, NV
167 Reviews of 24 Verdi Campgrounds
MarkGuideWashoe Lake State Park Campground
The park itself was nice but there were two major issues for us that caused us to leave early. The first was a rodent issue. We had mice coming in each night (a first for us in 8 years). The second was an issue with some other guests. The one night they were partying well past quiet hours with loud music. The next night they had a huge fight with yelling, cursing and finally someone driving off loudly in their truck, again after quiet hours. It was well worth the lose in money to move early to our next spot.
JoshcfiGuideFallen Leaf Campground - South Lake Tahoe
Nice place if you can get a reservation
Super popular spot. A little tight if you have a larger trailer or motorhome. Plenty of trees for shade.
- KKurt R.
TravelerDeveloped 7 — Lahontan State Recreation Area
Desert Lake Campground
Was there for an organized stargazing experience. NV state parks are always a good choice. Clean bathroom, near level site and walk to swimming in the lake. A little hard to find, though.
- DDaniel E.
ScoutDeveloped 7 — Lahontan State Recreation Area
Lake view
Very nice clean park with lake views
- TTim S.Scout
Fallen Leaf Campground - South Lake Tahoe
Beautiful cared for campground
It’s hard to get a reservation, but it’s worth it if you can. Beautiful sites, decent showers, lovely staff. Recommend!
Lawrence R.GuideWashoe Lake State Park Campground
Site 12 has great views
Ill let the photos do the talking. Electric hookup and water for 7 days.
- bberlyn C.Scout
Fallen Leaf Campground - South Lake Tahoe
EAT OUT
Was not aware lake tahoe was surrounded with all kinds of shops in the area we were staying in, extremely friendly people and so were the bears! Our first night a bear came right for our campsite as we were about to cook and took our eggs out of our cooler then invited its other fuzzy friend over. It was hard to cook our food as they were targeting our campsite so we went out to eat instead. The bears walked about the campsite for 6 hours probably but besides that bathroom was clean and so was the shower i felt really safe with other campsites close to me
Tom R.TravelerWashoe Lake State Park Campground
Great base camp
Clean well maintained. Host and Rangers very likeable and helpful. Between Carson City, Reno, & Virginia City. $30 electricity & water.
Guide to Verdi
Verdi sits on the Nevada-California border at an elevation of about 5,000 feet with pine forests and high desert terrain. The surrounding region offers several horse-friendly camping options with access to trails and open terrain. Dispersed camping areas in Dog Valley see moderate off-road recreation traffic during summer months, while established campgrounds provide more developed facilities for equestrian use.
What to do
Hike to Crystal Peak: Access the trail directly from Lookout Campground for scenic views. "There are plenty of sites to choose from on this loop... There is a nice little aspen grove that bisects the campground and every site has a picnic table and a fire ring," notes camper Joey P. The trail connects to Crystal Peak summit for improved cell reception and panoramic vistas.
Water activities at Jackson Meadows: East Meadow Campground provides shoreline access to Jackson Meadows Reservoir for paddling and fishing. "Super place, hosts are friendly & helpful! Some spots are tricky to back in, but easy walk to the reservoir for beach/water time. Some campers moored their boats/jet skis just off the campground," reports Ron G. The gravelly shore works well for launching small watercraft.
Wildlife viewing: Early mornings and evenings offer opportunities to spot deer and other wildlife around camp. "We saw a deer, boat ramp a mile away," writes maricarmen P. about their experience at Logger Campground. Wild horses can sometimes be spotted at Washoe Lake State Park, with one camper noting, "Beautiful spot 1/2 mile walk to lake, wild horses roaming camp, quiet & clean."
What campers like
Spacious sites: Washoe Lake State Park Campground receives high marks for site size. "Each campsite (in Loop A) is large and spacious and the views are epic," writes Rocco. The park offers full hookup sites with water and electricity in Loop A with newer facilities.
Seasonal flexibility: Certain campgrounds remain open year-round with modified services. "Winter camping is available on Loop A with full power hookups on a first come, first serve basis. Bathrooms are open all winter," reports Andrew R. about Washoe Lake State Park. This allows for extended season horse camping when other locations close.
Privacy between sites: Many campers appreciate sites with substantial separation. At Fallen Leaf Campground near South Lake Tahoe, Ryan W. notes: "The sites have bear boxes and even though they are very close to each other with little separation, they are big sites with lots of tall trees." This arrangement provides visual screening while still accommodating larger groups.
What you should know
Road conditions vary significantly: Access to remote campgrounds often requires careful driving. At Lookout Campground, S K. advises: "The entire route is totally 100% passable by any truck/Jeep, even 2-wheel drive, driven slowly and carefully at times. Subarus would be fine. I think a standard sedan could make it, but you run a very good chance of bashing in the underside of your car."
Prepare for wildlife encounters: Bear activity requires proper food storage. "[Fallen Leaf Campground] gets the first shout out. The staff here gets the first shout out. Lana Banana and Mary at the front create a real pleasant atmosphere as you roll in... the rangers who advise on bears like Cinnamon are all great," says Ryan W. Bear boxes are provided at most established sites.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Verdi, NV is Logger Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 13 reviews.
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