Great Basin National Park offers several tent camping options near Baker, Nevada, with most sites situated within the park boundaries along Snake Creek Road and in designated campground areas. Grey Cliffs Campground provides tent-only camping with no RVs or trailers permitted, making it popular among tent campers seeking separation from motorized camping areas. Additional tent sites include Squirrel Springs Campsites, Eagle Peak Campsites, and group sites at Monkey Rock and Pinnacle, all located along the Snake Creek corridor within park boundaries.
The tent sites in Great Basin National Park feature basic amenities typical of primitive national park camping. Most locations provide metal fire rings with grill grates, picnic tables, and access to vault toilets, though running water is not available at the campgrounds. Campers must obtain water from the Visitor Center or filter from Snake Creek when flowing. Snake Creek Road poses access challenges, with signs indicating no RVs or trailers beyond the first pull-out. A recent review noted, "The road is a narrow single lane for almost all of its length and is a dirt road. Campsite is just off a very dusty road, but road travel is slow with little traffic."
Tent camping sites around Baker offer varied experiences depending on location and elevation. The Eagle Peak Campsites provide full shade from large trees and sit along Snake Creek, offering a cooler retreat during hot months. Grey Cliffs sites are more open with less tree cover but offer spacious camping areas with views of Wheeler Peak. Higher elevation campsites may experience dramatic weather changes, even in summer months. A camper wrote, "Beware this is also at a higher elevation than the Lehman Caves area. We woke up to a couple inches of snow." The dispersed tent sites along Snake Creek Road are generally uncrowded, providing excellent solitude for tent campers seeking a more primitive backcountry tent camping experience with easy access to trail networks.
"While Grey Cliffs campground didn't impress me as much as the other campgrounds as it was more open with far less trees than the others, you won't have the RV crowd here, this is a tent only campground"
"We drove around for a while and finally found this spot. The group sites were closed due to the pandemic but they did have individual first come first serve sites - you had to drive in to see it."
Campground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $30 / night
"Campground sits between the road and Snake Creek and sits among small and medium sized trees which provide some shade."
"FREE Site: Squirrel Springs Campsites (First past bathroom)
Vehicle: GMC Terrain
Equipment: Tent
AT&T and T-Mobile: Slow but useable
The Squirrel Springs Campsites are about 9 miles from Highway"
"There was a fire ban when we went, so we had to use a camp stove, but there is a fireplace and a grill at the site as well as two picnic tables and a vault toilet."
"Parking for the campground is just past the vault toilet. If your group has multiple cars more could park at the pull off at the vault toilet."
"Campground is clearly marked, and is on the south side of the road at the second vault toilet along Snake Creek Road. Campground sits between the road and Snake Creek, which was dry in June."
"Flat parking, pit toilet, fire ring, grill, picnic tables, large and flat tent sites. Site is on the road but nobody passed by during my end of October visit."
"Eagle Peak is by far the nicest campsite location along Great Basin National Parks Snake Creek Road."
"There are picnic tables and fire rings (so it’s primitive, I guess, but not dispersed) but you are asked to keep yourself within 30 feet of them and not so far off the beaten path that things get unwieldy"
"Arrived around 3-4pm, very limited spots left. No cell service! Stayed in a 4wd van"
"Pull off right next to freeway, large parking areas on both sides. More areas beyond fence on the north side. Stayed close to the entrance and didn't explore much."
"You don’t have to drive through the gate, although I recommend you do for a more secluded spot slightly further from the road. It gets a little sandy, so be wary with your 2WD vehicle."
"The hike goes up through some dry drainages before finally rising to the saddle east of the summit. This thing is huge!"
"The BLM land on the way up to the Notch Peak Trailhead campground is a wide open desert area that is best suited for off-road vehicles. No facilities, but scenic skies. "
"Photos are of the Western slope pouring out of the canyon. As you exit the Canyon heading West, there are pull offs on both sides of the dirt road."
"And has ~2000' of vertical rise and lies 4000' above the surrounding valley. Theres some good climbing in the canyon but there is room for plenty of development."
TravelerFlat parking, pit toilet, fire ring, grill, picnic tables, large and flat tent sites. Site is on the road but nobody passed by during my end of October visit. Rate free camping inside the National Park.
RangerThe only campground in Great Basin that is open year round. We stayed in site 18, on the lower loop - recently redone sites and clean pit toilets. The lower loop has good spacing and most sites are flat- but not much cover from the sun. The upper loop has more cover but many of the sites are on a slope. There is hiking from the campground, and a short drive to the Lehman Caves visitor Center and other hikes. It had snowed a day before we arrived, and road to the summit was closed near the top. Quiet and peaceful - it was a new moon and we had phenomenal dark skies.
GuideBeautiful campground. Pinion pine and juniper. Nice trails. Each site has a picnic table on a cement pad with a metal shelter over it. Some sites are not quite level but nothing too extreme. Well maintained.
GuideThis state park is a gem and the rock formations are absolutely gorgeous! Only one other camper in the campground, free push showers (the pushing is kind of annoying but I'm not complaining because they were free), flush toilets, potable water, and trash disposal. Each site has a fire ring, charcoal grill and a picnic table. We were bummed that we couldn't have a campfire because all NV parks are under fire restrictions right now. Clear night for stargazing 🌌 Definitely plan to come back here to hike the hikes!!
TravelerSo glad we took the detour on our road trip. Gray Cliffs was perfect for stargazing, with very little light pollution. Campsite#2 had unobstructed views of the sky, and we saw the Milky Way and even a few shooting stars. I took this photo with my iPhone 14 Pro’s Night mode, using a tripod and remote. The outhouse was close to our campsite and fully stocked. Each camosite has a picnic bench and fire ring.Cell phone reception was limited in the area.
ScoutNo facilities or anything on site, just a large gravel pit and lot on the far side. Shaded by the mountains to the West so it is significantly cooler than in the open sun even before the sunset. No direpits or anything so be totally self sufficient
TravelerA basic full hook up campsite. Gravel lot, level spots. Super clean bathrooms, showers with hot water. Laundry $3, wash and dry. Showers included with $56 daily fee, though available to non campers for$5. The attendant is not on site but responds to messages quickly through Hipcamp.
Baker is tiny, get supplied before you get here, no grocery store, one small cafe. Gas brutality expensive. Park is beautiful, cave tour awesome.
GuideIt's a small campsite, about 15 spots. Spaces are nice and plenty of room to move around. Campground is SUPER clean, thank you Tom! Had 5G from t mobile. Not to far of a drive to Ely!
TravelerThe sites are mostly big rig friendly. The booking window of 4 days was interesting. best sites 9,5,7,16,4,11,3. We picked 4 because of the creek, and it was good, but just a wide side of the road rather than a private site.
Tent campsites near Baker, Nevada are primarily concentrated in Great Basin National Park, which sits at elevations between 6,000 and 13,000 feet. The desert terrain experiences dramatic temperature fluctuations throughout the year, with summer highs around 90°F and winter lows below freezing. Snake Creek Road offers several primitive camping options, but many sites lack reliable water sources and require visitors to carry in supplies.
Stargazing at night: Grey Cliffs Campground provides excellent dark sky viewing with minimal light pollution. A camper noted, "The views were nice and the night sky is amazing at Great Basin. Very little to no light pollution."
Hiking Johnson Lake Trail: Access this trail from Eagle Peak Campsites, located at the end of Snake Creek Road. "Eagle Peak is the last camping area you can drive to along Snake Creek road. Hiking trails for this area of the park are just down the road."
Creek exploration: Some sites allow easy access to Snake Creek when water is flowing. "It was right off snake creek which was fun to explore," reports a camper who stayed at Squirrel Springs Campsites.
Photography: The area offers unique geological features and landscapes. "The cliffs here are very pretty and are a nice backdrop," according to a Grey Cliffs Campground review.
Separation from RVs: Monkey Rock Group Campsites and other tent-focused areas provide a quieter experience. "Being a single group use site you can almost find solitude at Pinnacle," notes one camper.
Well-spaced sites: Many campers appreciate the distance between sites. "The sites were well spaced out, which is nice," according to a review of Eagle Peak Campsites.
Shaded camping areas: Some locations offer natural shade. A camper at Squirrel Springs Campsites mentioned, "Campground sits between the road and Snake Creek and sits among small and medium sized trees which provide some shade."
Clean facilities: Despite being primitive, the toilets receive regular maintenance. "Vault toilet was very clean," reported a camper about Monkey Rock Group Campsite.
Road conditions: Snake Creek Road presents challenges for certain vehicles. A reviewer at Pinnacle Group Campsite warned, "Road is not for RVs or trailers. Just after you enter the park on Snake Creek Road a sign clearly indicated no RVs or trailers past the roads first pull out."
Weather variability: High elevation camping areas experience unpredictable weather patterns. One camper at Squirrel Springs noted, "Beware this is also at a higher elevation than the Lehman Caves area. We woke up to a couple inches of snow."
Water availability: Most tent camping sites near Baker have no running water. "This is a dry campground, the creek is also dry here so come prepared," a Pinnacle Group Campsite review cautioned.
Ground conditions: Some areas have challenging terrain for tent stakes. A Grey Cliffs reviewer noted, "The ground is so rocky it became very difficult to drive a spike into the ground far enough to work and not bend them."
Tent size considerations: Some tent pads have size limitations. "Do not bring a large tent, the pads are small," advised a camper at Grey Cliffs Campground.
Pet restrictions: Notch Peak Trailhead and other areas have specific pet policies. One Grey Cliffs camper mentioned, "Dogs are allowed at the campsite but not on a majority of the trails at Great Basin."
Emergency preparation: Given the remote location, safety planning is essential. "Make sure you have a spare tire and a way to reach someone in an emergency as you most likely won't have service," cautioned a Notch Peak Trailhead reviewer.
Distance from services: Baker has limited services. A camper warned, "No cell, no internet, no nothing, no gas for miles."
High clearance requirements: Most tent sites near Baker, Nevada require careful vehicle consideration. A Marjum Pass Dispersed Camping visitor advised, "Some areas may need high clearance vehicles to get over. There are small pull offs and dirt roads that low clearance vehicles can go over."
Limited turnaround space: The narrow roads make navigation difficult for larger vehicles. "Road is a narrow single lane for almost all of its length," noted a camper at Squirrel Springs.
Dust management: Campsites along dirt roads experience dust issues. "Camp site is just off a very dusty road, but road travel is slow with little traffic," reported a Squirrel Springs camper.
Alternative locations: For RVs unable to access Snake Creek Road sites, consider other options. "The BLM land on the way up to the Notch Peak Trailhead campground is a wide open desert area that is best suited for off-road vehicles," suggested one reviewer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Baker, NV?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Baker, NV is Grey Cliffs Campground — Great Basin National Park with a 4.1-star rating from 9 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Baker, NV?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 tent camping locations near Baker, NV, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
