The park has stunning Utah-like weird-shaped colorful rocks, and it is a treat to stay here overnight.
This campground appears to be brand spanking new! The bbq grills are not yet installed on their metal posts. Seems to be built for parties - each site as two tables and two bbqs (!). Sadly, my bathroom is either closed for season or has never been opened, because it is locked. Got a killer sunset from my site - by far the best of the trip. Happy to be here!
Lovely campsites right off the busy highway, next to NWR water - either a small lake or a large pond. Idyllic except for the noise and headlights of the constant semis 300 yds away.
The real name of this place is Samuel Buckland Campground, but it's easier to just call it the campground at Fort Churchill. The terrain is barren high desert hills for miles, except for this lovely belt of ancient cottonwoods along the Walker River.
Pretty, spectacular view down the length of Walker Lake. You can hear the neverending semis on US 95, but they are pretty far up the hill. You come to the main campground first. I find out later this is the only unlocked bathroom. It's nice enough, but the sites are not level. After you wind down a few more hundred feet, past the boat ramp, there are more camp sites, a couple of which are nice and level. If only the bathroom door was unlocked...
Recently re-opened, run by an earnest young couple for whom I wish nothing but the best. You can get a rooms with your own tub, or for cheaper a regular room like mine, which is still quite nice, with a spacious kitchenette. With one of these rooms you can use the private tubs all evening. There are four more or less identical private tubs to choose from. They are open to the public until 3pm after that they are solely for the use of us lucky lodgers. :) You fill your tub from empty each time, so hygiene is pretty good, I think.
very remote, no camping nearby, not like the NWRs I'm used to. Lotta driving to individual cool little habitats tucked away, one big pond and a couple of really beautiful cold springs.
pretty little place off of SR 168. Used to be a warm springs resort, so lots of decorative palm trees around, which the rangers don't like. There is a little endangered fish, the Moapa dace, which is the reason for the whole place.
gotta drive 20 miles of gravel to get here. Right across the road from Ruby Lake Nat'l Wildlife Refuge, on a hill looking over the whole Ruby Valley.
Nearest gas is > 80 miles in any direction. An unexpected valley full of reedy marshes in the middle of endless high country desert. There's little warm pool and bathhouse with two showers that run always forever. The whole thing is quite unexpected!
Finally, an easy place to stay in Tonopah! I guess it's been here all along, I just never noticed it. The Banc Club is a modest little building full of slot machines, and they have a large gravel parking lot next door with a sign that says RVs welcome! An easy walk to downtown Tonopah ... such as it is.
Very handy, right off US 50 on a really long, really boring road with the only other option being roadside pull-offs. Far enough off the road to be very quiet. The short petroglyph trail takes you to a west facing view over a the Big Smokey Valley, and a nice sunset.
nice kitchen, good heat and a/c, satellite tv, comfortable sofa and nice coffeehouse nearby. Why do I ever leave?
Never been here because it involves three miles of gravel road while the others are off paved road. My verdict: not worth it. Nice little creek, but very dusty, and sites are NOT level.
funky little place, needs a LOT of maintenance, but their wifi was pretty good.. They have three private bathhouses: 1 - pleasantly warm, 2 - hot (> 100) 3 - very hot. (> 104) So if the one you want is in use you're outta luck until whoever's inside has had their fill. The pools seemed hotter to me - the medium seemed like 104 and the hot like 107-8 ... your mileage may vary.
Hostel-style lodging in a cool-looking renovated brewery building behind the actual Mitzpah. Register in the hotel, walk out the back door and across the street and there you are.
very pretty, nestled in the bowl of a lovely alpine lake
didn't stay here, but looks real nice, on a point of land jutting into the reservoir. There is also private camping for $6 all over the place, where you can camp right up to the water's edge
