Fishing Camping Southern Nevada

Southern Nevada offers more to the visitor than the ritzy, glitzy Las Vegas Strip Corridor. There are amazing national parks surrounding the neon city. Fish, hike, camp, and relax in a variety of terrains and eye-catching natural beauty.

Fishing the dock at Eagle Valley Reservoir - Image: M Burgess
All Rights Reserved 2016

My exploration of the Southern Nevada camping areas began this past Fall (2015) when it was realized that there had not been an outing of this sort for more than 2 years. The equipment was there, sitting in wait and collecting dust. A fishing pole that had been purchased three years ago still had a tag on it and had never touched the water. This was not acceptable. An idea to hit the mountain was put into motion, the car was packed for a few days of supplies and the adventures began. The following parks are among the places I visited on my grand nature outing adventure.

Ideal Camp Schedules 

During the cooler months of winter, the camping areas of Valley of Fire and Red Rock Canyon (not shown below) are accessible. During the cool months, Mt. Charleston is a great place for winter sports and snow play, but not for camping. Spring and summer are a good time to visit the mountain. Waiting for the warmer days of   early spring is something this author looks forward to. Camping and fishing are the desired timeout whenever the time is available. Looking for a great place to take the kids? Any one of these areas is an ideal family adventure.

This basic list is just a handful of recommended places available for use during the more pleasant seasons of the year - Fall and Spring.

Eagle Valley / Echo Canyon - spring through late autumn

Lake Mead - early spring and late autumn

Mt. Charleston - spring through late autumn

Red Rock Canyon - early spring and late autumn

Valley of Fire - early spring and late autumn

Driving an hour or two from the Sin City will lead you to several wonderful camp and hike areas. 

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Mount Charleston / Kyle Canyon Hill Top Campground

Picnic table and view - Hilltop Campground, Toiyabe National Forest, Kyle Canyon, Nevada - Image: M Burgess 
All Rights Reserved 2016

Basic Information: 

Open til October 10

Address: Las Vegas, NV 89166

Location and GPS Info: 36°18'35"N, 115°36'24"W

Phone:  (801) 226-3564

Directions: 

Take the 95 to the Mount Charleston Exit and follow that past the Mt. Charleston Resort. Make a right at Deer Creek Road. Drive about 5 - 6 miles up and look for a brown sign past Robber's Roost (great hike!) that reads "Campground 1/4 Mile." That is your marker. Slow down and turn right into that forked road. The fork to the left is the one you want to take.

Driving Time: about 1 hour

Campground rental fees and other services may be found here at the park's website

http://www.recreation.gov/camping/hilltop/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=70573

Our Mt. Charleston Adventure

Mount Charleston was our first stop on a six-weekend journey. The Hill Top Campground had one available area with a view of the valley. We got lucky, my dog and myself. The camp was full. There was a drawback on this visit. The water reserves had been tapped for a devastating wildfire two years ago and the mountain had received little rain in the time period. There would be no water on the mountain. The toilets were port-a-potties. Luckily we brought our own jugs, bottles, and containers. It is a wise choice to bring few days supply of water, especially when visiting a natural area. Water quality is always questionable. Having your own saves a few moments of grief. Mt. Charleston normally has spigots nearby, but they are dry. The water is potable only, which means it is only for washing, not for cooking or drinking.

Related blog link: Camping on Mt. Charleston with a Dog and a Dutch Oven
https://preparedness123.blogspot.com/2015/09/camping-on-mt-charleston-with-dog-and.html

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The Valley of Fire State Park

Valley of Fire, Nevada - Atlatl Rock Campground - Image: M Burgess  - All Rights Reserved 2016

Basic Information:

Open year round

Address: 29450 Valley of Fire Road Overton, Nevada 89040
GPS Info: 36.4303° N, 114.5143° W

Phone: 702-397-2088

Directions: 

From the I-15 N. Take exit 75 from I-15 N  - Merge onto Valley of Fire Hwy - follow road to Valley of Fire State Park 

Driving Time: about 1 hour 15 mins

Be advised there is a toll booth for entry into the park

Campground rental fees and other services may be found here at the park's website:
http://www.valley-of-fire.com/park-information/

Visiting The Valley of Fire

Easter weekend (2016) warmed enough to consider a visit to Valley of Fire. The campground is located about 60 miles from the city of Las Vegas. The road is paved and the journey is a breathtaking ride into desert beauty. This time of year encourages the blooms of various cacti and desert flowers. The valley floor is dotted with lovely blossoms and colorful foliage. It is a striking contrast to the deadly heat of the summer months when the vista is dried and patiently waiting for the temperatures to cool once more. 

Again, we found the last campsite available. The Atlatl Rock camp provided a nice backdrop and a secluded area for pitching our tents and enjoying the area.

Related Article: Camping Early Spring in Valley of Fire
http://las-vegas-tourist-attractions.blogspot.com/2016/06/camping-early-spring-in-valley-of-fire.html

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About an hour from the city

Lake Mead / Callville Bay Campground

Callville Bay Campground Sign - Image: M Burgess 
All Rights Reserved 2016

Basic Information:

Open year round

Address: 100 Callville Bay Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89120
Location and GPS Info: 
Latitude 36° 08.6401'
Longitude -114° -43.3200'

Phone: 702-293-8990

Directions: 

Take I-15 S, I-215 E, W Lake Mead Pkwy and Northshore Rd to Callville Bay Rd - Follow Callville Bay Rd to campground

Driving Time: about 1 hour

Be advised there is a toll booth for entry into the park

Visiting Lake Mead

Our visit in October to Callville Bay was a test run for camping near Lake Mead. The temperatures were still in the nineties and I have to admit that this trip was a bit uncomfortable during the daylight hours. The ideal expedition to the lake involves a boat if one really wants to experience the area in comfort. There are coves around the water areas that are available for camping.

The campground itself was clean and quiet. The air was sticky and hot during the day. The dog and I agreed to leave early as the mood was dampened by the heat and humidity. We set up camp late in the afternoon, had dinner, then slept overnight. The following morning we found a fishing cove further down the road and tried our best, but the fish were showing several yards from where the bait would reach. I did not enjoy this trip as I would have liked to. The checklist was complete after a failed fishing attempt, so we packed up and left. The cooler months of winter would be an ideal time to camp Lake Mead's campgrounds.

About three hours from Las Vegas is a beautiful area called The Spring Valley State Park. It holds a few great camping and fishing sites. These are my favorite places to camp out. I favor the Horsethief Gulch Camp near the Eagle Valley Reservoir over Echo Canyon, but both locations are beautiful and peaceful. 

Campground rental fees and other services may be found here at the park's website

Website: http://www.callvillebay.com/rv-park-and-campground

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Just a three hour drive from Las Vegas, Nevada you will find these gem locations

Echo Canyon

Echo Canyon camp side view. - Eagle Valley area Spring Valley 
State Park, Nevada. Image: M Burgess All Rights Reserved 2016 

Basic Information

Open until late October. Reopens late February - Early March

Location and GPS Info: 

37º54'27.81" N 114º16'4.89" W

Phone: (775) 962-5103

Directions: I-15 N to the 93 N exit. Travel north  US-93 N/Great Basin Hwy to the 322 near Pioche. A small sign will indicate Echo Canyon. Follow the road to the campground.

Driving Time: about 3 hours

Campground rental fees and other services may be found at the park's website
Website: http://parks.nv.gov/parks/echo-canyon-state-park/

The camp was a wonderful experience. The shore was easy to get to, just drive the car to the edge near the water and set up the spot for fishing, The campground was clean and set comfortably up a hill with a marvelous view of the water. I found the water area too weedy for fishing, but it was a relaxing experience. Just being out in the great outdoors was reward enough. The dog was a bit reserved when it came to leaving the tent. He must have smelled something in the area he found threatening. There are wild animals around that might cause him harm, but I neither saw nor heard anything, Some guard dog he is... 

Read more about our visit here:

Camping with a Dog and a Dutch Oven - part two

https://preparedness123.blogspot.com/2015/10/echo-canyon-camping-with-dog-and-dutch.html

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Eagle Valley Reservoir - Horsethief Gulch Campground

Eagle Valley Reservoir - Fall 2015 - Image; M Burgess - All Rights Reserved 2016

Basic Information

Open until late October. Reopens late February - Early March

Address: Pioche, NV 89043
Location and GPS Info:
38º01'21.33" N 114º11'41.42" W

Phone: (775) 962-5102

Directions:

I-15 N to the 93 N exit. Travel north  US-93 N/Great Basin Hwy to the 322 near Pioche. Follow the road to the end past the Eagle Valley Resort.

Driving Time: about 3 hours

Campground rental fees and other services may be found here at the park's website
Website: http://parks.nv.gov/parks/spring-valley-state-park/


Eagle Valley, by far, is my favorite camp site. The area is serene and surreal. The rolling hills and the assorted brush are appealing to the eye and the mind. The dock is a great place to fish early mornings and there are comfortable campgrounds within the park. Amenities include a fish cleaning station, modern restroom facilities, fire rings and covered picnic tables. 

Related Article: Camping with a Dog and a Dutch Oven - part two
https://preparedness123.blogspot.com/2015/09/camping-with-dog-and-dutch-oven-part-two.html

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About the Author:

Fish caught Eagle Valley Reservoir
Image: M Burgess  All Rights Reserved 2016

Camping and fishing are my very favorite time outs. I love cooking over the open fire and enjoying the scenery. The relaxing hours with a fishing pole are what a friend of mine calls tension relief. It certainly is that. The added thrill of a fish on and a tasty fish dinner makes these trips worthwhile. A visit to an area with wildlife and beautiful scenery is just the thing a restless heart and tired mind need after weeks on end of a busy work schedule. You may care for the hiking and exploration in these areas. As for me I will stick to the leisure of fishing, resting, cooking, and meditating on the views. 

It has been my pleasure sharing this passion with you and I thank you for visiting! 

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Echo Canyon - Camping with a Dog and A Dutch Oven - Part Three

Campsite View Echo Canyon, Nevada

Echo Canyon sneaks up on you in the lovely Spring Valley Recreation Area. Unless you know exactly where it is, you might drive right by the tiny sign that says Echo and not even give it a second glance. 

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While the camping is excellent and the views fabulous, the lake is better for bird watching not fishing at this late in the season. I enjoyed a weekend here on my fourth trip in as many weeks camping out in areas around Southern Nevada.

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The Echo Canyon Campground is under 200 miles from the city of Las Vegas along the North 93 highway on the 322. It is on the Scenic Route Tours of Nevada and it does not disappoint. The scenery is amazing in this area sandwiched between the desert floor and mountain terrain. Scenes of cattle and horses grazing along the roadside in pastures and alfalfa fields intermix with the beautiful hills, trees, brush and flowers.

Echo Canyon Landscapes

The stark hills offer polka dot markings along the surface with small trees and shrubs. All along the trails and roads are beautiful yellow-gold flowers and touches of deep red on occasion. The rock formations change up every twenty miles or so and there are marshes in sections and farmlands in others. It is really a dreamy kind of adventure. It is a photographer's paradise.

There were thick, puffy clouds over the tiny reservoir of Echo Canyon the day I pulled into the campground. The scene was surreal, like something out of a movie or a dream. I said to my friend that this must be what heaven was like. Perfect views. Just beautiful. They made your heart ache to see such loveliness. I did not want to come home, but duty calls. I had to be to work at six Sunday evening. These small excursions have been a peaceful time out to an otherwise hectic schedule.

Hills, fields, with cattle grazing,  and flowery brush around Pioche, Nevada

The odd shaped rocks and hills made for a dazzling day of sightseeing. My friend Sharon led me to the campground then showed me a back road that wound through a tiny community of pastures and hilly areas. The view was breathtaking in every corner and turn.

These jagged rock formations add to the already stunning landscape
in the Eagle Valley / Echo Canyon area

There were horses and old cottages, fields, and light forests. The area is also alive with deer and other hunting game. We saw quail and rabbits, and even a doe grazing along the roadway.

Mule deer doe grazing along roadside 

Recovery of Mind, Body, and Spirit

How often do we add a great time out to our lives? Stress from constant activity can wear on the body, spirit, and the mind. By allowing a day or so of rest and relaxation, the body allows itself to settle and heal, the spirit is refreshed, the mind calms, the blood pressure and body aches diminish.

Camping can be a little bit of work in the beginning, but the results are worth the efforts. If planned correctly, the expense is minimal. The campground is generally under $20 a night and the basic costs are food and fuel for traveling. Once the fishing license and gear are purchased, the yearly cost is small compared to a four star vacation destination with airfare and hotel accommodations. A great dinner at a fancy restaurant can cost as much as a camping trip in one sitting! Create your own gourmet meal outdoors over an open fire.

Taking a couple of days to relax in an area like this refreshes my senses. The scenery is amazing at every turn and vista. The fresh air revitalizes a weary mind and heart and aligns my spirit with more important things like just enjoying life. Traveling has never been on my schedule unless it was for work, but visiting this area changed all of that. I intend to move here eventually, when my life turns to retirement age. Life in a bustling city has me craving a simpler lifestyle, one I can indulge in here in a valley of this nature. It is important to me that I unplug from modern culture and technology at times to realign my true priorities. 

Rustic building - Pioche, Echo Canyon, Nevada

Basic camping necessities: Water, charcoal grill,
Dutch Oven, Water spigot, and a tent

The Campsite Set Up

The basic set up in each camp includes a water spigot, a fire ring, a covered table area, and a fire pit ring with a grill. Cooking over an open fire helps keep outdoor skills sharp. One must know how to prepare meals on other sources and the firepit and charcoal grill offer a splendid opportunity to create a nice menu.

I caught no fish when I want to the side of the water area, but no worries, I did bring enough food for a week as I usually do when leaving home. I do not like to be without on any outing. It is for the purpose of cooking in the wild that I pack my ice chest. I am creating a Dutch Oven Cookbook that I will release, eventually. Should the occasion arise where I had caught fish, I had packed an onion, garlic, a lemon, and a few herbs in my cooler for use in the outdoor kitchen set up.

The fire pit ring is not shown here, but there is a grill at each site and a water pump connected to a well. A dutch oven serves many purposes in over the fire cooking and can be used as a skillet, a small oven to bake in, and a stew pot if necessary. The coffee pot I use for hot water only and it is set on the corner of my firepit grill so I may have water ready for washing or an occasional cup of tea or hot cocoa.

Be aware that there are no showers here at the campsite. There are bathrooms only, so you will have to bathe in warm water and a washcloth. One may travel to the Horsethief Gulch Campground to shower if necessary.

Look for the recipe page to be added soon! 

Take Time Out

If you do not live in the Nevada area, I challenge you to explore the areas within 200 miles of your home. Seek the solace of the wilderness if only for a weekend or a single evening. Explore the world around you. Test out your camping equipment. Learn how to cook using several different heat sources. The time you spend enjoying the fresh air and scenery will be triple the cost of a therapist, I guarantee it.

There is so much hustle and bustle going on in our modern world that we often forget to look at the skies, breathe, and thank the universe we are alive. Survival Recovery is based on the concept that you can get through disasters with your spirit and mind in tact IF you take the time to heal, recover, and rebuild your life a bit at a time after a crisis by adding certain healthy activities to your lifestyle before disaster.

www.survival-recovery.com

Recommended products

Road Atlas

Dutch Oven

Coleman 5 person Tent