Free Camping Near Las Vegas Dry Lake Bed

We travel with the seasons and we often find ourselves in the Las Vegas area for one reason or another. So the free camping near Las Vegas on the dry lake bed can be a really convenient spot for a night or two in the area. Being about 20 miles from Las Vegas, this spot has plenty of room and is so wide open making it a safe bet for rigs of all sizes.

free camping near las vegas on dry lake bed

Usually, we like to camp and play at our boondocking spots. So our go to spot for free camping near Las Vegas (though a much less convenient commute) is definitely Logandale Trails. The camping is great, the scenery is amazing and the rocky out of this world landscape can keep us busy for weeks!

camping at logandale trails north of las vegas

Another cool spot is a place called Knob Hill. There is plenty of wide open desert as well as cool Joshua Tree like boulders to play around on.

But obviously, there is a lot to do in the Las Vegas metro area and camping on the dry lake can make getting to and from those activities much easier. So read on to find out more about what to expect about camping near Las Vegas on the dry lake bed!

Quick Info: Dry Lake Bed Near Las Vegas

Cost: Free

Ownership: BLM; 14 day limit

Directions: From Henderson, follow I-11 S/US-93 S/US-95 S via the ramp to Boulder City. Take this for about 4 miles and then take exit 14 for the US-95 S towards Searchlight. Continue for another 5 miles or so and there will be several access points onto the dry lake bed.

Solar: Excellent

Water: None

Miles From Town: About 12 miles from Henderson

Cell Service: Yes

Road Conditions: Good, though as you drive across the dry lake bed there are ruts and bumps

Our Experience Camping Near Las Vegas

We had some business plans in Henderson, just outside of Las Vegas and needed a place to sleep for a couple nights. So luckily we found that there was free camping near Las Vegas on the dry lake bed before you reach the city.

If you’re coming up to Las Vegas from the south, the dry lake bed is about 34 miles north of Searchlight. On the drive north there are lots of other dispersed camping options on both sides of the highway. But the dry lake bed is most convenient if your destination involves Las Vegas.

The dry lake bed is a wide open, seemingly flat spread of land between the desert mountains and US-95. Once you turn off of the highway you’ll notice that there are a lot of ruts and bumps in the dry mud of the lake bed but nothing too crazy.

Obviously this area can accomodate a rig of any size. And the area is so vast that you can always guarantee there will be a spot. Drive as far as you’d like from the highway and voila – you’re home!

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In addition to being a great spot for free camping near Las Vegas, the dry lake bed is also a mixed recreation destination. We’ve seen people driving their OHV’s, play with RC’s, flying kites and I’m sure there’s lots more uses for this wide open area.

It seems that this spot does get a bit busier at night, with people just camping for the night. And also weekend use seems to be greater as well. Don’t expect peace, quiet or solitude. Plus it’s not far from the busy highway so there’s always some noise. As always, keep this place clean so that it stays open!

We only stayed here for two nights. And though it was super convenient, it was definitely time to find a spot not right off the highway. Also it was getting pretty hot in the desert by this time so we had to get to higher elevation!

If you’re looking for things to do in Las Vegas, check out these articles:

Skate Spots

longboarding near las vegas at craig ranch skatepark

Hikes

hiking near las vegas at valley of fire state park

Thanks for Reading About Free Camping Near Vegas!

Camping on the dry lake bed near Las Vegas was a convenient location for what we needed on this trip to the area. We’ve been boondocking for years now and have had some really great experiences. If you’d like to see some of our other dispersed camping spots, check out the links below:

To sustain our on the road lifestyle, we work hard on our hand painted longboards! If you would like to see our latest lineup head over to our Lost Coast Longboarding Shop. We also design and screen print our own t-shirts and long sleeve shirts as well.

lost coast longboarding hand crafted longboards and apparel

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