Government Wash operates as a dispersed camping area within Lake Mead National Recreation Area, accessible via paved road that transitions to dirt as campers approach the lake. The National Park Service manages this free camping destination, though an America the Beautiful Pass or park entrance fee applies. Reservations are not available for the dispersed sites, operating on a first-come, first-served basis with a 15-day camping limit.

The expansive area spreads across the southwest corner of Lake Mead, offering numerous camping spots along dirt roads that branch toward the water. Campers frequently mention the proximity to Las Vegas—just 40 minutes from downtown—while maintaining a desert camping experience. [Brittney C.](https://thedyrt.com/camping/nevada/government-wash-boondocking-lake-mead-national-rec-area/reviews/89960) notes it's "totally family-friendly, so bring rafts and fishing gear." Wildlife encounters are common, with coyotes active throughout the day and night, making leashed pets essential.

Lake access draws many visitors for fishing and swimming, though reviewers consistently mention the rocky, hilly terrain once off the main road. Four-wheel drive vehicles handle the rougher areas better, though standard vehicles can reach waterfront sites with careful navigation. Cell service remains reliable for those needing connectivity. The area includes restrooms with flush toilets and dumpsters at the main parking area, but no potable water or hookups.

Summer temperatures can be extreme, prompting many campers to visit during cooler months. Crowding peaks on weekends and holidays, with some long-term campers claiming prime waterfront spots. Early morning fishing traffic and occasional late-night partying can affect the camping experience, though ranger patrols have increased enforcement in recent years.

For campers seeking developed amenities, [Las Vegas Bay Campground — Lake Mead National Recreation Area](https://thedyrt.com/camping/las-vegas-bay-camping) provides hookups and more structured sites nearby.

A network of backcountry roads has been developed within the park to provide access to the lakeshore and other areas of interest that are off the beaten path. Approved roads are signed with a yellow arrow. The black number in the center of the arrow designates the road number. Driving on roads or trails not marked with the yellow arrow is prohibited. With hundreds of miles of backcountry roads, conditions can change without notice. Please travel on backcountry roads with caution. Driving off roads, in washes or cross country damages the fragile desert soil and is prohibited by National Park Service regulations. Please help preserve the park by staying on approved roads, respecting the rights of other visitors and carrying out all trash and litter.

Government Wash — Lake Mead National Recreation Area

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We loved staying here and were able to get in with a 2WD car.  You must drive in about a mile before you see signs saying you are able to camp.  We had great views and good cross country hiking.  No ammenities.  You are boondocking here.

Beautiful

This is a beautiful spot to visit for the day, as there is no camping allowed by the water or the "boat ramp" but you can camp anywhere along the dirt road leading up to the lake. Follow road signs for Government Wash, you will drive along a dirt road for a while and then encounter a restroom with flushing toilets and a sink, but no drinking water. Continue through the parking lot onto the next dirt road. If you are looking for a place to launch your boat/jetski this is the perfect place! It was a large, flat landing at the bottom, but there are multiple ways to get down to the water depending on the dirt roads you take. There is hiking where ever you want to walk, make sure to bring plenty of water, sunscreen and and shoes as there is some broken glass and trash laying around. The water is cool, clear and refreshing. Beware of coyotes lurking around fire rings looking for food!! I have two dogs that I take with me to run around, and swim and they love being able to play off of the leash.

Government Wash

The location is one of the best I have ever seen. I was able to camp with amazing views of the lake. For camping this was the penthouse. I couldn't ask for a better site.

The problem is others also want to enjoy this location. I thought that camping during the week would be less crowded, but I was wrong. While having others camping or visiting near me isn't a big problem, the level of courtesy from others makes it unlikely I'll ever visit this site again.

Monday night someone maybe 75 yards away felt it was their privilege to blast their gangster rap for all to hear. This went on until about 11 at night, and they finally left. You would think I'd finally have peace and quiet, but no, some drunken girls moved into their spot and decided to karaoke sing mariachi music until 1 am. At this point they finally left, and we finally got some peace and quit to go to sleep.

Now Tuesday morning was great. The place was near empty and the weather was great. We fished and swam in the lake all day. We had occasional guest but they were courteous. This was looking like a great day, and everything was until 9:30 pm when two half running cars pulled up and parked in front of my camper about 20 ft away, and decided to start a late night fire. Of course they spoke another language and pretend we were not even there, and didn't even consider the half dozen other sites around me. Even the drunken karaoke site from the night before was free, but they thought it was best to get up and personal.

Now there were about 4 kids between 4-6 years old, and 8 adults. Keep in mind this was a school/work night. Now these kids were bored and liked to explore and mess with my stuff, while the parents drank and talk around the camp fire. Now you would think these parents would control there kids, but at best all I heard was an occasional comment to tell their kids to leave my stuff alone. So I had to stay up and guard my stuff, and all I could think of was how much I wanted to leave, but being nighttime and set up in a pop up trailer there was no way I could move my site. They ended up staying until midnight and finally left; however they did leave the camp fire still blazing. 

Needless to say the next morning I left to find a another site.



Nice place but beware of others

I’d give it 2 1/2 stars. Here on Veterans Day which happens to be on a Monday.... packed full. I decided to take the R-pod down a hill to the waters edge to get away and there were still people. LOTS OF TRASH. And I can’t stand that. Picked up a full garbage bag in a very short distance. The stars are for the water, and free camping. Easy access too I guess. Photo from my bed window tho. 

Government warrrsh

Completely off grid but 40 mins to downtown Vegas. Great views, easy access to the lake. Cell service is good for hotspotting. Coyotes are in the area so keep an eye on pets. There is a 15 day limit and then you have to move atleast a 1/4 mile and 90 days a year total camping time. Rangers and Game Warden frequent the areas. It is truly my fav camping area around Vegas. Some areas require 4x4 but plenty of spots do not and have access for smaller vehicles.

Fav Vegas Boondocking site

Our trailer is able good for off roading which led us to a beautiful camp site! We stayed for a week and enjoyed every second of it. We had an amazing view, friendly neighbors! However our site was pretty distant from others which I liked a lot. Wonderful place! I would definitely go again! 

Wonderful place!

The road is paved until the end but you can manage easy with a 2 wheel drive vehicle. I parked right along the water but beware, there are lots of bugs. The water can be chilly since Lake Mead is very deep but in the spring and summer the water is really nice to wade in. 

Plenty of spots for fishing. Bring a chair, sunscreen, bug spray and water. The water is a bit calmer since most of the boats go on the other side of the lake. 

I would recommend going around the sunrise or sunset because colors are quite stunning. 


A quiet place by the lake 

Access limited due to low water. And covid 19

Great temp great sunsets

Spring in the Wash,NV

Our first time camping on this free land.  We call it free as we have a National Park pass and didn't have to pay to enter the park.  So many spots to camp and set up your rig that no one was on top of you.  Views of the water were amazing and the sunsets to behold!  There are trash dumpsters at the entrance to the dispersed camping area and we saw BLM folks out patrolling.  Many off road paths around to take your jeep or side by side.  It does get hot here in the summer so would recommend coming in during the winter or spring

Loved this free camping and view of the lake

Big dispersed camping site right on the southwest corner of Lake Mead. Being the nearest to the NRA entrance from Vegas it gets crowded, especially weekends and holidays. A lot of day-users come to fish. Also very hilly and rocky once you get off the main drag to find a better spot. Common to see 4x4s stuck on the rocky/sandy hills. 

Views are pretty, sunsets are nice, and lots to do in the NRA. Lots of stone fire rings all over. There are dumpsters at the main lot. There are also water-fill, trash and dump stations at nearby campgrounds you can use for free. 

Donkeys and coyotes everywhere. Supposed to be bighorn sheep, too, but we haven’t seen any here yet. Also gets quite buggy, flies, gnats and mosquitos. Good cell service. Not our favorite dispersed site but it has its charms, including proximity to nearby Henderson/LV, good scenery and good cell service.

There is a NRA entrance fee but free with the America Pass. 



Pretty views, but buggy, rocky & crowded

This place is very busy during the summer months and people stay for quite a while so remember that…

But it’s free camping and that’s always a bonus. It’s dispersed with no amenities. If you can get to the waterfront of this place it’s awesome!

Wear water shoes and bring protection from the weather elements. It gets hot so pack a lot of water and sunblock.  
Totally family-friendly, So bring rafts and fishing gear. You are still going to get the vegas city lights so a few stars are all you see… Killer sunsets Oh, and it’s super dark so pack a lot of light.

  

Here are my star ratings based on my lifestyle and based on what I like.

 I'm also a mother, dog mama, and a wife so it's not just me it's my crew and i. 1 star- AUTOMATIC relocate… the property is no longer there, trashed or/and I could never have my children there and I wouldn't ever think about staying no matter what OR it is not something our campers are on this is more of an Airbnb. 2 star- Not really my jam, and would NEVER go to again… It probably more of desert life and not really my style for sure…Being from Vegas I can't stand being in the desert and I love the Trees and the Green more than anything. 3 star- Would stay there again in a pinch, but not really my style, the reason its not is because not enough family things to do, the scenery, or the location… but I would go again and feel safe having my kiddos here but only if I needed to in a pinch. 4 star- a really good rating for sure, maybe needed some improvements, minor things like being on top of each other, not a lot of privacy, but honestly little cosmetic things that aren't anything to sweat and would be back again for sure. 5 star- MY FAVORITE… love the location, safety, the surroundings, big camp spots available to fit toys for my kids to play, hammocks to hang, our big family tent, cases of firewood, our suburban or RV, etcccccc….. I would not only come back but would live if I could!!! 

  

Anyway thanks for reading and enjoy every moment like it's your last! 

  

CHEERS!

Free lake camping 

Is it a beautiful desert landscape or is it a semi-lawless post-apocalyptic landscape littered with broken glass? Both.

  

Primitive camping, no services.

  

It was great, 10 / 10 would stay again.

Your own little piece of desert (with only a some broken glass bits around)

We outfitted our travel trailer with solar so we can RR at dispersed sites like this.(free roam camping.) WINDY

Beautiful 

So once you pull in you see a massive parking lot with a bathroom and plenty of trash cans throughout, then you literally decide which road you want to take and they all take you to the lake!  a lot of people are pulled over camping in the dirt area and there’s a lot of people down by the lake there’s not a spot you can’t find so I doubt you would ever strike out here because there is plenty of areas to pull over, park and camp.
It’s obviously disbursed!  I haven’t seen a vehicle, truck, RV, or camper that hasn’t made it down to the water if you feel more safer parking higher up and  dropping your RV or travel trailer and driving down to the water that’s also an option!!!! Super cool little area for you to launch your kayaks or stay on the edge and fish. make sure you wear sandals water shoes or tennis shoes because it is very very rocky.
Cool little coves for kids to play in as well. 

Oh and it’s freeeeee

Trippy little spot

I've camped here on and off since 2015.  I feel like it's gotten better recently in terms of groups of loud partying people doing doughnuts in the parking lot at the entrance.  A few years ago we had a person literally stumble into our camp and almost fall into our fire… but I haven't had anything strange like that happen in the past year.  I believe the rangers have been cracking down on people in this area, which is very nice.  The views of the lake are breathtaking.  I've camped here 4 or 5 times in the past year and it was very quiet and peaceful.  There can be some traffic in the early morning due to people coming going down to the shoreline to fish, but it's not a terrible amount of noise.  My neighbors to my site were also nice.  

If you have dogs, beware of the coyotes.  There are a lot of them here.  Some are skittish and will run away from you, but some have lost their fear of people because people have been feeding them.  Keep your dog leashed at all times.

Excellent Lake views + Cell Service + Bathrooms

Govt Wash is my favorite place to stay in the wintertime. Temperature is manageable without auxiliary heat in my van.. 70s in the day, not below 40 at night through January. Love the views of the lake. Feels so far out but only 30 mins to Vegas. Henderson for groceries and gas is very close. Lots of coyotes, even during the day. Be mindful of that if you have a dog along with you. Free dispersed camping here (with NPs Pass) with bathrooms and dumpsters at entrance. Washboard road isn’t too bad, and you get get pretty close to the lake even without 4x4. I loveeee being here. Sunsets and sunrises are awesome. 

Winter Wonderland

Broken glass every where on our campsite. Stays hot day and night so not recommend for summer. People drive fast and kicked up dust everywhere . 

Broken glass

Beautiful sunsets near waterline. Tent and/or vehicle camping only in this lower area. RV camping up on hill side. Fishing good. Hiking good. Lots of birds and some coyotes. Watch your small pets! Facebook SNORR (Southern Nevada Off Road Recovery) if you get stuck in any soil. They will get you out free but please donate anything you can after.

Relaxing Dispersed Camping

Scouted this location looking for an area to camp with cell service and wifi so I could work during the day. This was it! Great cell reception, and using hot spot has perfect wifi to work!
Great views and will definitely as this to our camping go to list.

Great boondock area!

Decent roads push out across and over the wash, giving you many great places to post up and spend some days or just drop a boat in. Coyotes sing at night, pretty harmless just be smart with your food and waste. 

Good recreation lot and dispersed camping. 

Lots of spaces able to accommodate all sizes. Good cell service as well. Check out our video review: https://youtu.be/tteLGCqtAGI

Video Review: Nice cell service, large spaces

It's a beautiful area with views of lake mead and the surrounding mountains. There are usually a lot of people here, but there is plenty of space to spread out. There are bathrooms, kinda gross, but typical for a campground. A welcome break from the crowded city RV parks of Vegas.

Beautiful campground

Spent the maximum amount of nights before taking off, we loved it here! Great Verizon service, toilets at the parking lot, several dumpster locations, and easy access to Lake Mead made this a place worth revisiting. The dust was a bit much, but that's too be expected. The road in was fairly rough in some spots, but our low-clearance rig made it just fine. Once you're in the park you can fill up on water and empty your tanks at nearby Las Vegas Bay campground. Will definitely stay again!

Great spot with activities

We decided to bypass this one. Road in is very bumpy, and the day we scouted it out, it had a very transient feel vs. Campers stopping over. Just gave me that little voice saying `nope`. 
Verizon worked well. Some trash, a lot of broken glass in the sites we stopped at. 

This was a NOPE  for us. Decent views but...

Lots more campers and even tents here in the wash now. But it still isn’t real crowded and is still quiet and dark at night for star gazing. Still a favorite.

Still a great getaway

Lots of RVers and van lifers. Great views and windy nights. AT&amp;T service was usable.

Great free April camping 

This is Government Wash. On a weekend it’s pretty crowded. I’ll be here during the week. We’ll see how it is then.

Got here in the early evening and just picked the first spot big enough for my rig. I’m going to go scouting out a better location.

Great views

Was very interested from the beginning of reading for what applies to the camping app 

Love the options cover's all scenarios 

Great spots for rv 
Close to lake 
Lots of people fishing 
Road is graded with camping spots or drive further rough road wild spots 

Due to the number of homeless encampment, trash and crime, the Government Wash and 8.0 Mile Road is now closed indefinitely. Barriers are being raised. Park Rangers are clearing any remaining persons. Please do not go there with RVs or vehicles.

Hiking and biking are available but you will not be able to take a RV or vehicle in. 

REFERENCE: [https://www.nps.gov/lake/government-wash-area-information.htm#:~:text=Key%20information%20for%20visitors,beginning%20Aug.%201%2C%202024.](https://www.nps.gov/lake/government-wash-area-information.htm#:~:text=Key%20information%20for%20visitors,beginning%20Aug.%201%2C%202024.)

GOVERNMENT WASH CLOSED INDEFINITELY - STARING 8/1/2024

We loved using government wash when we came in to Vegas to visit family but starting August 1st 2024 they have permanently closed government wash. 

Permanently closed

as of feb 2026, govt wash is reopened.  51 designated campsites all fcfs, no reservations.   camping is free but NO WATER. toilets are scattered around,  dumpsters at top by the host site. no hookups. 
The main camping access road is dry dusty and will affect many if the campsites.  on my visit it was a dust storm and i declined to camp here.  The nps needs to consider some dust abatement treatment on the main dirt access road, imo


Photos of Government Wash — Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Real photos from real campers