Coyote calls and wind through small trees are the ambient soundtrack at Hickison Petroglyph, a free BLM campground sitting along US-50, the stretch of Nevada highway Life magazine once dubbed the "Loneliest Road in America." The turnoff from the highway leads onto a short gravel road past a cattle guard, and while a sign warns that the road is not maintained, campers consistently report it holds up well in dry conditions and even light rain. The drive into the loop is one-way, which keeps traffic orderly in a campground with roughly 20 sites.
Sites vary considerably. Some are tight and slightly off-level; others offer more room and a pull-through configuration. Most have a fire ring and picnic table, and sites without natural tree cover typically have a shade structure overhead. As Sotnos B. notes, the campground is "close enough to road to be easily accessible, but very quiet, no highway noise." The campground fills quickly on holiday weekends, with RVs taking most spots by mid-afternoon on busy Fridays, though tent sites sometimes remain open later.
The petroglyphs are the main draw and require almost no effort to reach. A short, easy loop trail starts near the campground and connects to the rock art panels and viewpoints within walking distance. Trash cans are spaced throughout the grounds, and vault toilets are stocked with toilet paper, though bringing your own is a reasonable precaution. AT&T users report one to two bars of signal, enough for basic streaming. There is no water on-site and no dump station, so self-sufficiency is necessary. Campers passing through the region can find places to camp around Austin or check out nearby options like Spencer Hot Springs and Bob Scott Campground to the west.
The 14-day limit and first-come, first-served system mean timing matters, especially in summer when flies can be a notable nuisance. "Quiet, the very few people that are there are always friendly," writes PJ F., and that characterization holds across most reviews. The campground is open year-round, but April snowfall is possible, and RVs longer than 25 feet will find the one-way loop and tight site entrances difficult to navigate. Arrive with a full water supply and plan to stay at least one night to make time for the petroglyph trail.
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsHickison Petroglyph is located in Nevada near Austin
Directions
Located 24 miles east of Austin on US 50.
Coordinates
39.44933907 N
116.75136567 W
Connectivity
T-MobileNo CoverageVerified by 6 usersLast on 7/29/26
VerizonPossible CoverageVerified by 18 usersLast on 7/29/26
AT&TLTESome CoverageVerified by 4 users
Connectivity
- T-MobileNo CoverageVerified by 6 usersLast on 7/29/26
- VerizonPossible CoverageVerified by 18 usersLast on 7/29/26
- AT&TLTESome CoverageVerified by 4 users
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
Features
For Campers
- ADA Access
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Phone Service
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Pull-Through Sites
Drive Time
- 3 hrs 15 min from Reno, NV
- 3 hrs 19 min from Carson City, NV
- 4 hrs 27 min from Las Vegas, NV
- 5 hrs 2 min from St. George, UT
