Best Dispersed Camping near Hawthorne, NV

Recent Dispersed Reviews near Hawthorne, Nevada

61 Reviews of 17 Hawthorne Campgrounds

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  S E.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 13, 2021

  Bridgeport Travertine Hot Springs Dispersed

  Quiet & Secluded

  I loved camping here. There’s a few spots off the road that leads into the hot springs, before you hit the sign that says no camping. Just pull onto one of the dirt roads on the left and find a spot! Any car or smaller RV could easily drive the road.

  There was no one else there when I was camped there, and as a solo female traveler I felt extremely safe. It was quiet and secluded, beautiful, yet only 10 minutes off of 395, less than a mile from the hot spring, and I had full LTE cell reception (verizon).

  There are rock fire rings that previous campers have made if you’re going to be here when camp fires are allowed. There’s no other amenities such as picnic tables or a bathroom, water, or garbage collection - this is free dispersed camping, so be prepared to be self-sufficient: pack out what you bring in and leave no trace!

• 

  Laura M.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 9, 2021

  Mono Lake South Dispersed

  Beautiful view of Mono Lake

  All around Mono Lake is USFS and BLM land that is open for dispersed camping, as long as you stay above the 1941 water line (you will see signs marking this line, which is fairly close to the lake). Note there are multiple pull out areas and forest service roads to stay in along Hwy 120 east just be mindful that the entire area is sand, as some vehicles may get stuck.

  The road into these spots is quite sandy and narrow in some places, but we did fine in our 26' Class C. There is a very large previously burned area with charred remains of plants and trees but it made for some interesting eerie photos. Very quiet place with amazing views and stunning night sky. There are no amenities so bring water and pack in and pack out all trash. Nearby are various hikes and other roads to the range of craters in the area and the tufas along Mono Lake.

  We stayed there on a Monday night and did not see anybody else around, other than a truck that drove past our camp spot in the night.  Very quiet night.

  Good cell reception from AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile.

  Note that Google Maps said that Hwy 120 is closed Oct through May and would not direct us to this area via that road, but the road was open in April 2021, probably due to the mild winter.  Check Hwy 120 conditions for yourself because without it you miss out on so much beautiful area to explore.

• 

  Wesley M.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 11, 2021

  Twenty Mile Beach Dispersed Camping

  Sweet spot right on the lake!

  This BLM site is 1 of 3 along the west side of Walker Lake. This is the northernmost BLM campground along Highway 95. Follow the signage along the highway. Access to the site is along a slow and easy gravel road that is wide enough for two rigs to safely and comfortably pass each other. As you come down the road into the campground you'll notice you have an option to turn right (south) or left (north). Both roads lead to a vault toilet building with access to drive right on down to the beach. We opted for a site near the northern vault toilet. The views are spectacular as you are surrounded by mountains on all sides with Walker Lake in the middle of it all! This is dispersed camping at it's finest! While you'll have to deal with a little bit of highway noise it's not terrible since it's Highway 95 and not heavily travelled by anything other than semi trucks. The town of Schurz is a mere 12 miles north of the site and has several amenities along with fuel. The towns of Walker Lake and Hawthorne are 10 and 20 miles to the south, respectively. Hawthorne is a more populated area with grocery, gas and other shopping amenities. Highly recommend to any other lovers of boondocking. We stayed during the second week of November and the weather was clear, light wind with highs in the upper 60s to low 70s with the lowest nighttime temp of around 38. We'll be back here again for sure!

• M

  Matthew R.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 15, 2021

  Mono Lake South Dispersed

  Beautiful place

  What a view! Very close to the Tufas (a must see). Dispersed camping on gravel/sand so we stayed near the road, in the middle of ponderosa trees. Sunset was gorgeous, peaceful place my kind of camping! Camping in nature!!

• 

  Laura M.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 8, 2021

  Bridgeport Travertine Hot Springs Dispersed

  Amazing Hotsprings / Very Popular Spot!

  No camping is allowed at the hot springs themselves, but outside of the hot springs there are a few cleared out spots with fire rings where you can camp.  There is a cluster of about 6 spots fairly close together, as well as a few more isolated spots if you're lucky enough to get one. From here it is about a .5 mile walk to the springs. 

  So many cars zip in and out on the dirt road leading to the hot springs, from early in the morning to pretty late at night. The dust hasn't been too much of a problem but some people do drive rather quickly so watch out for your loose dogs and kids. It was also intermittently very windy.

  No services or amenities here, but it is really close to the town of Bridgeport for supplies, so pack in and pack out your garbage(and maybe a little extra) and bring water.

  The hot springs are amazing and we got a nice long soak by ourselves in the morning until around 11am when is starts to get busier. Clothing is optional at these hot springs but almost everyone was wearing something. Come sit in a hot spring and enjoy the free camping and extraordinary panoramic views.

  The road in is pretty washboarded and rutty in parts, so go slowly.

  You can hear road noise and hourly church bells :)

  Good Verizon, ATT, and T-Mobile reception.

  ** Gas here in Bridgeport is very expensive (currently $5.15/gal) so fuel up before you get here.

• G

  Gustav H.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 21, 2021

  Mono Basin Dispersed Camp Site

  Great Views

  Along a National Forest Service Road are 4-5 pullouts with great views of Mono Lake and the adjacent small crater.  You can walk up the crater or hike down to the South Tufa area.  

  The road gets a little rough and soft after the 4th site. 

  Good Verizon service (4G/LTS, 4 bars).

  This is a primitive campground near a unique geological and biological site.  The area is relatively pristine and we hope that it will stay this way when you visit.  Please take all trash out including TP.  Campfires are not allowed here; there are no pre-existing sites and fire rings.  The ash/sand might be a little soft for securing tents.  When there is wind, it really blows.

• 

  joel G.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 15, 2024

  Mono Lake South Dispersed

  Over night stay

  Stop here after coming over the mountain through Yosemite needed a place to camp on the east side before we headed home. Very different place the ground is very soft with pea gravel like granite pine trees and pine cones had to use four low with the Jeep to pull our teardrop back in to camp spot. The camp spot that's marked on the app was taken so we turned right and left the hill and found one back further in the trees

• 

  Tucker B.

  Legend

  

  Mar. 29, 2021

  Bridgeport Travertine Hot Springs Dispersed

  Perfect One Night Stop

  This was my first stop after leaving Truckee and heading south.

  I rolled in later in the evening and found the many springs already quite full. Seeking some solitude, I opted to backtrack and find a camp spot on the road leading to the springs.

  From what I could tell, there were at least three springs and there could've been others hidden a bit down the hill.

  There's no camping right at the springs, but several pull-outs on the road in.

  I found a spot on the hill with a great view of the valley and Sierras to the east.

  Also wound up sharing a spot with two gentlemen who gave me some great recommendations for Death Valley.

  Woke up early for a solo sunrise soak in the main pool and had it all to myself!

• 

  Kevin H.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 11, 2022

  Mono Lake South Dispersed

  Cute Spot

  Feels secluded but isn't. Great spot. Pack in/out.

• 

  Tim W.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 10, 2022

  Virginia Lake Rd. Boondocking

  Secluded with an amazing view

  Beautiful location and well secluded. Passed/saw only about 3 others during our one day stay here. Setup camp near the end of the road. A bit windy at night.

• 

  Jasonne Y.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 13, 2021

  Bridgeport Travertine Hot Springs Dispersed

  Great spot to relax

  Camp just a small walk to the hot springs. Got crowed at the camp site toward the end of the day. Was still a relaxing spot.

• S

  Sharni

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 27, 2023

  Bridgeport Travertine Hot Springs Dispersed

  Incredible location, amazing views, hot springs!!

  Road was accessible for us in a Toyota Tacoma, but a Camry also made it up. It was a little crowded in the area we stayed (with 4 other caravans and trailers), as the other dirt road giving access to different campsites was more for high clearance vehicles (very steep and uneven). Hot springs in walking distance. Incredible views of the mountains. We would definitely stay here again. No waste services or restrooms, but a vault toilet was available at the hot springs less than a mile away. Would visit again!

• 

  Lauren B.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 29, 2020

  Bridgeport Travertine Hot Springs Dispersed

  Relaxing springs

  We had a great time camping here. The hot springs were super cool and there were multiple pools scattered around the area. We swam in the small spring pools as the sun was setting and got to watch the stars come out. Some of the pools are super hot and others not much, also they are very muddy. You can’t actually camp by any of the springs but there are a few pull offs to camp at before you get to the springs. We had phone service. If you want to make a fire make sure you bring some wood as there wasn’t really any wood to collect from the area. It also got super windy during the night but our tent held up fine. Over all really great site, and free!

• 

  Laura M.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 17, 2021

  Sage Hen Dispersed

  Beautiful, near Mono Lake

  The dirt road into this spot off of Hwy 120 is washboarded but doable. This spot is at an intersection of forest service road 1S158A and Sage Hen Rd. There was still snow on the dirt road at this time of year (in mid April) so be aware,  and there are also low hanging branches that might make it tough for taller rigs. 

  This spot is a large flat area with zero amenities so bring water and pack in and pack out. 

  Good for a night or two if you want to hike or bike along the plethora of forest service roads. There were signs on the way in for both free range cattle and horses, but we didn't see any.

   Cell service with Verizon, weak but usable.

• 

  Crystal C.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 1, 2020

  Bridgeport Travertine Hot Springs Dispersed

  Great Hot Springs During Week

  I visited this area and was so overwhelmed by the amount of people I saw in Yosemite I definitely expected this well known hot spring to also be filled with people.  However I was extremely surprised when I turned down the road toward the springs and noticed that there was no one to be found.  That was until I got to the spring itself.   At that point I found a single person taking a dip.

  Signs marked that the area nearest to the spring was off limits to camping, however they do allow parking and camping in several pull offs along the roadway toward the spring.   These are designed for contained units only, not tents so I found that staying here would be problematic unless you could stay in your car or RV.   Lucky for me I don't mind sleeping in my car when necessary so I was able to enjoy the stay uninterrupted just a short distance from the spring itself.

  The area is dry and dusty and offers little to no relief from the heat of summer or the sharp winds of winter.   This would not be an ideal situation for those wanting to have any kind of amenities as there are none available.   You must be able to maintain your unit without power or water connections.    Additionally, this area is an area which you must be able to provide proof of a waste disposal of some kind when staying should a ranger come to your camp.   Keep in mind they just want to make sure you are not abusing the outdoors and leaving waste.

  As these are dispersed sites no picnic tables or fire rings are available either.   

  The spring itself is pretty nice.   Water is nice and warm and when I visited it did not have an odd sulfuric smell like some springs do.   Instead it was welcoming and invited you to sit and soak for a while.   While I wore my bathing suit I discovered that many do not so if you are visiting keep that in mind.

  Other points of interest in the area are Yosemite, Mono Lake and Bodie Ghost Town.   All of these locations have numerous stops which can be great for the trip and within a very short drive of the location.

  I ended up spending an entire day at Bodie thanks to its close proximity and really enjoyed that this offered something closeby but also a bit closer to the community of Bridgeport where I could find services and supplies.

  TIP:  Make sure to fuel up when you see gas stations, they are sparse and you will want to ensure you have enough gas from one location to the next in this area.

• 

  Sally T.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 17, 2023

  Twenty Mile Beach Dispersed Camping

  Barren but beautiful

  Dropped a star because the toilet was locked!! On approaching from the north the site is a little further south than marked on the map but is signposted. We arrived in the dark so had a nice view when we got up in the morning. It is next to the highway but the traffic noise didn't bother us. A chill out spot as nothing else to do here!

• f

  fred B.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 21, 2022

  Twenty Mile Beach Dispersed Camping

  Easy access for bigger rv.

  Beautiful spot on walker lake. Easy in and out..

• 

  Megan G.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 7, 2023

  Twenty Mile Beach Dispersed Camping

  Not bad!

  Lots of sites, easy access. Avoid the super sandy spots, especially if you get there in the dark. There are plenty of others. Camped in a RTT on a trailer which wasn't crazy about the washboard grading, but that's mostly a "me" problem. Just after the 4th of July and I had the entire place to myself though due to a ton of consolidated firework trash I bet that place went OFF on the holiday.

• 

  Angie A.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 8, 2023

  Twenty Mile Beach Dispersed Camping

  Amazing!

  What a beautiful spot! Toilets were locked so come prepared to pack in and pack out. We tried to get as close as we could yet there are some deep sandy areas so be careful! Bugs were bad but totally worth it with that sunrise and sunset!

• d

  danniel P.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 17, 2023

  Twenty Mile Beach Dispersed Camping

  Great location but be warned!

  This was a great spot. It was especially beautiful at sunrise and sunset, and there were bathrooms. I didn't use the bathrooms, but I can almost guarantee there is no running water. There is no shade anywhere around, so if you're tent camping in summer be prepared to get up early. The sun and heat had us out of bed by 6am, taking down the tent. It was very spacious and there's no need to worry about being too close to your neighbors. In fact there was only 1 other person camping there and he was quite far from us. The bugs didn't seem to be a problem during the day, but they get CRAZY at night!!! Big gnarly spiders infest the area and make webs on everything, including your tent. Tons of bugs will cover your tent screens. At one point we thought it was raining but it was just thousand of bugs dive-bombing the tent. Best advice: go to bed super early and minimize lantern/light usage. Also, the ground/gravel/sand was very soft in some areas. We were in an audi hatchback and had no problems getting in but had a little scare with almost getting stuck on the way out. However, there are lots of different paths, and if you not trying to camp super close to the water there are plenty of spots that are accessible to any vehicle.

• 

  Marty C.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 25, 2022

  Twenty Mile Beach Dispersed Camping

  Not so easy on & off!

  The east entrance road to the vaulted toilet and maybe two spots is a hard packed sand & semi-gravel/rock road. The rest of the roads leading down toward Lake Walker is loose gravel and sand in which I recommend having a four wheel drive vehicle. My class C got stuck and had to be wenched out. FYI, for wrecker services, this area is called Avalon. I did not scout the west entrance road.

• B

  Bub R.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 28, 2024

  Twenty Mile Beach Dispersed Camping

  Posted “No Camping”

  A “No Camping Beyond This Point” sign is posted just off the highway.

• 

  Taylor

  Ranger

  

  Nov. 20, 2020

  Bridgeport Travertine Hot Springs Dispersed

  So awesome!

  We went during Covid so we didn’t go in the water but it felt so warm on my fingers. The views around it are pretty surreal. I could sit here for the rest of my life.

• 

  Jordan M.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 8, 2021

  Bridgeport Travertine Hot Springs Dispersed

  Lovely spot for boondocking

  No hookups but a beautiful spot. You park on the road and have to drive up to the hot spring not too far. You could even walk. Lots of people visit the hot springs so cars come by periodically but I wasn’t bothered by it.

• 

  tan N.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 25, 2021

  Bridgeport Travertine Hot Springs Dispersed

  Travertine Hot Springs

  The place was nice but disappointed with public restroom since it was stinky and filled up with trash in toilet. Disgusted!

• G

  Gayle S.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 25, 2021

  Bridgeport Travertine Hot Springs Dispersed

  Pretty dispersed boondocking site

  Practice leave no trace, and enjoy. 1.7 miles from town.

• 

  Cassidy Y.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 20, 2020

  Bridgeport Travertine Hot Springs Dispersed

  Hot spring I’m in!!

  Who doesn’t want to camp near a hot spring. Very relaxing location we stayed here one night then drove to bodie