The McWilliams Campground, recently renovated and well maintained is my go-to campground when visiting the Mount Charleston area. When the Las Vegas heat smothers the Vegas Valley it is usually over 25 degrees cooler in the mountain, so it seems appropriate that it is referred to as a “sky island” because as a Las Vegas local it feels like an island getaway within an hour drive.

If your navigation app can’t find it try entering the Lee Canyon Ski Resort because that is less than a mile up the road. The campground sign will be on your right heading up the mountain just past the Lower Bristlecone Trail . The even number sites are first-come while the odd numbers are reservable but go quickly when released. My trip this week saw a full campground but it was a family crowd and no rowdy campers. They designed sites for tent or small trailer camping on the back loop and a lot of fairly level sites for RVs dispersed throughout. RV hookups won’t be found here so be prepared to dry camp.

Mule deer grazed in the woods behind my camp site in the early morning. Wild burros and horses also inhabit the area. Wild horses congregate a short walk away at the Meadows in cooler parts of the day. Blue birds and hummingbirds are a common sight as well for birding.

The camp host was friendly and helpful. There were a few drinking water pumps out of order so he helped me find one down the road and offered to drop my 5 gallon jug back at my site up the hill so I didn’t have to carry it.

Droughts affect the mountain and campfire restrictions are common in the summer months. Waterfalls and creeks dry to a trickle. Majestic Bristlecone Pines well adept to the climate provide shade for many sites.