Sitting in a juniper forest roughly nine miles from the small town of Caliente, Chief Mountain South Campground gives free access to BLM land with a more developed setup than most dispersed sites in the region. The road in is well-maintained, and multiple reviewers note that access is straightforward whether arriving in a passenger vehicle or a rig up to 50 feet. The campground sits at a low-traffic crossroads of OHV and hiking trails, with flat, hard-stand areas that accommodate both tent campers and larger RVs without much leveling work.
Amenities here are more complete than the free price tag might suggest. Vault toilets, fire pits, grills, picnic tables, and 55-gallon trash cans are all on site. No water or dump station is available, so campers should arrive with full tanks. The campground registers consistently low crowds in reviews spanning multiple seasons, with several visitors noting they had the place to themselves on weekends in spring and fall.
Cell service runs on the weaker side. One reviewer noted Verizon was usable for streaming during the day but less reliable overnight, so signal should not be counted on. Walter F. describes it as a "pretty setting in juniper forest," which tracks with photo submissions showing open ground cover, brush, and low vegetation. Campers who want a more developed state park experience nearby can look at Kershaw-Ryan State Park Campground, while those preferring more dispersed BLM camping can explore Hardy Canyon Ridgeline Dispersed — BLM Caliente a short distance to the south.
Fee Info
No Fee
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsChief Mountain South Campground is located in Nevada near Caliente
Public CampgroundDirections
Travel west from Caliente, Nevada on US Highway 93 for 9 miles. At the Silver State Trailhead sign turn northwest on an unnamed dirt road for .5 miles.
Coordinates
37.60429392 N
114.65900097 W
Connectivity
T-MobileNo Coverage- VerizonNo CoverageVerified by 7 usersLast on 8/20/26
AT&TLTESome Coverage
Connectivity
- T-MobileNo Coverage
- VerizonNo CoverageVerified by 7 usersLast on 8/20/26
- AT&TLTESome Coverage
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
- Tent Cabin
Features
For Campers
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Phone Service
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Pull-Through Sites
- Big Rig Friendly
FREE established camping
Enjoy camping on government land. Limited or no services at this camping area.
PERMIT might be REQUIRED
We curate permit requirements across the US for our PRO members. Try PRO to see if Chief Mountain South Campground needs a permit.
Drive Time
- 1 hr 57 min from St. George, UT
- 2 hrs 4 min from Las Vegas, NV
- 4 hrs 18 min from Lake Havasu City, AZ
- 5 hrs 32 min from Flagstaff, AZ
