Best Tent Camping near Nixon, NV

Tent campsites near Nixon, Nevada primarily cluster around Pyramid Lake, with Fish Ladder Beach offering tent camping along the shoreline of this high desert lake. Additional primitive tent options exist at Lahontan State Recreation Area approximately 30 miles south, where dispersed beach camping is permitted when water levels allow. Both locations provide basic amenities for tent campers seeking outdoor experiences in this remote section of western Nevada.

Most tent camping areas feature dirt or sand surfaces with minimal site development. Fish Ladder Beach has vault toilets but lacks drinking water, requiring campers to bring their own supply. The desert environment creates challenging conditions with frequent wind and limited natural shade. Lahontan provides more facilities at some locations, including vault toilets, trash collection, and communal water spigots, though services vary by beach location. One camper noted that "the bottoms of our shoes looked like a warzone" due to goathead thorns at some sites, so closed footwear is essential.

Areas farther from main access points typically offer more seclusion for tent campers. Lahontan's beach camping fluctuates with reservoir levels, affecting site availability and accessibility. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, "Sunsets are out of this world" at Fish Ladder Beach, making the primitive conditions worthwhile for many tent campers. The desert lake environment attracts numerous bird species and provides fishing opportunities. For those seeking dispersed options, Reno View Dispersed Camping offers free tent sites with mountain views, though the rough access road requires high-clearance vehicles and is unsuitable for RVs. Most tent sites throughout the region have no reservations system, operating on a first-come basis. Weather conditions can change rapidly, with strong winds common in afternoons.

Best Tent Sites Near Nixon, Nevada (6)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Nixon, NV

2 Photos of 6 Nixon Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Nixon, NV

300 Reviews of 6 Nixon Campgrounds


  • kathleen K.
    Jul. 2, 2021

    Dayton State Park Campground

    Unexpected Oasis

    First stop in my early summer road trip. Stayed for two nights. Easy self pay station at the front entrance. To get to the campground at the first right little dirt road before the pay station. Entrance into the park patch to the campground has a limited day-use fee also and there is group they use facilities with a large barbecue and outdoor sink that you would be able to wash dishes at if necessary. Great shaded spot in the middle of the desert. This was quite the unexpected little Oasis. Comes with peacocks. Limited number of spots available for tent camping or RV camping with no hookups. There are water spickets available and the park part of this Campground has flush toilets. The campground itself comes with a fire ring and a picnic bench. Trees are plentiful shade is wonderful the heat in this area in the summer time is Relentless but the shade is perfect at this location. There are peacocks on the property that apparently come from somewhere else I believe there are at least three of them they do make noise at night but it's not ridiculous unless there are coyotes on the property. Beware this is the desert there is wild life. Do not leave your food out at night. Bear boxes are not provided but keep your food items inside of your tent or your vehicle or lock them up. I did not have any issues because I am Savvy to the situation. I had a wonderful time hiking around and exploring the area through the trails making my way to the Carson River. This place is a gem and I will be back!

  • Richard M.
    Dec. 7, 2020

    Developed 7 — Lahontan State Recreation Area

    Sand and wind

    Be careful!!! Almost got stuck in the sand while trying to find a spot level enough to park. Many people had dug out around their trailer to get the slides out. Several people used construction generators to power their rigs. Stayed for a weekend. Had a hard time leaving the trailer due to sand in the wind flying at high rates of speed. No hook ups, they do have a dump station and community water faucets. Vault toilets in many locations, no designated camping spaces. Just find a spot where you fit.

  • S
    Jun. 17, 2021

    Lookout Campground

    The Campground... and The Road

    THE CAMPGROUND

    The campground is great. Many sites have lots of space between them, while a few are side-by-side with just a vehicle parking space separating them. Each has a level, wood-bordered dirt/gravel pad set up for a tent - usually placed in as quiet/remote corner of the site as possible. Each has a picnic table, some type of fire pit (some have a metal ring with nice flipping grate, some are just a circle of large stones), and some type of cooking setup (some have a standard campsite charcoal "grill" while others have a metal table to set your cooktop on.

    Very quite. Only noise is campground noise and one infrequently trafficked dirt road nearby (see below).

    Campfires are allowed. If you drive in from the south (via Verdi), there is currently a designated area to collect firewood - it is scheduled for a prescription burn and you can pick up any wood from the forest floor - bring an axe and saw.

    I visited mid-week during peak July season - there were two other campsites occupied (out of 20 total).

    The campsite is in the middle of Dog Valley. The area is used for off-road recreation, so you may run into a few off-road buggies or trucks, and some may stay at the campground. But most stay in other "dispersed" camping, and there aren't nearly as many vehicles as you might see, for example, in a Nevada dunes off-road park.

    The Crystal Mine is nearby… quick drive, bit longer walk. I didn't find many walking trails in the area, but may have missed them.

    Verizon cell service picked up one bar, intermittently. Enough to get out occasional status update texts and check the weather, but not enough to be able to read stuff off the internet unless… you…. are…. really…. really… really… patient. If you hike up the hill at the nearby Crystal Mine, Verizon gave 2 bars and 5G… you are line of sight to Cold Springs. 

    There is basically no radio reception at the campground, but one AM station came in during the drive.

    There are two 'vault' toilets, both of which were clean and well maintained… no real odor, no spiders, etc. I saw one water spigot but it required a keyed handle to open so it was inaccessible … no other sources of water (potable or otherwise) at the site.

    Trash cans are provide. No food/bear lockers provided (bear-safe food storage not required … but always a good precautionary measure).

    I give it four stars because it is a good campground, and may be a good base for off-roading or mountain biking, but doesn't have many major sites nearby (hiking trails, rivers, lookout points, etc.) and I didn't find a variety of hiking trails nearby (a major one does run through the general area). Would be tough to keep kids busy, but great for a 2 day getaway for a couple.

    Ok… let's talk THE ROAD….

    The road is one of the reasons this site generally isn't too packed. There are two main ways in…

    From The South (Verdi)

    This is the roughest path. It has a fairly good incline and then decline into the valley, so I can only speak to my summer experience, but I suspect this may present a challenge for winter/wet driving.

    For this route, you will spend 8.5 miles on a dirt road. I'd estimate this road is 10% "standard country dirt road, flat, fairly level, no major ruts, drivable by any vehicle at 25-30MPH." About 75% of the road is "unmaintained hill road, where you have to hug one side or another to avoid 6-inch+ ruts, loose rocks up to 5" in diameter, passable by a 2-wheel drive vehicle with reasonable ground clearance and not concerned about rocks on the paint, driving 10-15 MPH." The remaining 15% still probably doesn't require 4-wheel drive, but could benefit from it, involves going 5MPH to navigate deeper ruts or 'potholes'. The entire route is totally 100% passable by any truck/Jeep, even 2-wheel drive, driven slowly and carefully at times. Subarus would be fine. I *think* a standard sedan could make it, but you run a very good chance of bashing in the underside of your car… it is doable and I saw a little hatchback do it, but I personally wouldn't recommend.

    From the North (Cold Springs)

    For this route, you will spend 10 miles on a dirt road.

    The first 3.3 miles (about 33%) is "standard country dirt road, flat, fairly level, no major ruts, drivable by any vehicle at 25-30MPH." Very easy driving. About 65% is "unmaintained hill road, where you have to hug one side or another to avoid 6-inch+ ruts, loose rocks up to 5" in diameter, passable by a 2-wheel drive vehicle with reasonable ground clearance and not concerned about rocks on the paint, driving 15 MPH." The remaining 2% is the harder road, as described above… just a few specific spots/turns, not long sections.

    This north route is easier, but either way you go, there will be tougher sections.

    To be fair - this isn't "off-roading." There are no boulders or 'technical' challenges. It is just an unmaintained (or rarely maintained) dirt road that has ruts, especially in uphill/downhill areas where the water runs across the road. Definitely not just a 'country dirt road', but a more typical mountain backroad.

    Pictures below show the most common sections - 75% of the south path and 66% of the north path look like that or a little bit worse. The pictures aren't the worst sections - just more of the 'typical' road you can expect for most of the way.

    Final comment: All of the above is about dry, summer driving. After rains, when the ground is wet, or in the winter - could be a very different experience.

  • Susan B.
    Jun. 27, 2016

    Davis Creek Regional Park

    Good for a couple of days

    Since this campground is on an incline, one is protected from the Washoe Valley winds. The campsites are well marked and have a parking space. Only one car is allowed per space, so if a group is going to take multiple campsites, only one car per parking pad, the rest have to park down by the main entrance. Many hiking trails here. The pond still has not recovered from the drought. The bathrooms have flush toilets. There are two group campgrounds, one walk-in tent only and a RV only. One downside, now that the new I-580 has been built, there is some freeway noise at night.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 15, 2023

    Boyington Mill

    Nice river access but exposed

    • the river is right there, most sites have direct access
    • very clean vault toilet, I think all sites have bear boxes
    • super exposed, very little to no shade Getting the right site is important, most of the sites on the river are right up next to each other. Still, it is a nice location and sleeping with the sounds of the river is pretty sweet.
  • C
    Sep. 11, 2021

    Washoe Lake State Park Campground

    5 miles north of Carson City

    • 2 loops. Loop A has electric and water and loop B is dry camping *Loop A was $30, which included $10 nonresident fee. *large sites with a lot of space between sites!
    • no showers or toilets in loop A where we were. Loop B, ?
    • Some trees
    • covered picnic table. Fire pit at each site
    • bbq at some sites *beautiful view of the Sierras, although we couldn't see the lake from our site *Feral horses. Several came galloping towards us, which was a bit startling, but we move and they went around us.
    • When leaving, just past the dump station, there is a pull out where you can easily hitch the toad.
    • Glad we got there fairly early -2:30- because there were only 2 sites left and one was a handicap site. *Maybe 35 sites in each loop, but they are so spaced out, it is really nice
  • T
    Apr. 29, 2018

    Chilcoot Family Campground

    Awesome little campground!

    We have camped here many times over many years (in tents as well as RVs). Relatively quiet, spacious camp spots (fairly level), beautiful area with lots of trees, a lovely creek running through the back of of the campground, clean bathrooms, just 25 minutes from Reno and three miles from Frenchman's Lake. There's a wonderful general store a few miles down the road and the camp host sells firewood. No electric or water hook-ups at the sites. There are (potable) water faucets sprinkled throughout the campground but you're not allowed to use them to fill your rv water tank. Due to several years of drought and the trees getting old, many had to be cut down around the campsites. Some of the sites aren't as shady as they used to be. You may need a shade structure. Tip* camp away from the main highway. Those spots have far less shade and there is quiet a bit of road noise.

  • Ron G.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 19, 2021

    Plumas National Forest Spring Creek Campground

    Can’t wait to go back !

    Great little NF campground! Pretty busy (but it was a weekend) with both tents & camping trailers. Spots are well spaced, and fire pits/picnic tables are at each site, though at not be adjacent to your parking spot (no bear boxes provided though). We were on spot 004 & had a 50-yard uphill walk to fire pit & picnic table…not a big deal but a bit of a surprise. Some good rock scrambling available on the southeast side of the lake, 5 - 10 minute walk from campground. Cell service (Verizon) spotty at best. Definitely going back!


Guide to Nixon

Tent camping near Nixon, Nevada offers a unique experience with stunning landscapes and a variety of outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a serene lakeside retreat or a spot with great views, there are options to suit your needs.

Tent campers appreciate these amenities

  • At Fish Ladder Beach, you'll find basic facilities like toilets, making your stay more comfortable while enjoying the high desert lake experience.
  • The Developed 7 — Lahontan State Recreation Area offers drinking water, showers, and trash disposal, ensuring a well-equipped camping experience.
  • For those seeking a more rustic experience, Reno View Dispersed provides a free camping option with breathtaking views, though it lacks amenities like water and toilets.

Local activities to enjoy

  • Fishing and boating are popular at Developed 7 — Lahontan State Recreation Area, where you can spend your days on the water and enjoy the beautiful lakeside scenery.
  • Birdwatching is a must at Fish Ladder Beach, where the unique desert landscape attracts a variety of bird species.
  • If you're up for an adventure, the rugged road to Reno View Dispersed offers a thrilling drive, leading to stunning views of the Reno skyline.

Tips for tent camping near Nixon

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Nixon, NV?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Nixon, NV is Fish Ladder Beach with a 3-star rating from 2 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Nixon, NV?

TheDyrt.com has all 6 tent camping locations near Nixon, NV, with real photos and reviews from campers.