Best Dispersed Camping near Henderson, NV
Multiple dispersed camping areas surround Henderson, Nevada, with free sites available primarily on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land and within Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Government Wash and Eight Mile Dispersed Camping provide shoreline access to Lake Mead, though Government Wash has been closed indefinitely as of August 2024 due to environmental concerns. Additional options include El Dorado Dry Lake Bed, Sloan Canyon Dispersed Camping, and Lovell Canyon in the Spring Mountains, all within approximately 30-45 minutes of Henderson.
Many dispersed sites require travel on unpaved roads with varying conditions from well-maintained gravel to rough terrain requiring high-clearance vehicles. The El Dorado Dry Lake Bed features wide-open camping with soft sand in some areas. Most locations have no services or amenities, lacking water, toilets, and trash facilities. Fire restrictions are common, particularly during dry seasons. Camping at Lake Mead Recreation Area is typically limited to 15 days, with a maximum of 90 days per year total, and rangers regularly patrol these areas. Cell service is generally available throughout most sites, with particularly strong coverage reported at Government Wash.
The desert landscape offers unique camping experiences with excellent stargazing opportunities and scenic lake and mountain views. Campers should be prepared for extreme temperatures, especially during summer months. Wildlife encounters, particularly with coyotes, are common around Lake Mead. "Coyotes sing at night, pretty harmless just be smart with your food and waste," noted one visitor to Government Wash. Sloan Canyon provides access to hiking trails and petroglyphs, though camping is not permitted in the protected petroglyph area. At El Dorado Dry Lake Bed, a camper reported, "There are some soft sand spots. Pretty wide open spots. No services. Cell service. It was very windy, and sand everywhere."
