Washoe Lake State Park Campground, near Carson City, Nevada, is a fantastic spot for campers looking to enjoy the great outdoors year-round. With spacious sites and beautiful views, it’s a popular choice for both tent and RV camping, making it easy to settle in and soak up the scenery.

The campground boasts clean facilities, including flush toilets and showers, which visitors appreciate after a day of exploring. Many campers have noted the convenience of full hookups in Loop A, making it a comfortable stop for those traveling with larger rigs. As one happy camper put it, “Beautiful campground! Flush toilets and showers.”

For those who love hiking, the area offers trails right from the campground, and you might even spot some wild horses grazing nearby. Located just a short drive from Carson City, you have easy access to local dining and entertainment options, while still enjoying the tranquility of nature. 

Campers have mentioned the friendly atmosphere and the well-maintained grounds, making it a great place to unwind. Whether you’re just passing through or planning a longer stay, Washoe Lake State Park Campground is a solid choice for a memorable outdoor experience.

Camping: The park has 49 sites, each with a table, grill and fire ring. The campground is open year round and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Some sites are equipped with shade structures. Two comfort stations, one with a shower, are available. Several sites can hold RVs up to 45 feet in length. Campground Loop A offers water and utility hook-ups at all 24 sites, and a dump station is available. The camping limit is seven days in a 30-day period.

Group Area: The Group Area near the main day use area and boat launch can be reserved for both day and overnight use. Facilities include a covered pavilion, restrooms, 20 picnic tables, barbecue grills, power, lighting, sink, counters, a sandy volleyball court and horseshoe pits.

Equestrian Facilities: Equestrian areas are found at the Main Entrance Area and North Ramp. The main area facility includes an arena, corrals, horse washing station and a covered barbecue area with tables, grill, sink, counter space, power, water and lighting. Camping is permitted for both tents and RVs with large parking areas for easy horse trailer access. This area can be reserved for groups of up to 200. The North Ramp facility is day use only and provides restrooms, parking and picnic tables.

Washoe Lake State Park Campground

Join the fun near Carson City. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Carson City. Discover great camping spots near Carson City, reviewed by campers like you.

Carson City

The Best Camping Near Carson City, NV | Nevada Campgrounds

This state park is a very nice park and campground. There's an abundance of space in each site with Cabana and fire ring. We even saw some wild horses.

Very well kept and clean

There are two loops of areas for RV/Trailer, or tent camping. Multiple handicap accessible slots and pull thru sites. Nice and clean showers and bathrooms along with water spouts for those who are washing dishes. There are camp fire pits at each site with a covered table. Set in scrubland leading up to the lake, you will see plenty of birds, squirrels, and rabbits. I had several deer wander through the scrub behind my campsite and we were visited by one of the local bands of mustangs. In the main day use area, there is a take off/landing site for those who are hang gliding. Across the road and at the top of the hill you can find the launch point for the gliders. In the far side of the camp grounds you have the boat launch and several day use camp sites for picnics. You can watch the fish leap from the water, the birds soaring over the lake, and occasionally have one of the mustang bands hang out in the cool of the lakeside grazing on the lush grass.

The views are stunning in watching the sun set across the lake and over the peaks of Mt. Rose.

Picturesque and quiet.

Washoe lake isn’t the prettiest, but it’s a nice get away if you live close and want to escape the city for the weekend, very cheap and very nice camp ground.

Very clean and quiet

Very pleased with the accommodation and everything availableo

Family friendly

If you like Bird Watching (or wildlife in general), Boating, Fishing, Hang Gliding, Paragliding, Equestrian Activities, Camping or BBQ's, or even history, then this is a place you might enjoy.

The lake and the surrounding area takes on a different appearance depending on the season you visit, and whether it's been a wet year or a dry one. Sometimes when it has been extremely dry, the larger of the 2 lakes dries up either partially or entirely, leaving the smaller one as a valuable water source for Wild Mustangs who live in the area. (which is a great opportunity for photographers).

When the larger lake bed dries up a little, it extends the hang gliding / paragliding landing zone. (take off point is up on the hill on Eastlake Blvd, which is also a good view point of the lakes).

During the wetter years, the larger lake fills up, allowing water activities such as boating to take place on both lakes, and provides you with the opportunity to bird watch at any of the wildlife viewing areas provided. The smaller lake also provides bird watching opportunities (Osprey and other birds of prey like to fish there) You can also fish at the smaller lake, just don't eat them, the area was once used for the processing mills during the mining boom.

Also if you are into wildlife, there is the occasional coyote hunting the area, owls, hawks, bald eagles, and if you want to see deer, take a little drive up Eastlake Blvd towards little Washoe Lake, and one of the fields on the right often has huge herds of Mule Deer, and the occasional wild horse. Talking of Wild horses, you are requested not to feed or harass the wild Mustangs anywhere in Nevada (Washoe lake park included). Horses can be defensive, especially when they have young foals. Also feeding them anything other than what they naturally eat in the wild, not only causes a high number of deaths in the herds, it also creates dangerous situations on the roadways when horses come to retrieve the food. (it can also cost you thousands of dollars in fines) There are people who regularly monitor the interaction visitors have with the horses. But if you want to interact with a horse, why not bring your own for a ride around too, people often bring their horses down for a trot around the grounds.

There are restrooms available throughout the park, and facilities for camping. It is a good place for dogs, though it is requested that you clean up after them. There are doggie clean up stations available, and containers for waste.

The land the park sits on was once owned by one of Nevada's wealthiest men Theodore Winters, who was a prominent businessman and politician in early Nevada history. He once owned some of the most famous racehorses in the world, and his cheese was world renown. His Ranch is still around, and you can find it located just on the other side of the lake (Old Route 395), not far from the Chocolate Nugget Candy Factory (which is great if you get a hankering for something sweet), and Old Washoe City.

The lake's history goes back even further than that, the area was once inhabited by the local tribes people, and before the early pioneer's came and settled here, they used hunt ducks on the lake, and fished here. There is probably still the odd chance you might come across old Native tools and arrowheads, but the State of Nevada does ask you to leave artifacts where they are found. Check the local and federal laws before attempting to remove anything.

It has some lovely sunsets here, the view can be spectacular at times and changes according to season and weather, and the wildlife seem to enjoy it. Nice place to go and hang out with family and friends, and if you happen to forget to bring anything, you are only a little drive from Carson City :)

Located in one of the oldest settled Valleys in Nevada

Arrived around 5pm on a Tuesday the last day of April and even though the weather is crappy (low 40’s with intermittent rain/snow and a freeze warning), there were only a few spots left. Surprised to see several tent campers. As other reviews have pointed out, only the B Loop is open; the A loop is going to have electric (and water?) installed but no completion date was indicated. Would have been nice to have electric on these cold nights so we could plug in our portable heater. I think when Loop A is completed, it will be the nicer of the two - farther from the road and with aforementioned amenities. First Nevada State Park we’ve been to with flush toilets (but no soap and they could use a little maintenance work - some faucets missing and one toilet took extreme muscle to flush. I also felt like Goldilocks - one toilet was so low, I was squatting and another was so high, I had to hoist myself up!) Sites all looked level and most were back-in (even the handicapped ones) but ours (33) was a “pull-through”. All sites have a picnic table and fire ring but only some have shelters over the tables (a must on hot summer days). Very quiet in Site 33. I didn’t hear road noise some mentioned but those closer to the road might hear more. I can only imagine it would be a completely different scenario in the summer when people come to enjoy the lake. I would definitely recommend walking to the lake in the morning for nice reflection shots. 

Almost full even in bad weather!

I live in Reno and this campground is a nearby escape from the hustle and bustle of Reno. Great hiking opportunities for the dog and peaceful sunsets by a campfire. A super, close spot to take the teardrop any time of the year.

Great local campground!

We go often because it is close  to home whenever we need a quick getaway.  Clean, quiet, large sites and the best sunrises and sunsets.lots of hiking available.  Covered tables, fire pits and bbq.  Fantastic views of Sierra mountains.  Great for seniors with state camping pass.

Near home, peaceful, great hiking,  beautiful sunsets

Very nice state park, loop A has water and electric, some pull thru  sites all paved.

Beautiful 

Each campsite (in Loop A) is large and spacious and the views are epic. It’s March and we are one of maybe 5 campers.

Lovely views, big sites 

Large sites with water and electricity (loop A).  Beautiful views of the mountains.  Lots to do in the area.

Great

Nice campground situated close to the shores of Washoe Lake. Great amenities; picnic tables, fire pits and shade structures at many of the campsites. There are a lot of trees as well and pretty views all the way around the campground.

Camping by the Lake

* 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

5 miles north of Carson City

We stayed here for just under 2 weeks around Thanksgiving. Very beautiful area with hiking near the lake and mountains. The horses nearby were nice. Right between Reno and Carson City. Access to Casinos and Restuarants nearby(10 minute drive or so). The Park has showers and bathrooms as well as water and electricity hook ups. The camp host was nice and provides us with a huge bundle of firewood for only a $5 donation. 

Quiet, clean park

Winter camping is available on Loop A with full power hookups on a first come, first serve basis.  Bathrooms are open all winter.  Hiking is nice right from the campground and wild horses graze not far away.

Great winter camping!

Great spot for a quick camp. The hook-up surcharge makes it expensive in the winter when you HAVE to camp in loop A. It’s not remote but it’s decently quiet and perfect for just catching a night outside

Solid overnight 

[Internet. Verizon via iPhone 12: 22.2 mbps down and 3.38 mbps up with 38 ms ping.]

We stopped here on our way through to Reno. What a great campground. The whole campground is just so clean. 

The campground was first-come-first-served. We stayed in the accessible site which is allowed to be chosen by people without the accessibility placard if it is the last site available and you only stay for one night. You can pay for your campsite with a credit card. The machine is all the way at the park entrance. Water at the campsites was still shut off for winter but the water at the dump station was turned on. Only one loop was open for winter. We paid $25 instead of the full $30 required for an out-of-state vehicle at a hookup site. I think $5 was taken off since the water at the sites was still shut off. 

I give this campground 5 stars. It’s just impeccable. 

[Rig. Mercedes Sprinter. 22 feet]

Dump station? - yes
Water fill? - yes
Clean site? - yes, impeccable and level
Clean bathroom? - yes
Flush toilet? - yes
Showers? - yes
Laundry? - no
Dish washing sink? - no

Impeccable 

http://parks.nv.gov/parks/washoe-lake#:~:text=The%20campground%20is%20open%20year,come%2C%20first%2Dserved%20basis.

Open rear round 

Spent the night here on a road trip. 30$ for non Nevada resident but includes full hookups except water was shut off for the season. Flat, wide spaces with mostly pull throughs, clean bathrooms and shower. Convenient credit card pay system. Also a dump station. 

Great stop over  

Beautiful views
Can only stay a week here.
Does not matter the loop your staying. But worth the stay.
Close to Carson city.
Loop A full hook ups
Loop B no hookups
Bathroom toilets onsite 
We had a 35ft 5th wheel w/dually.


Large camping sites

Beautiful campground! Flush toilets and showers. 

Spacious spots

Beautiful spot 1/2 mile walk to lake, wild horses roaming camp, quiet &amp; clean. 

Great campground 

Easy to find. Nice space. Bathroom and trash and even a shower. Dump station if needed. Very dog friendly. Some nice hikes nearby. Will go back! 

Great campground

Stayed here overnight. Could easily stay here for a few days 
and see all the fun things around Reno, Carson City and Virginia City. Great camp hosts, clean showers, flush toilets, garbage and dump available. 

Photos of Washoe Lake State Park Campground

Real photos from real campers