The best lakeside camping in Nevada

Nevada is not only home to some of Lake Tahoe, but it also contains hundreds of smaller lakes where you can really get away from it all on a camping trip. While California lays claim to most of Lake Tahoe, Nevada's portion of this big, blue lake is actually the most publicly accessible and oftentimes, less crowded. RV sites and tent camping can be found at both the Zephyr Cove and Nevada Beach campgrounds, while RV parks and day-use areas are available close to the water. Elsewhere, Nevada state parks, such as Washoe Lake State Park, Rye Patch State Recreation Area, and Cave Lake State Park, offer lake campsites, boating, and kayaking. If you crave dark skies, national forests, birdwatching, and alpine lakes, take the trip down the Loneliest Highway to Ely and Great Basin National Park or up to Elko. Here's where you can see the real Nevada up close and take your pick of picnic areas surrounded by the snow-capped Ruby Mountains and uncrowded camping areas with full hookups, bathrooms, and dump stations.