If the bright lights of Sin City have lost their luster, you may need a dose of nature. What better way to relax and unwind than sleeping under the stars? Pack up your tent and load the kids in the car and head out with the help of our guide. Here are the five best camping spots near Las Vegas, Nevada.
Boulder Beach Campground
“Memorial Day 2013” licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr by Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Lake Mead is America’s first national recreation area and a terrific place to pitch a tent. With over 900 sites at 15 camping locations, it’s easy to spend your next adventure lakeside. Boulder Beach Campground is just minutes from Las Vegas and is open all year. It’s nestled in the oasis of Lake Mead’s Boulder Basin. It features plenty of lush vegetation like palm trees, oleander bushes, and mature cottonwoods that provide shade and privacy at most campsites.
The National Park Service manages this destination, providing a total of 148 large paved sites that can accommodate two-person tents up to large RVs. Each site includes a picnic table and a grill or fire pit, plus stunning views of the lake. The beach stretches over a mile, making swimming and boating popular pastimes at the park. Even your toddlers will enjoy splashing in the water. Have a picnic and take a stroll on one of the many beginner-level trails, such as the River Mountains Loop.
You don’t need to make reservations at Boulder Beach campground. The spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. You’ll find the campground’s main entrance on Lakeshore Road, between Henderson and Boulder City.
Red Rock Canyon Campground
Red Rock Canyon Campground is just a half-hour west of the Vegas Strip. This pick is the city’s closest wilderness campground and is well worth a visit by every outdoor enthusiast in the family. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) built the site within the remote and rugged Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. There are 53 spacious standard sites, six RV parking spots, and seven group campsites that accommodate 20 people.
The Spring Mountains surround the park, and you’ll appreciate scenic views of multicolored sandstone and gray limestone formations in every direction. Campers of all ages enjoy hiking, rock climbing, biking, or you can take the family on a scenic drive through the extraordinary Mojave Desert. You may even get the chance to spot local wildlife, like a desert tortoise and wild burros. Guided hikes and educational programs are also available on certain days at The Red Rock Visitor Center.
Reserve your camping spot on a rolling date basis up to six months out. Just remember that the BLM closes the campground for your safety during Nevada’s scorching summers.
Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort
Not everyone’s idea of camping is roughing it in the desert. So if you enjoy a little “glam” with your nature experience, hitch up the RV and head to The Oasis. This resort is a well-maintained facility right in the heart of Las Vegas, just 6 miles south of the Strip.
This facility is enormous, with 700 paved sites, each with full-service hookups, including free Wi-Fi. Its world-class resort-quality amenities include a beachfront family pool, an adult-only spa, an 18-hole natural green putting course, a fitness center, and sanctioned horseshoe pits. In addition, activities staff offer a wide variety of social gatherings and fun events for every guest to enjoy.
Other services include 24-hour courtesy patrol, a well-stocked convenience store, restaurant, and comfort stations with laundry facilities and complimentary hot showers. The lush grounds offer mature shade trees, palms, grass, and waterfalls. Pick from one of five different types of sites:
- Standard: Back-in near the perimeter.
- Deluxe: Pull-thru near the clubhouse.
- Premium: Closest to amenities.
- Premium Plus: Decorative fencing, fire pits, and extended grass area.
- Big Rig: Extra-large, 90-foot sites.
Atlatl Rock Campground
Discover the great outdoors at Valley of Fire State Park. This camping spot is an hour from Las Vegas and is known best for its 40,000 acres of striking red sandstone cliffs, petrified trees, and 2,000-year-old petroglyphs. The camping here is outstanding, with some of the most scenic hiking trails in Nevada. There are two campgrounds set around the park’s diverse rock formations with a combined total of 72 spots.
The main campground, Atlatl Rock, is open year-round and is the best choice if you’re camping with a trailer or RV. It offers families 44 sites, 22 of which provide water and electrical hookups. If you want a secluded wilderness experience, there are three walk-in-only tent sites that are also available.
Circling the campground loops is a partially paved 2-mile scenic loop. Organizers equipped campsites with shaded tables, grills, and water. On-site facilities include modern flush toilets, showers, and a dump station. All campsites are first-come, first-served, and staff enforces the 14-day stay limit.
McWilliams Campground
Perched on Mount Charleston, McWilliams Campground sits about 50 miles from downtown Las Vegas in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. Visitors enjoy loads of recreational activities like hiking, mountain biking, and scenic driving through the forest filled with towering ponderosa and white pine trees.
McWilliams Campground is situated at an elevation of 8,632 feet and is an ideal place to go camping. The campground’s 75 sites work well whether you’re sleeping in a primitive tent or state-of-the-art RV. Some spaces are available in the winter months, and it’s close to the ski resort on Lee Canyon Road. However, extreme weather conditions may require chains and four-wheel drive vehicles. The campground was recently updated and now features modern washrooms and convenient tent pads.
Well, that’s a wrap! Crème de la Crème of Las Vegas on Farm Road just informed you of the five best camping spots near home. What did you think of our list? Did we miss a favorite camping site of yours — one Sin City’s outdoorsy families would love? Let us know if we did! Drop us a line; we’ll be sure to add it to our guide.