Such a different, great experience. Just being in a Teepee with my two friends was an awesome…read moreexperience. I highly recommend!

This place is an experience. We booked the day of to stay in the RV park which has full hookups…read moreand you choose your spot. From the moment we arrived we were greeted by Jim. He might be our favorite part and he's the mayor and the sheriff of the town, just sayin'. We arrived at sunset and walked around the grounds to see all of the art constellations. They light up at night too! There are a variety of options to stay in, teepees, containers, mini cabins or tent camping. I could probably stay here a lot longer and we're already planning our next trip. Only thing to beware of if that the train runs all night. Bring ear plugs but also enjoy it. It's such a cool place!!

Pure Review: Not the easiest to get but also not the hardest. You have to drive down a wash boarded…read moredirt road, past a slightly better campsite. But if you want to get away from the randos at Hole in the wall Campsite. And up your camping skills this is the place to be. Now 70% of the sites are pure garbage, with the rest just awesome! Like 24 or 25. Enjoy!!!

Long road from Cima takes you to Mid Hills Campground. There are about 30 spaces. Each site has…read morea picnic table and water near by. You need a 4 wheel drive high clearance vehicle to get into some sites but many are easily accessible. Only $12 and bring exact change.

Willow Beach Campground was one of the best camping experiences I've ever had. We stayed for 2…read morenights at the tent sites, and everything was so convenient. You're allowed to have up to 2 tents per site, parking is literally just steps away, and the bathrooms and showers were very clean and well maintained. I also loved how easy the online booking process was. Unfortunately, when booking, we had to reserve 2 separate sites and couldn't get them next to each other for both nights. I was worried about it, but when we checked in, the ladies at the office were so kind and worked their magic to keep our family together the entire stay. I really appreciated how accommodating they were. Willow Beach is perfect for fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and boating. If you're planning to swim with little kids, this probably isn't the best spot -- I'd recommend making the quick 10-minute drive to Lake Mead instead. This campground books up pretty fast, so definitely plan ahead. One great thing is that Willow Beach has a store and restaurant on site, so if you forget supplies or want something fresh to eat, you're covered. My family and I absolutely loved camping here. We had a campfire every night and went on peaceful walks around the campground after dark. It was beautiful, relaxing, and surprisingly quiet at night. I'd definitely recommend staying here. I probably wouldn't tent camp here during the summer heat, but staying in an RV with AC would be perfect!

This campground is so remote and over a mile walk to the water. The only reason we were there was…read moreto paddle board to emerald cave, if we can't access the water what is the point? There is absolutely no shade anywhere, no trees, just desert and dirt. We never even unpacked, we promptly left to find a hotel. We called multiple times to cancel the reservation but no one ever answered the call.

Beautiful preserve with picturesque scenery! We drove through and stopped to take a few pictures,…read morebut this preserve is enormous and definitely requires some advance planning if you want to explore it fully. There are plenty of websites offering ideas and locations to visit. Bring extra water and a portable phone charger, and consider downloading an offline map, as reception can be spotty--we completely lost service for about an hour. Be careful when choosing trails, as some are marked for off-road or four-wheel-drive vehicles only. Overall, it's a great experience and a beautiful place to visit

This is a breath-taking park if you can beat the heat. I've hiked the Kelso Dunes Trail multiple…read moretimes as they sing (or rather vibrate and boom) if you slide down the side of a sand dune. You can also feel the vibrations in your body if you're the one triggering the noise. Apparently jumping and digging can also produce the noise. It's unfortunate that the trail head signs don't mention this property. Both times, my group was the only one triggering the sounds of the dunes. Hole-in-the-wall rings trail is also quite a unique trail as it passes by wind-worn caves and a petroglyph, and ends at a set of steel rings for you to climb up (or down, depending on how you traverse the loop). I've never hiked such a unique trail before!

The road is a bit torn up from water run off, but most of it is accessible, download the campground…read moremap because they don't have one posted and there's almost no cell reception (StarlinkMini works very well here) Spots are good sized, fire ring and tables are also available. Toilets are vault toilets, and no showers. There are several water stations throughout the camp and it's quiet here. Reservations through Recreation.gov and HIGHLY recommend to screen shot your reservation and reservation number as there's no cell service here.

Smiling eager faces were getting restless in the car as we pulled up to the campground in the…read moredesert...The views were amazing, and we knew from reading about it that dune hiking, cave exploring, and desert fun was right around the bend. SNAP SNAP SNAP. Damn you wind. The wind snapped our tent poles and almost blew it away despite all of our stuff being inside of it. I'm pretty sure all the RV's parked around this campground were laughing at us and our epic fail. We tried pitching a tent for an hour, then we made a ghetto tent on the back of a truck bed...then we left. My review is very similar to Eric C.'s, but that's because we got pwnd together. I believe this was one of the windiest days of the year; not an everyday thing. This site is smack dab in the middle of the desert. There is SO much to check out around it, and it's untapped beauty is something you rarely have a chance to see in life...It is definitely the most beautiful hole in the wall you will ever see, and at $12 dollars a night for the campground it can't get better for that price (as long as you don't have 60+ mph winds like our group). CHECK IT OUT. And look at weather reports prior...

The cozy cabin is a small home. It was cozy and warm with two heat sources. The inside was like…read morean A frame log cabin-very cute. The shower worked great with really hot water. Just beware that the tank will run out of steamy water if you take a marathon shower as I do. But it was great- hot, steamy, and ample water pressure. Great coffee maker with tea or coffee options. Bunk beads the top was a little intimidating so I slept on the futon. Great pilllows and blankets. Great Netflix service. Great internet-Starlink. Great porch with a bar b q; picnic table, and heater barrel. The porch has chairs for relaxing. Very welcoming staff or owners. Will bend over backwards to be helpful and accommodating. And there is a refrigerator, microwave, and plates and plastic utensils. Will definitely return.

Mike was so helpful, and supplied great advice on where to go/visit in the area!!…read moreOur spot had a beautiful view out the front of rv. Easy to book online, with pictures of each space, we chose space #31!!

A bit of a trek from San Diego but so worth it to go! We camped at the base of the dunes. I do not…read morethink you have to reserve the spots but if you do, you don't reserve any particular camp site. The dunes were a slight hike from campsite to top of the dunes but not too bad! Once at the top, the view is beautiful, especially if there for sunrise or sunset. Make sure to bring something the slide down the dune with! Made the hike up worth every step!

Definitely a great place to hike in the fall and spring time, also winter too. Warning, do not hike…read morein the summer. Extreme heat and can be dangerous for some. We did our hike in December. It was a perfect day to hike this dune. We started around 2pm and came down at the right time to catch some beautiful winter sunsets. Definitely a great place to hike at night. Do not miss out on this hike if you are heading out to Vegas. It's technically open 24/7 so you can do it any time. Take precaution during night time and bring flash lights for emergency situation. There are multiple peaks at this dunes to climb. Based on how the sand has shifted due to winds, some peaks might be higher than others at different times. And yes, you will see people sliding down the dunes. W

I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the Boulder Beach Campground. We were looking…read moreto escape the already hot temperatures of Las Vegas on a Friday night in early May, 2024. Reservable campsites on cooler Mount Charleston were already taken, so we decided to go to explore Lake Mead. The campground was just minutes from Las Vegas and Henderson. The campground sites offered large sites with paved parking, picnic tables, fire pits, and close proximity to well-maintained and clean restrooms (flush toilets, sinks, running water. No showers). We were dry camping in a Class B RV -- so no hookups -- but the campground had plentiful water spigots and lots of sun to charge our solar panels. There was a mix of campers - from those tent camping to others in large RVs. What was particularly nice was that there was some vegetation -- trees which provided some shade and flowering desert bushes. Our site also had a lovely view of the lake, which was about a 20-minute walk from the campground. (We did not walk down to the beach but others reported that it's rocky). There's a Visitor's Center for the recreation area just a few miles down the street. We spoke with the knowledgable and friendly park rangers, watched a park film, picked up some literature, and bought a few souvenirs.

Stopped for the night. Dry camping. Full hookups on the other side. Beautiful views of Lake Mead…read more Store on the full hookup side. Hoover dam visitor center not far away. Large camp sites. Well maintained. Easy access to the site.

I can't believe I forgot to review this crazy adventure from a couple years ago…read more I have visited the lava tubes in Hawaii and when I found out we had one in the middle of the desert I knew I would have to come check it out. Post pandemic, my husband and I set out on a Saturday morning to find and explore these tubes. From Las Vegas it takes roughly 2.5 hours to get there. Driving the I15 freeway, take the Kelso Road exit and make a left turn. Drive on this road till you see Aiken Mine Road. Turn here and it will take you to the tubes. Be advised this is a dirt road not maintained so it can be a challenge for a regular vehicle. High clearance vehicles are preferred. Once you arrive and park, you will see the trail that takes you to a ladder that you will climb down to enter the tube. Be careful and watch your head as you descend into the lava tube. It is very easy to hit your head on the overhead rock hanging down. If you hit the tube at just the right time, light will filter through and it's very interesting and unique. Be careful with the dust down there, it is swirling all around from foot traffic. I advise wearing a mask like I did in order to not breathe in bad air. Although not as picturesque as the Hawaiian tubes, it was a fun little adventure to seek out. Remember to follow the principles and Leave No Trace.

Very cool spot, off the beaten path... and when I say beaten, I mean it -- think bumpy, rocky…read more.. all the things besides smooth lol! This is about a 30 min drive off 15 and then once you turn off the main road, you'll take the unpaved road about 4.5 miles to the lava tubes where you'll then walk about .3 miles or so! Super easy and straightforward to find, worth it but take a look at my tips to understand what to prepare for to make it a great experience! 1. Make sure you have a vehicle that is higher up and can with stand a bumpy road -- it is no joke! 2. Climb all the way down into the lava tube, don't just look from above, otherwise it's not worth the trip. 3. Make sure you have some kind of light source because it's dark and you will bump your head or trip if you can't see. If you only have your phone, highly recommend videoing with the flash on, it is MUCH brighter than just the flashlight. 4. There is minimal to no service so just be prepared for that. 5. The 4.5 mile road to the lava tubes is one wide enough for cars going both ways most of the time, but there are times it's really a one lane road, so be aware of who is coming at you from afar and use the pull offs if needed. 6. Optimal lighting in the tube is between 10-2. Think peak sun time. This is slightly dependent on the season as it could fluctuate a bit, but ultimately that's the best time! Hopefully my review and tips help you have a great adventure at the lava tubes! Enjoy!

Fun fact: Southern Nevada's Spring Mountain NRA has 7 different climate zones, a change in habitat…read morethat is similar to traveling from Mexico to the Canadian Arctic. SOURCE: Travel Nevada. There are also groves of Great Basin Bristlecone Pines--one of the oldest species on Earth that are only found in NV, CA, and UT--as well as at least 20 endemic species (that are found nowhere else on Earth). Home Means Nevada. :)

Early May, 2024. (Arriving on a Sunday, leaving on Monday). We spent two days, including one night…read morecamping, in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (NRA) which includes Mount Charleston. Administered by the US Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, the entrance is just 17 miles from Hwy 95 on Rte 157 or 45 minutes (and a world away) from the hustle and bustle - and heat - of the Las Vegas strip. Sunday. We started at the Visitor Gateway, where there are helpful staff and maps to help you to plan your stay. In addition, there is a gift shop, clean restrooms, an amphitheater, picnic areas, and trailheads to the Pack Rat Route and the Escarpment Trails. Next on our itinerary were a pair of scenic drives. From the Visitors Gateway, we traveled a short distance on Rte 157, until intersecting with Rte 158, which took us up the windy mountain road. We passed the entrances to The Resort on Mount Charleston, various trailheads, picnic areas, and campgrounds. We stopped at the Desert View Overlook, walking the short interpretive trail and taking photos. We continued in Rte 158 until we intersected with Rte 156, which we took left to the Lee Canyon ski area, passing picnic areas, campgrounds, and trailheads along the way. We then turned around, and went back down the mountain. Upon again intersecting with Rte 157, we took it to its terminus at the Mount Charleston Lodge. Our final destination was our campsite at the Fletcher View Campground (reviewed separately). Monday. We returned to the Visitors Gateway, and did the two "more difficult" hikes that originated there -- the Pack Rat Route (only 0.4 mi) is short, paved, and very steep. If you do it as a loop, the trail is somewhat washed out towards the end. Pack Rat connected to the 2.4 mile Escarpment Trail, which takes you above the cliffs and to some wonderful mountain views. Both of these trails are for hiking only. No bikes or horses. Some things to note: *The Visitors Gateway provides a good map of the area which I've posted a Yelp (in Spanish). It shows trails (including hiking, cycling, equestrian, and interpretative), campgrounds, picnic areas, restrooms, etc. *The map also highlights the trails in the NRA, with ratings of easy to moderate to more difficult to most difficult. It also provides distances, but not elevation changes. *When we were there (May, 2024), at least 6 trails, including the popular Mary Jane Falls Trail, were closed due to storm damage.