Best Dispersed Camping in Nevada

Leave the glitz and glam of the Las Vegas Strip behind and come camping in Nevada. Explore the petroglyphs and ancient cultures at the Valley of Fire State Park or relax in the high alpine along the eastern shores of Lake Tahoe. With over 80% of the state dedicated as public lands, there’s an adventure for everyone.

For some of the best camping in Nevada, head to Pyramid Lake. Located just 40 miles outside of Reno, the lake offers a variety of camping and recreation options. Keep in mind that the lake is located on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe's Reservation. In order to camp here, you’ll need to obtain a permit first. Enjoy dispersed camping along the water’s edge. Don’t forget to bring your boat, SUP or kayak and cool off in the lake, be sure to check out the Pyramid Rock island and see how this awesome spot got its name.

The Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada’s largest state park, contains over 40,000 acres of stunning red rock formations peppered with ancient ruins and native artifacts left behind by the Ancient Puebloan People. Admire petroglyphs, climb the red rocks and uncover another world in this Mars-like landscape. Due to the sweltering summer temps, the Valley of Fire State Park offers perfect place for winter camping in Nevada.

Looking to climb a mountain? Consider hiking to the top of Mount Rose in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Although this area is quite popular and crowded during the summer months, it’s well-worth a trip to this sapphire, high-alpine oasis. Various camping options are available.

Located just outside of Las Vegas, Lake Mead is one of Nevada’s premier outdoor recreation areas. If you’re tired of the crowds, consider hiking up Black Mountain. This lesser-known trail can be done in a day and there is plenty of camping at nearby Lake Mead.

If you’re a national park lover, you’ve got to check out the quiet scenery at the Great Basin National Park. Dramatic mountain ridges meet sagebrush valleys at this little-visited park. Plenty of wildlife and excellent camp spots await you. With so many lakes, deserts and mountains, there are endless possibilities for Nevada camping. No matter where you choose to go in this great state, The Dyrt is here to help you find the perfect perch to pitch a tent.

Best Dispersed Sites in Nevada (131)

    1. Lovell Canyon Dispersed Camping (Spring Mountain)

    55 Reviews
    Blue Diamond, NV
    Website
    +1 (702) 515-5000

    "Prefect place to get away from Vegas. Many places for camping and easy to pull a trailer. Main road mostly paved. Other roads were dirt but well maintained and manageable."

    "There were plenty of people camping out here last night but we found a private turn off with epic Mountain View’s. Paved road with dirt road turn-offs. No facilities. Many spots had fire rings."

    2. Water Canyon Recreation Area

    40 Reviews
    Winnemucca, NV
    Website
    +1 (775) 623-1500

    "BLM managed spot. Free with fire pits tables and bathrooms. Most spots not level- but free! Good places for quick hike and saw several deer"

    "This is a BLM camping spot. The entrance to the recreation area marks the beginning of a gravel road which leads back about 2 miles. The road was fine for us to drive on in our 2WD."

    3. Government Wash — Lake Mead National Recreation Area

    32 Reviews
    Nellis Air Force Base, NV
    Website

    "Great spots for rv Close to lake Lots of people fishing Road is graded with camping spots or drive further rough road wild spots"

    "This is a beautiful spot to visit for the day, as there is no camping allowed by the water or the "boat ramp" but you can camp anywhere along the dirt road leading up to the lake."

    4. Stewart’s Point Dispersed Camping — Lake Mead National Recreation Area

    28 Reviews
    Overton, NV
    Website
    +1 (702) 293-8990

    "The ground going to the water is rutted and steep and soft sand in parts. We saw several trucks drive down there without any problems.

    The two miles off the highway is paved, but in poor condition."

    "One of many dispersed camping spots on Lake Mead."

    5. Valley of Fire Dispersed

    26 Reviews
    Overton, NV
    Website
    +1 (702) 515-5000

    "Some rough road getting in and to some of the spots, but popular area with lots of fairly flat spots and fire rings."

    "When you turn off the paved road it is only half a mile to spacious level sites. No amenities. 5G Verizon. Very secluded."

    6. Dave Deacon Campground - Wayne E Kirch Wildlife Management Area

    22 Reviews
    Lund, NV
    Website
    +1 (775) 289-1655

    "We wanted to do some dispersed camping near basin and range nm...we couldnt find Basin and range national monument. Were barely able to turn around our rig and come back to this CG."

    "Lots of dirt roads for hiking and biking. Hot Creek a mile away if you like hot spring soaking. Campground is large enough that people running generators were not too bothersome."

    7. Snowbird Mesa

    21 Reviews
    Overton, NV
    Website

    "We extended our boondocking by using our tote when we went to the state park and dumped in their RV dump. They have water too.

    Solar was greatly here. I would stay away in warmer seasons though."

    "I spoke to the ranger and found out that checkout in the park was 2 pm. You pretty much have to catch someone leaving to get a spot in the park. We were relieved to find so many other options nearby."

    8. BLM dispersed camping west of Valley of Fire

    18 Reviews
    Overton, NV
    Website

    "We couldn't get a spot inside Valley of Fire State Park so we decided to boondock on the BLM land outside the park."

    "There is a little dirt road that continues down, and we walked it but wouldn't recommend driving it unless you have a 4x4 and high clearance."

    9. Champion Road Dispersed Campsites

    18 Reviews
    Mount Charleston, NV
    Website

    "When you pull into the empty turn around and onto the dirt road you could be immediately disarmed."

    "Everything else on the trail was kind of tight. It wasn’t terribly cold but it started snowing overnight! Woke up to 2 inches of snow and witnessed a gorgeous winter wonderland from my tent."

    10. 12 Mile Hot Springs Dispersed Camping

    16 Reviews
    Wells, NV
    Website

    "- there are signs about it being private property at the entrance so not sure exactly what’s going on there. We saw three other cars/trucks and decided to camp over night."

    "Went in the AM and barely had anyone around. That changed as we progressed into the afternoon (note this was on a Saturday).

    Know the road in is really bad so you’ll need a high clearance vehicle."

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Dispersed Camping Reviews in Nevada

669 Reviews of 131 Nevada Campgrounds


  • Jay A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 22, 2022

    Mack's Canyon Dispersed

    Great Summer Tenting Area

    NO facilities at all. No water, no trash pickup, and no toilets. Bring Everything and pack it all out. 

    If there are fire restrictions, PLEASE don't light campfires. After years of drought, this place is a tinderbox. Your mistake could easily trap people further up the canyon with no way out. It is Illegal for a reason. 

    The first mile is an easy dirt road, suitable for RV's and Campers.

    The rest of the way is a fairly rough forest road - heavily rutted in places, with some steep drops. I wouldn't take anything but the smallest trailer back here, but it's perfect for tents. 

    That being said; my AWD Subaru Outback made it there and back with no problems. 

    Beautiful and cool during the summer - gorgeous stars at night.

  • Hayley K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 3, 2020

    Ash Meadows Dispersed Camping

    Ranger Review: Kuga Campervan at Ash Meadows

    Camping review: Dispersed camping just South of the refuge. There are lots of dirt roads off the main road outside of the refuge that you can camp on. There are little turn offs and cut outs for you to pull up in. Ideal for car camping or RV's. The main road heading into the park on the South side of the refuge so you can easily get into the park by foot or via the dirt roads. 

    You will need to look at maps to make sure you aren't on private property. The road going into the refuge is fine to for overnight stays, but if you want extended stays, you can go to Funeral Mountains Wilderness, which is across the main road on the way into Death Valley and stay up to 14 days for free. 

    Ash Meadows is a BEAUTIFUL refuge filled with wonder. A literal Oasis In the Desert. In this refuge you will find many endangered pupfish swimming along in the many warm springs in the refuge. They are federally protected so you will need to keep your distance. You can also see Crystal Spring. Crystal Spring pumps out over 2800 gallons of water a minute form an underground warm aquifer. It is also cerulean blue due to the limestone breakdown in the water. 

    There is also the incredible Devil's Hole located in the refuge. This is a geologic wonder of the world. It is a hole int he base of a mountain that is filled with the clearest water and the famous Devil's Hole Pupfish. These guys are incredibly close to extinction and live in a crazy environment. The Devil's hole is known the world over as a dangerous diving spot. Many divers have been lost in the underwater maze and no one even knows how deep it is. Some divers have even died trying to find out. Anywhere in the world if there is a large scale geologic shift (earthquake), it registers in this hole and the water will splash about like a wave pool. 

    The entire location is hike in only. You will need a map and check for permits at the visitor's center. 

    Travellers Autobarn Kuga Campervan Gear Review(Driving) 

    While out volunteering over a week for the Audubon Bird Counts, I was able to evaluate the AWESOME Kuga campervan. Since I was gone for 7 days, I broke my evaluation up into sections where the most important features of the van were utilized. If you want to see the rest, check out my reviews for **Pahranagat Wildlife Refuge, Cathedral Gorge State Park, Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge, Desert Wildlife Refuge, and Big Dune Recreation Area. **

    This company is awesome, they come from Australia and New Zealand and we are super excited to have a truly affordable rental camper van in the United States! You can rent out different sizes and get an array of gear with them. This is perfect for music festivals, road trips, and for camping in extreme weather. 

    Check them out here: https://www.travellers-autobarnrv.com/campervan-rv-rentals/kuga-campervan/

    • Driving ability: This van is a pretty smooth drive for being such a big lug of a van. If you drive smart it gets about 500 miles to a 31 gallon tank which means I only spent about$250 total for a 7 day trip across Nevada and Death Valley Region. You have quite a few blind spots but if you leave the curtains open in the back window you can still use your rearview mirror in addition to the side mirrors. I kept the speed no higher than 55-60 so I could keep good gas mileage. 
    • Dirt Road Considerations: Even though this entire Refuge is dirt roads, do not take this on dirt roads if at all possible. They request that you keep to main roads that are paved with the exception of driving up to about 200 yards for campgrounds that are packed dirt. I saw why driving into this refuge when this hunk of a van was rattling and making me nervous. Mostly nervous because it wasn’t mine, but also because I didn’t put all my gear in safe places so I would occasionally hear a cup or book fall off the counter. They were smart and had little door button locks to keep the cabinets closed during drives too, which was handy!
  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 8, 2021

    Orovada Rest Area

    This rest area is a great free stop for the night

    On a recent trip to Reno, (June 2021) we stayed here once on the way down and once on the way back. While there were a few RVs each time we used the location, mainly big trucks shared the large space. 

    I gave it 4-stars because only because one night the idling trucks and off again on again refer units made for a restless night. The second time it was quieter, but still several idling trucks all night.  Nearest town is McDermitt, with fuel and a small casino on the Oregon border about 20 minutes away from the rest area, going North towards or South from.  The rest area is about a half hour or so North of Winnemucca, Nevada. 

    There are pit-toilets and a dumpster on the site, and two small picnic tablets under a shelter with a historical marker between the tables. As this is immediately off the highway, there were vehicles driving by or stopping all night long, but those vehicles were generally not a bother.

    As we were a self-contained 5th wheel, we didn't use either the bathrooms or the tables other than walking are the grounds to see what was there. The rest area is all black-top right off the highway (Highway 95, the Veteran's Memorial Highway, North or South). It had a really nice view of the area from the location. Along the east edge of the large paved parking area, it is lined with K-Rails. And fenced off to the land beyond the parking area except for access at the North East end of the parking area to take public lands towards the mountains.

  • fThe Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 19, 2022

    Dave Deacon Campground - Wayne E Kirch Wildlife Management Area

    Nice for the price. Not far off 318

    We wanted to do some dispersed camping near basin and range nm...we couldnt find Basin and range national monument. Were barely able to turn around our rig and come back to this CG. Road looked recently graded but would not reccomend driving a big rig any furthur than the campground. Wide open lot ..free easy in and out if you have a long trailer. We stayed 2 nights..fishing seems the thing to do here..

  • VThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 3, 2023

    Scout Camp at Fort Churchill

    Gorgeous Riparian Forest

    Scout camp is on the Carson river and within the tall cottonwoods. Camp in the shade or out in the open if it’s very windy as the trees can shed branches. Garbage collection and pit toilets. Nice trail along the River.

    As of October 2023 the access road to scout camp was washed out. But there is dispersed camping on the terrace to the south.

  • Jeffrey F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 23, 2024

    Outcrop Rock

    Cool rock cropping off the 93

    Fun little spot for the night right off the 93. BLM land. You can see two distinct rock croppings off the highway. Turn down a dirt road and then right on the first turn off. There are two or three areas where you can camp. Probably not the best for long term, but great for a night and pretty secluded. The back drop of the rocks makes it feel even more remote. I had good Verizon cell service. You don’t really hear the noise from the highway. About a mile off the highway. Good soft dirt. 

  • Jeff K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 2, 2023

    Old 93 BLM - Dispersed Camping

    Forest Service Down the Road

    About 10mi north of Ely. Map will take you to BLM off the highway. However, there are 4 forest service designated campgrounds on the road across the highway.

  • EThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 30, 2020

    BLM dispersed camping west of Valley of Fire

    Private boondocking site away from the clusters of other RVs

    We couldn't get a spot inside Valley of Fire State Park so we decided to boondock on the BLM land outside the park. We knew there were plenty of spots but a lot were out in the open where everyone can see you. We wanted a bit of privacy and wanted to feel like we were out in nature not just parked in an empty desert. We decided to go searching for a better option and went down a dirt road, crossing our fingers. Lo and behold we found what we feel is a primo campsite! It's just outside the park of a dirt road. The coordinates are 36.413656-114.616805 and there's actually 2-3 spots back there. The first one is the easiest for bigger rigs or regular cars. The other two are up steep, sandy hills that are more suitable for a Jeep or ATV. There are rock fire pits(but be careful about fire restrictions) to designate the camping areas. It's private with hills all around. You can faintly hear the road and if you need better cell reception hike up one of the hills. It's a fantastic private spot that felt remote and special. The ONLY negative we encountered was trash. We did a sweep and picked up a lot of broken glass bottles, some aluminum cans, a bunch of bullet casings, and other trash. And nearby there's an old washer or dryer that someone dumped and used for target practice. We didn't clean that up because obviously, that's just too big. Anyway, the spot is so close to Valley of Fire you can just head on into the park for hiking and day use or head back out to the freeway for more supplies. For us, this spot was absolutely perfect and we had zero troubles, but I can imagine if it rains or shortly after it's been raining that this particular spot might be terrible. DO NOT CAMP HERE IF RAIN IS IN THE FORECAST.

  • April C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 23, 2022

    Spencer Hot Springs

    Dispursed Camping with Donkeys?

    We showed up as the sun was setting. Our friends found the site. While in bed we heard coyotes, which was pretty cool. Then we heard wild burrows, one after another. We were all giggling in our rooftop tents. We woke up to the sound of wild burrows and coyotes. It was probably the funniest experience camping. It helped to have 4WD, so we didn't camp next to others. There are no toilets, water, or trash, on sites, and no trees. Please leave no trace. Enjoy the sunset and sunrise.


Guide to Nevada

Discover the beauty of Nevada's vast landscapes through dispersed camping, where you can enjoy nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds. With a variety of locations offering unique amenities and activities, Nevada is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts.

Tips for free and dispersed camping in Nevada

Top activities while free camping in Nevada

Unique features of Nevada's dispersed camping spots