Dispersed camping options surround West Wendover, Nevada, located at an elevation of 4,450 feet in the Great Basin Desert. The area experiences extreme temperature fluctuations with summer highs reaching 95°F and winter lows dropping below freezing. Most dispersed sites lack shade, making spring and fall the most comfortable camping seasons.
What to do
Explore the Silver Island Mountains: The 54-mile Silver Island Mountains Backcountry Byway offers scenic driving opportunities near camping sites around West Wendover, Nevada. "The drive up to Pilot Peak Lookout gives you wide views of the whole area," notes PJ M. from Pilot Peak Lookout. "You can see for miles in every direction, but limited protection from wind."
Rock hunting: Search for multicolored agates on the slopes of Volcano Peak. "If you want to rock hound there are better pieces of multicolored agate high up near the ridges of the range. There are still some lower on the slopes but are mostly clear to white from being thoroughly picked over," advises Alan B. from Volcano Peak Campground.
Stargazing: With minimal light pollution, the night skies provide excellent stargazing. "The spot was beautiful and we had a full moon, which was amazing to watch rise over the flats. The wind picked up sometime in the early morning hours and never stopped, which made packing up the tent an interesting feat," shares Elaine S. at Silver Island Mountains by Bonneville Salt Flats.
What campers like
Abundant space and privacy: The BLM land near West Wendover offers widely dispersed camping. "You can honestly pick your own adventure and there's plenty of space to be far away from other campers," says ray W. from Volcano Peak Campground. "There were some other folks out there, but no one bothered us and we didn't bother them (sound really didn't seem to travel too much!)."
Sunrise views: Many campers specifically mention the spectacular sunrises over the salt flats. "The sunrise was magnificent," notes Zoe H. from Volcano Peak Campground Dispersed. "Gorgeous rocks to look at. It's quite a windy place, so dinner and breakfast were tough, but the wind settled at night and the stars were highly visible due to little light pollution."
Wildlife encounters: The area offers opportunities to observe desert wildlife. "We even had some prong horned sheep near us on the mountain," reports Taylor S. from BLM by Salt Flats. "If you have dogs with you, this was also a great place to have them off the leash and play fetch since no one was around."
What you should know
Road conditions vary significantly: Many access roads require careful driving. "Road in is passable with 2wd but very washboarded. I used 4 high on a wet, muddy day and still slid around just a bit," explains Niko L. from Volcano Peak Campground. "Watch the rocks on Volcano West rd as you approach the lookout - I made it with my 25 ft travel trailer, but be careful you don't bottom it out."
Extreme winds are common: Wind protection should be a priority when choosing sites. "Super close to West Wendover and the salt flats. There's dozens of campsites in this area so definitely go exploring. While the roads are generally in good shape, some have pretty bad wash boarding, especially when towing," advises PJ M. from Pilot Peak Lookout.
Wildlife concerns: Small rodents can damage vehicles at certain campsites. "Rodents chewed through our windshield fluid lines and god knows what else. Very unfortunate lol. 10/10 other than that so just be aware," warns Ashley L. from BLM by Salt Flats - Dispersed Site.
Tips for camping with families
Choose a campground with amenities: For families, the established Wendover KOA offers facilities. "The facilities were clean - clean bathrooms, clean showers. There were fire pits and picnic benches in the camp sites, and WiFi was available on the campus," notes Amanda M. from Wendover KOA. "There is a pool, and showers so it's not exactly roughing it."
Plan for temperature extremes: Desert conditions mean rapid temperature changes between day and night. "Temperatures were nice as well. The wind picked up sometime in the early morning hours and never stopped, which made packing up the tent an interesting feat," shares Elaine S. from Silver Island Mountains by Bonneville Salt Flats.
Bring entertainment: The sparse landscape may require additional activities for children. "Great bike and hike possibilities. OHV routes!" suggests Skyeriver from Volcano Peak Campground Dispersed. "There are a lot of spots on this same road in both directions."
Tips from RVers
Leveling challenges: Many dispersed sites require work to level RVs. "Awesome dispersed. Stars epic. Big enough for large rigs. Lots of gravel roads to go down and find a spot anywhere really. There are a few constructed flat spots but the remaining 99% of dispersed is unlevel somewhat but nothing a little wiggle can't fix," advises Skyeriver from Volcano Peak Campground.
Casino RV options: Wendover Nugget RV Park offers basic amenities for RVs near town. "Pretty basic but good for short term. It's just a small cul de sac of about 15 spots at most. All back ins except for like 2-3 pull thrus i think in middle! Don't even think there's a Host on site. Close to nugget and Montego casinos," shares Tommy H. from Wendover Nugget RV Park.
Access restrictions: Some roads become challenging after rain. "The road is not too bad getting up to the lookout and camping spot but I had to crawl through a few exposed rocks, washes and ruts. I made it in a 2wd old Chevy van," reports Donny A. from Pilot Peak Lookout.
