Humboldt National Forest manages Big Bend Campground, a drive-in site set near a creek in the high desert country outside Elko, Nevada. Eleven miles of dirt road lead to the campground, and photo evidence from visitors confirms the route is unpaved and gravel-surfaced, so low-clearance vehicles may want to plan accordingly. RVs up to 35 feet are accommodated. Sites are shaded, which makes a notable difference given the surrounding open terrain and summer heat.
Water availability is worth flagging before arrival. Hydrants are present throughout the campground, but at least one reviewer found them uncharged and non-functional, meaning campers should haul in their own supply. Trash service is listed as an amenity, though one visitor noted a haul-out expectation, so confirming current conditions ahead of time is a reasonable step. No camp host is regularly on site, and cell service is absent this far into the backcountry.
The North Wild Horse Recreation Area, roughly 8 miles southwest, provides access to Wild Horse Reservoir for fishing and boating, making Big Bend a functional base camp for anglers. During hunting season, the campground and surrounding roads see noticeably more traffic, though visitors from that period describe the crowd as friendly. Those wanting more solitude should push farther into the campground rather than stopping at the first available sites. At $8 per night with campsites near Humboldt National Forest generally running higher, Big Bend suits self-sufficient campers comfortable with remote conditions and limited services.
Description
Very popular with hunters during the hunting seasons. The mining town site of Gold Creek, within the Island Mountain Mining District, is 5 miles south of Big Bend on county road 745. Very little remains of the town as most of it was moved or torn down in the 1920s. A plaque at the town site contains additional information. In an aspen grove surrounded by wide open country, 15 miles northeast of Wildhorse Reservoir.
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsBig Bend is located in Nevada near Owyhee
Public CampgroundDirections
From Mountain City, NV, take State Rt. 225 south 18.5 miles to Big Bend Campground sign. Turn left after sign onto gravel (then dirt) road and go 8.7 miles to an intersection. Continue straight through the intersection, passing Forest Service sign, and go 1.9 miles to campground sign. Turn right at sign into campground.
Coordinates
41.76600043 N
115.7000004 W
Connectivity
T-MobileNo Coverage- VerizonNo Coverage
- AT&TNo CoverageVerified by 1 userLast on 9/12/26
Connectivity
- T-MobileNo Coverage
- VerizonNo Coverage
- AT&TNo CoverageVerified by 1 userLast on 9/12/26
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
- Hike-InBackcountry sites.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
Features
For Campers
- ADA Access
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Drinking Water
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Pull-Through Sites
Drive Time
- 3 hrs 8 min from Boise, ID
- 3 hrs 32 min from Twin Falls, ID
- 4 hrs 51 min from Pocatello, ID
- 4 hrs 58 min from Ogden, UT
