Where to camp between Zion and Reno

[beckypellet]

There is a big chunk of Nevada that looks like desert! We are going to be traveling from Zion area, over to Lake Tahoe. I need somewhere in the middle to stop for the night, as a 8+ hour drive is too much for my three young kiddos. Any ideas?? I see Basin is off highway 50 but was hoping to get further east than that. Warm Springs? Eureka? Austin?? Would love any help on people that have done this eastward leg and what your drive looked like. Pulling a 25ft flying cloud. Thanks!!!!

[uncle_bob]

Hi

There *is* a big chunk of Nevada that is pretty empty desert

How do you feel about stopping on BLM land for the night?

I have no specific suggestions. It's been a long while since I was out there driving around.

Bob

[WaLee]

Several choices. First choice is Petroglyphs east of Austin. Interesting site for a one night dry camp layover with the kids. Its a free BLM campground. There are full hookup parks in Austin and Eureka and Ely. Great basin is beautiful right now with the wet weather we've had. The desert is starting to bloom and is greened up. I'm assuming you are crossing on 50. Bob scott campground is ok too. Its just outside Austin. The Owl in Eureka has decent food.
I drive this road every other week.

[Airspry]

I have driven a 26' truck with a car on a trailer from Las Vegas up to I80. We stopped in Ely. There used to be an old (steam?) train that was a fun activity in Ely. The train was still running about 7 years ago.

[beckypellet]

Originally Posted by WaLee

Several choices. First choice is Petroglyphs east of Austin. Interesting site for a one night dry camp layover with the kids. Its a free BLM campground. There are full hookup parks in Austin and Eureka and Ely. Great basin is beautiful right now with the wet weather we've had. The desert is starting to bloom and is greened up. I'm assuming you are crossing on 50. Bob scott campground is ok too. Its just outside Austin. The Owl in Eureka has decent food.
I drive this road every other week.

Thanks!!! I did see some of those campgrounds also- a lot didn't have reviews so it was hard to tell.

[McDave]

The border between Nevada and Utah between Ely, NV and Delta, UT, is very beautiful, and quite different from the typical Nevada desert. Lots of public land and places to boondock, and I'm sure there are a few trailer parks too. Maybe you wouldn't get as far as you would like on your first day out of Zion, but it would still be a fairly easy drive the second day to Reno.

[TravlinMan]

Hwy 50, west to east:

Middlegate - Middlegate Station lets you camp anywhere on the property for free, I spent two nights. Great burgers, cold beer and good people.

Austin - Bob Scott campground is right off the highway and 10 bucks a night with 2 or 3 pullthrus that'll fit your rig. Better option is Spencer hot springs, about 6 miles down a well graded dirt road. Google maps will work.

Eureka - Silver Sky RV Lodge is full hookups for 25/nite. Just basically a gravel lot but good people and nice town with good breakfast places.

Ely - cave lake sp or Ward charcoal ovens sp are better than the RV parks in this town. But if you need hookup, valley view is cheaper than KOA if you are ok with more 'permanents'

Baker - Sacramento Pass BLM camp is the best camping I did on nevada hwy 50. Head up the dirt road to the equestrian camp.

Have fun.

[WaLee]

Ely to Reno in a car with a meal stop is 6 hours going 75. Slower in the few curvy sections. Its a beautiful drive. Another possibility is to get past Ely and stop for the night at Illipah reservoir. It's about 1.5 miles on a good dirt rd. There are about 4 sites there easily doable with a 25. Free BLM site. At Austin the Stokes castle is something the kids would get a kick out of seeing. Yes you can turn around at the castle. Turn left at the Chevron at the en

[PKI]

You can drive up I15 to Nephi. There is a nice little park, Big Mountain, a couple of miles up the canyon to the East on the South side. Looks like an old KOA from the layout.

Then go West to Ely. Several RV parks and the KOA is a good default.

We drove the run from Ely to Fernley and stayed in the Desert Rose. A very nice place just off the highway. High concrete wall dampens the noise.

Not too far from Tahoe then, but we have not made the trip over or around.

If your days need to be shorter, add some of the other suggestions. All good.

Enjoy your trip. Pat

[Rich Jenkins]

We were in Hurricane a couple weeks ago and drove 2 days to Sparks.

Our overnight stop was the KOA at West Wendover NV, just over the border from Utah. It was "ok" for 1 night, but did have a playground that the kids in the park seemed to enjoy.

I was not thrilled going the overland route so we opted to go Interstate.

[batman]

OK, I will let you in on our little secret spot. SSSHH don't tell any one. Rye Patch State Recreation Area, campground. It is an beautiful oasis in the middle of know where. HWY 80 West of Winnemucca and just East of Lovelock. I believe it is exit #129. The campground is just below the dam. There is a lot of mining history and back roads to explore around the lake.
Enjoy!

-Dennis

[WaLee]

And rye parch reservoir is full to the brim right now!

[TravlinMan]

Originally Posted by McDave

The border between Nevada and Utah between Ely, NV and Delta, UT, is very beautiful, and quite different from the typical Nevada desert. Lots of public land and places to boondock, and I'm sure there are a few trailer parks too. Maybe you wouldn't get as far as you would like on your first day out of Zion, but it would still be a fairly easy drive the second day to Reno.

Hello. I'm off to Delta now. I see the RV park but would rather boondock, what's your favorite spot? Also do they have a good market there? I need one. Thank you.

[Len n Jeanne]

If you can go a bit out of your way, try the Great Basin National Park near Baker, NV. Your children should love touring the Lehman Caves there with a ranger. It's not as far as you hope to get on night one, but it is a wonderful place.

[Doc Foster]

This is only about a 1/3 of the way there, but a nice place.
Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge - I have not camped here but stopped here for lunch and some hiking 2 years ago. Put it on my list to camp one day - https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Pahranaga...ctivities.html Some petroglyphs if you are interested and good birding depending upon the season, relatively new visitor center.
https://www.campendium.com/pahranaga...ildlife-refuge

As mentioned above, Great Basin NP would be a good place to spend at least one day if not more.

[Scorge-ION]

If you go US-50, Cold Springs is also a good place to stop. Restauant serves good food and has a lot of stuffed animals from a local hunting guide. They also have an RV park.
It's about a mile from a historic place. The Butterfield Overland Stage station ruins is just off the highway and the Pony Express Cold Springs Station is about a mile hike on the other side of US-50. Pony Bob Haslem, on his epic 380-mile ride during the Pyramid Lake War, returned to Cold Springs only to find the station on fire, the station master dead, and the horses gone.

Like others have pointed out, there's lots and lots of BLM-administered lands to camp on.

[SagaCapt]

Did Salt Lake to Reno let than a week ago in our Bambi 16'. Spent one beautiful night at Great Basin then boondocked in Tonopah, NV. Just park next to the casino/chinese restuarant.