Coyote Cove — South Fork State Recreation Area

The website clai.s this campground is open 24/7 365 days a year. We just drove out there to find it is closed. About 2 miles down the road Coyote Campground was open.

All of the camping spots are right on the water, no cover at all (this isn’t really a good tent camping or RTT site). A little awkward as there is a small neighborhood right behind you but the views of the mountains are good.

I'm sure the grounds are nice, but at $15 per car each night, we decided to turn around in search of more affordable camping. If you have an RV, it's an additional $10 for hookups.

Thanks to The Dyrt, found this place to land last night. Not your typical campground; the sites are lined up along the lake with the only privacy being the space (decent) between sites. We were there during the week at the end of April and it was pretty quiet but I imagine that is not the case in the summer. Each site has a cement pad, table, fire ring, bbq, and wind screen. The screen didn’t help last night as it was very windy and blowing in another direction! Clean Pit toilets and no hook-ups. Beautiful view of the snow capped mountains but woke to snow the next morning!

Along the south west side of South Fork reservoir, these functional spots carry all the charm of a dirt parking lot, but the views of the Ruby Mountains reflected in the lake will keep you coming back. Each site offers a picnic table, sunshade, wind block screen, and fire ring. The pit toilets were clean and tidy, but there was no drinking water available at this campground.  

The Coyote Cove is a great beach for swimming, and launching canoes and kayaks, or small fishing boats. The boat launch and boat trailer parking lot is on the south side of the campground. The area offers opportunities for water sports of all kinds, hiking & mountain biking along many trails, or just sitting by the shore with a line in the water. Bird life is abundant in this area, with many species stopping along their migration route. We saw Loons, Dowwitchers, White Pelicans, Coots, and even the shy Hermit Thrush.  

The closest town with services is Spring Creek a short 12 miles away, a dozen more miles northwest is the city of Elko which has all the usual suburban amenities. We had good mobile service and data throughout the campground. Showers, water and a dump station are available at the developed campground across the lake, though it is only open from Spring until Fall, depending upon weather conditions.