Nevada Outdoor Guide: Campgrounds, Trails, Beaches & RV Spots
Key Takeaways
- Sand Harbor on Lake Tahoe’s Nevada side has some of the clearest water in this whole guide series — visibility often exceeds 30 feet
- Great Basin National Park has no hookups anywhere and no cell service — go in prepared, and don’t bring a rig over about 24 feet to the upper campground loops
- Red Rock Canyon’s Calico Tanks Trail is the top-rated hike in a park that draws over a million visitors a year — arrive early
- Sand Harbor requires a day-use parking reservation, and the lot fills as early as 7-10am — this isn’t a spontaneous stop
Desert Parks and Genuinely Clear Tahoe Water
Nevada’s outdoor identity splits between Red Rock Canyon’s dramatic sandstone just outside Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe’s remarkably clear water on the state’s western edge — both worth building a trip around.
Campgrounds
Upper Lehman Creek Campground — Great Basin National Park (Baker)
About 23 sites at 7,750 feet among aspen and fir, with a creek running through camp. Reviewers specifically praise the cleanliness of the facilities. No hookups anywhere in the park, and no cell service — the upper loop caps RVs at about 24 feet.
Learn more
Lower Lehman Creek Campground — Great Basin National Park
The only year-round campground in the park, with a few RV pull-throughs and quick access to Lehman Caves.
Learn more
Atlatl Rock Campground — Valley of Fire State Park (Overton)
The best Nevada state-park RV option — electric-plus-water sites among red Aztec sandstone, with free hot showers. Reviewers loved the setting; summer nights can stay above 90°F, so plan accordingly.
Learn more
Cathedral Gorge State Park — Panaca
22 sites among the park’s only stand of trees, with electric hookups and free hot showers. A great, quiet stopover between Las Vegas and Great Basin.
Learn more
Boulder Beach Campground — Lake Mead National Recreation Area
154 sites overlooking the lake, with showers, laundry, and a store. Note the swim beach is now a longer walk than it used to be as the water has receded — best visited spring or fall.
Learn moreHiking Trails
Calico Tanks Trail — Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
A roughly 2.5-mile hike through sandstone to a natural water tank with Las Vegas views. The top-rated hike in a park that draws over a million visitors a year — go early to beat both heat and crowds.
Learn more
La Madre Springs — Red Rock Canyon
A family-friendly, well-graded trail with genuine sandstone-cliff views — a good pick if Calico Tanks feels too crowded.
Learn more
Bristlecone Pine Grove Trail — Great Basin National Park
An easy-to-moderate hike to trees that are thousands of years old — the park’s signature hike and a genuinely unique experience.
Learn more
Alpine Lakes Loop — Great Basin National Park
Stella and Teresa Lakes below Wheeler Peak — family-friendly alpine scenery at a park most people don’t expect this from in Nevada.
Learn more
East Shore Trail — Lake Tahoe
A paved, stroller-friendly lakeside walk with constant lake views — the easiest genuinely scenic hike in this state’s lineup.
Learn moreBeaches / Lakes & Swimming Areas
Sand Harbor — Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park (Incline Village)
Gently sloping beaches and crystal-clear water, with visibility often exceeding 30 feet. A day-use reservation plus parking is required, and the lot fills as early as 7-10am — this isn’t a spontaneous stop, but it’s worth the planning.
Learn more
Zephyr Cove — South Lake Tahoe (NV side)
A mile-long stretch of genuinely soft sand with a gradual entry, good for toddlers or nervous swimmers.
Learn more
Cave Rock State Park — Lake Tahoe
A boat launch and sandy beach, good for swimming and snorkeling.
Learn more
Lake Mead (Boulder Beach, near Boulder City)
A large reservoir for swimming and boating, though the beach is rocky (bring water shoes) and the shoreline has receded. Best in spring or fall.
Learn moreRV Spots
Atlatl Rock Campground — Valley of Fire State Park
Electric-plus-water hookups, free hot showers, and a dump station — a strong red-rock setting for bigger rigs.
Learn more
Cathedral Gorge State Park — Panaca
Electric hookups, free showers, and a genuinely scenic stopover — good for breaking up a longer drive.
Learn moreLas Vegas motorcoach resorts
Large full-hookup resorts in the city that accommodate very large rigs, typically with newer-rig requirements — a good option if you want city amenities alongside your outdoor trip.
Planning Your Trip
Sand Harbor is worth building a Tahoe day around, but book the parking reservation before you go — showing up without one means you likely won’t get in. If Red Rock Canyon is the priority, Calico Tanks should anchor your hiking day, with an early start to beat both the desert heat and the crowds. And if Great Basin is on your list, go in knowing there’s no cell service or hookups — pack accordingly.