The best desert campgrounds near Carlin, Nevada

Carlin sits on the edge of Nevada’s high desert, where rugged terrain means endless space and wide-open skies. If you’re looking for a desert camping experience, you’ll find 62 options around Carlin, each putting you right in the heart of sagebrush, red earth, and silence so deep you can hear your own thoughts. Expect average nightly prices around $25, with spots dipping as low as $20. Top picks include Herzog Homestead (35 reviews), Ethereal Ranch (16 reviews), and Roughin It At Rabbit Ears (10 reviews). Most sites let you bring pets, build a campfire, and rinse off in a shower. Between wildlife-watching, hiking old mining trails, and casting a line in nearby streams, there’s plenty to keep you busy once the sun is up. Bring layers—desert nights drop fast, and the stars are worth staying up for.

94% (58)

Top-rated campgrounds

Carlin sits on the edge of Nevada’s high desert, where rugged terrain means endless space and wide-open skies. If you’re looking for a desert camping experience, you’ll find 62 options around Carlin, each putting you right in the heart of sagebrush, red earth, and silence so deep you can hear your own thoughts. Expect average nightly prices around $25, with spots dipping as low as $20. Top picks include Herzog Homestead (35 reviews), Ethereal Ranch (16 reviews), and Roughin It At Rabbit Ears (10 reviews). Most sites let you bring pets, build a campfire, and rinse off in a shower. Between wildlife-watching, hiking old mining trails, and casting a line in nearby streams, there’s plenty to keep you busy once the sun is up. Bring layers—desert nights drop fast, and the stars are worth staying up for.

94% (58)

Top-rated campgrounds

1. Roughin It At Rabbit Ears

100%

(39)

31mi from Carlin · 1 site · Tent, RV · Spring Creek, NV

Rabbit Ears is located in Pleasant Valley at the base of the Ruby Mountains. Our property is about 2 miles from the turnoff to Lamoille Canyon and features amazing views of the Ruby range. The lot is entirely fenced so feel free to bring your well behaved 4 legged friends, just note that the neighbors have sheep so escape happy dogs may need some supervision. The site has water, electric, and sewer hookups if needed.

2. Ethereal Ranch

96%

(25)

40mi from Carlin · 51 sites · Tents, RVs · Osino, NV

22 miles from the city of Elko, remote enough to enjoy the peace and quiet, while just a short car ride to the town of Ryndon that can provide you with all of your essentials. Hundreds of acres of land to keep you busy with incredible outdoor activities. Set up your camp and enjoy your stay! Stunning views of the ruby mountain range in addition to being home to the state's only population of mountain goats, the Rubies are also home to Nevada's largest mule deer herd. All funds go to our animal sanctuary under the Ethereal Ranch Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, ranch operations and development. Animals are free-ranged and may include but not limited to livestock, domestic and exotic rescued animals.

3. Riley’s Escape

100%

(1)

35mi from Carlin · 1 site · Tent, RV · Osino, NV

Riley’s escape is a high desert 2 acre lot nestled in the gorgeous valley of rural Elko NV. Swim or tube in the pristine, shallow, clean Columbia River within walking distance of property while gazing at the snow capped Ruby mountains. This is a boon-docking site. Zero toilets, showers, water or hook ups. Located minutes off highway. Ideal for tents or campers. Large gravel patch approx 20 L 8 W for camper. Wonderful Parks, hiking and outdoor sports. Ghost towns galore. Great view of stars in the night. NV is a free range state so never leave food out or cows and sheep may help themselves! Wildlife and farm animals galore here! * Weekly/Monthly discounts! * Veteran and active duty discounts!

4. High Desert Dry Camping

86%

(7)

27mi from Carlin · 1 site · Tent, RV · Crescent Valley, NV

I have found a place that speaks to me through its silence and stillness. May your stay here be a porthole into a new perspective on what mother nature and the awe inspiring universe have to offer.Learn more about this land: Experience high desert camping in one of the least populated counties in the United States. Stunning panoramic views of Cresent Valley and the surrounding mountains. Over a thousand acres of adjacent BLM land to explore. Enjoy some of the darkest night skys in the country. Easy to get to. Almost all of it highway driving. The last 3.5 miles are along very well maintained dirt road.

5. Double Dice RV Park

22mi from Carlin · 2 sites · Elko, NV

Welcome to Double Dice RV Park, a unique family-owned destination that combines the comforts of a full-service RV park with the vibrant atmosphere of a sports bar and grill. Our park features 140 spacious RV sites equipped with 30/50 amp service, phone service, and complimentary Wi-Fi, ensuring a comfortable stay for all our guests. At Double Dice, we pride ourselves on providing exceptional amenities. Enjoy 53 channels of cable television right at your site, allowing you to unwind after a day of adventure. Our sports lounge is the perfect place to relax, featuring five big-screen TVs, pool tables, and shuffleboard, along with delicious homemade food that will satisfy your cravings. Whether you're looking to explore nearby natural attractions, enjoy outdoor activities, or indulge in local dining and shopping, Double Dice RV Park is ideally situated to offer you a memorable experience. Come and discover the perfect blend of relaxation and recreation at our welcoming park!

Stories from the community

G

Glenda

November 2025

40 ft fifth wheel

3 nights at Roughin It At Rabbit Ears

Great little quiet spot with awesome views of the mountains. Full hookups - lots of deer wandering around - nice and relaxing

J

Jason

November 2025

31 ft Class C

2 nights at Roughin It At Rabbit Ears

Beautiful place to spend a few days. Not too far from town and a beautiful view of the Ruby mountains. Full hookups and easy in and out to the property. I would definitely stay here again.

M

Mark

October 2025

30 ft travel trailer

2 nights at Roughin It At Rabbit Ears

David’s land was spectacular! Everything went as planned. The view from the site was wonderful and we will be planning trips in the future and reserving the exact same spot.

Eric

September 2025

23 ft campervan

With pets

Weekend Trip to Ethereal Ranch

If you’re not comfortable with a long gravel road that changes over time, this might not be the journey for you. At times it was a bit bumpy a the road changes from smooth to washboard, but patient driving (and airing down a few psi) can help smooth it out. Once you arrive Jay is there to greet you. His chill vibe speaks volumes for what he’s building out there. It’s truly a beautiful space the likes of which I’ve never encountered before. We had ideal weather, a bit warm when we arrived with a light wind, cooling down nicely overnight. Endless stars and zero lights made for an epic setting. At a minimum you’ll get dusty but if you’re not getting a little dirty are you really camping?

M

Michael

September 2025

25 ft Class C

1 night at Roughin It At Rabbit Ears

Just pulled in and hooked up. That easy. Peaceful and beautiful view

Wendy Carol

September 2025

21 ft campervan

With pets

2 nights at Roughin It At Rabbit Ears

Incredible mountain views, fully-fenced privacy, nearby Lamoille Canyon, full hookups, with nearby horses & sheep in the distance…can’t go wrong with this place!

S

Sean

September 2025

Tent

1 night at Ethereal Ranch

The spot was remote and a bit of a journey to reach, but I was interested in that, and considered it part of the adventure. Loved the peace and solitude of the site. Jay was a great host, communicative and friendly. The goats were a bonus! Recommend.

J

JR

September 2025

24 ft travel trailer

With pets

1 night at Roughin It At Rabbit Ears

We had to drive from the freeway to get to this site but it was well worth the drive out. Beautiful view of the Ruby Mountains. The lot is behind a gate in a fairly quiet area. I would definitely recommend to others.

A

Aidan

September 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Roughin It At Rabbit Ears

Great view. Needed a place to land between stops and this was perfect. I was tenting which was a bit tougher than if you had an rv or self contained camper but using a tarp as an extra ground sheet did the trick and had a great sleep still. Highly recommend

Faith

September 2025

38 ft travel trailer

Weekend Trip to Roughin It At Rabbit Ears

We spent one night at Rabbit Ears, and loved the peace and quiet, the horses and sheep grazing in the field below, and mostly the view! Absolutely beautiful to watch an afternoon storm move across the Ruby Mountains and darken the canyon. In the morning we enjoyed hearing birds singing, and even saw a quick little rabbit! Site was level, electric hookup was handy, easy to access. A great find, thanks for the hospitality!

S

Shannon

September 2025

21 ft travel trailer

With pets

Weekend Trip to Roughin It At Rabbit Ears

Beautiful views and peaceful site. Site is between 2 homes so I was a little worried about the kids making too much noise at dark. We made quiet hours start at 8pm and it was fine. Saw the horses and sheep in the field below. A couple of deer and bunnies showed up too! Our dogs loved being able to roam and it was a full hook up site so major bonus! Would camp here again.

T

Tydon

August 2025

35 ft travel trailer

With pets

3 nights at Roughin It At Rabbit Ears

The end of Lamoille Canyon is 30 minutes away, there are deer roaming around, the sky is beautiful, it's quiet. This was a great stay, would return. 10/10

A

Andrew

August 2025

Tent

1 night at Ethereal Ranch

The host was friendly and helpful. Spot is very isolated but the host still had free wifi! The only thing is that it’s a 45min drive down an unpaved road to get there. Overall would recommend.

R

Richard

August 2025

15 ft campervan

Weekend Trip to Roughin It At Rabbit Ears

Amazing views, and just a few minutes from the incredibly spectacular Lamoille Canyon, which is a rare beauty of a place indeed. I venture to say that it is a must see.

A

Augusta

August 2025

Tent

1 night at Roughin It At Rabbit Ears

Super barebones but a nice, quiet escape from everything. Looks like described and we loved watching the horses and sheep next door

M

Matt

July 2025

20 ft pop-up camper

Weekend Trip to Roughin It At Rabbit Ears

Great spot near the mouth of Lamoille Canyon. Quiet, safe, gorgeous view!

Mike

July 2025

21 ft campervan

1 night at Roughin It At Rabbit Ears

Such a nice spot. It's in a neighborhood, but doesn't feel like it. Easy to get to and the hook-ups were awesome. Just a great spot!

A

Austin

July 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Roughin It At Rabbit Ears

Great view, and campsite with easy access to the Ruby Mountains

J

Jim

July 2025

20 ft campervan

With pets

1 night at Ethereal Ranch

Really cool place! Jay is a very friendly host. We had no problem getting up driveway with 4WD camper van. Beautiful views of high desert with Ruby Mountains in the distance. Great for skywatchers.

Travis

July 2025

18 ft pop-up camper

With kids

Weekend Trip to Roughin It At Rabbit Ears

David's place was a great place for us to post up for the night! Beautiful views of mountains and farm animals and a full electric + water hookup! Easy to find, enter, and get setup!