Best Dispersed Camping near Ely, NV

A big flat gravel lot - found based on a dispersed camping map provided by the national park

FREE! On the whole, avg., 3 stars. Not many developed BLM sites around.

Great Basin was full, so went west on 6 about 8 miles and pulled into dispersed campground where there were some covered picnic tables at sites around a large central pond, following road up to equestrian corral and were several more sites. Stayed in#7 which was exposed, but the last one available so we took it. Free. Pit toilets are dirty but don't stink and trash has been emptied. Nice views to Wheeler Peak and out across UT

On the whole, it's avg. as far as campgrounds go

Great Basin was full, so went west on 6 about 8 miles and pulled into dispersed campground where there were some covered picnic tables at sites around a large central pond, following road up to equestrian corral and were several more sites. Stayed in#7 which was exposed, but the last one available so we took it. Free. Pit toilets are dirty but don't stink and trash has been emptied. Nice views to Wheeler Peak and out across UT

I enjoyed camping here, and I could see it being a great spot for a large group. As the description said, it's a working gravel pit. ... and the BLM got to work at 8am the morning after I arrived. So, be aware of that. There is no shoulder on the highway, so you can't really pull over to check road or flood conditions before pulling into the pit. In my case it was totally fine, clear and flat, but I didn't really enjoy going in blind.

First off I'll start by saying the "Get directions" location on this app is incorrect AND the GPS will take you down a private, gated, dirt road to get there. Also, there is only ONE campsite on this road.

When you set your GPS for this location the GPS will take you down Lehman Caves Road which is also highway 488 into the national park. About halfway down this road from the small town of Baker, you will be told turn left on Rowland Ranch Road. IGNORE THIS. Rowland Ranch Road is a gated dirt road on private property. Instead continue down Lehman Caves Road until you get to a left on Baker Creek Road. I have attached a picture of detailed instructions of this ^ in my review.

Baker Creek Road is a maintained road within the national park boundaries but is hard pack gravel with some washboards along it. Just a little ways down Baker Creek Road, you will come to NF-589. This road starts as a Y split. Your first left is a foot path only with no camping signs in it. Directly behind it is the vehicle accessible entrance. Enter at your own risk! This OHV road is narrow and rough with decent sized rocks. There are very little opportunities to turn around and I would strongly recommend AGAINST entering with a two-wheel drive vehicle or a trailer. With that being said, I managed to squeeze down this road with my stock 2015 Toyota Tacoma towing a 12x6 enclosed trailer. My truck made it no problem without 4wd but I was at the limit of capability with my trailers ground clearance, width, and length. I also pre-scouted the singular campsite on this road with my off-road motorcycle to make sure nobody was there first. The only way for me to turn around with my trailer on NF-589 was to use the campsite I stayed in. Just into the entrance of the road you'll come across a downed tree across the road. Don't worry, somebody remade the road to the left going around it so continue on. About halfway towards the campsite you'll come across a small picket sign on the left side of the road that marks the national park boundaries. The campsite is on your left roughly another 500ft after that, just barely outside the national park boundary. There are some good wash outs almost a foot deep and 6-8in stones in the road. My 6-ft wide trailer, which is slightly wider than my truck, was touching trees on both sides for most of the way down.

I'll say it again, there is only one campsite here. The GPS coordinates do not bring you to a campsite so follow my instructions instead. This campsite is tight as you first turn in but opens up in the middle about 20ft into it. It also has some flat open areas for tents just a few feet away from main area. The site is not level and on the slope of a hill. There are also some large rocks similar in size to the ones in the trail on the way in all through the site. My 4in levelers for my rooftop tent were not tall enough to counter this slope. I ended up having to use large boulders and back over them to level my truck so I could sleep. There's nothing here but a fire ring, that includes bathrooms of any kind. You are just in the middle of the woods.

I would love it if people would stop having glass bottle parties around campfires. When did ruining fragile campsites become the new cool? I always try to leave a free campsite better than I found it. I spend time cleaning up other people's trash, rebuilding fallen fireplaces, and sweeping off cement patios when present. I would greatly appreciate it if you would do the same for others.

Anyways, I was here for 2 nights. The views are slightly blocked by the trees but the trees are fairly short. If you can get above the trees like I could by sitting on the roof of my trailer when the sun went down, the views are actually stunning at this campsite. This campsite is almost walking distance to the Lehman Caves and just a few minutes drive to most other attractions here like the scenic drive to the Alpine Lakes at the base of Wheeler Peak. The campsite is completely silent but there is a home about a half mile through the woods to the North towards Lehman Caves Road so please be respectful with music volume even though it may feel as though you are in the middle of nowhere.

Sweeping view. Dispersed site adjacent to road 19631. Gulley behind with a road. No services. Great 5G AT&T. Rough hill up requires 4wd. Consistent shape. Close to junction down to gulley.

This camping location is listed as North Pinnacle on the National Geographic map of the park, other maps show the location but do not provide a name for this camping location. This is the third camping area along Great Basin National Park's Snake Creek Road. Located on the north side of the road, this campsite is not clearly marked like the others on the road, it is marked only by a small green tent sign. Campsite consist of a single very roomy campsite with plenty of room in the area for multiple tents. Parking is a small pull off from the road. At most you might get two cars in to the parking spot. The camping area is right along the road with no trees or other plants blocking the view from the road. Site has a picnic table, trash can and metal fire ring. This is a dry campground. This is the only campsite along the road to not have a vault toilet.

 Be warned, the information on the parks website is a bit misleading. Road is not for RV's or trailers. Just after you enter the park on Snake Creek Road a sign clearly indicated no RV's or trailers past the roads first pull out. Road is a narrow single lane road for almost all of its length. Camp site is just off a very dusty road, but road travel is slow with little traffic. No fee to use this site.

It it about 3 miles on a dirt road to the trailhead. As you are approaching the trailhead, there are spur roads with some good turnouts to park. There were 3 other cars in the area overnight, but I felt I had the place to myself with the junior and pine providing shelter. I am not sure how a take would fit, but there are some turnouts for a small trailer. ATT cell coverage was decent.

There was lots of open space to park where ever. It was quiet!