A-frames near Ely with hiking
This remote eastern Nevada town offers art, history, and year-round outdoor adventure.
- Ely
Popular camping styles for Ely
A-frames near Ely with hiking guide
Overview
At the eastern end of the “Loneliest Road in America,” the former stagecoach stop and mining town of Ely offers a surprising amount of things to do. Browse art around downtown, ride a historic railroad, or explore nearby ghost towns. Surrounded by mountains and the rugged wilderness of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Ely also offers plenty of year-round outdoor adventures, including mountain biking, hiking, and winter sports like cross-country skiing and ice fishing. It’s also well placed to explore the Great Basin National Park. Campers will find plenty of ways to stay overnight, from tent and RV sites to cabins and yurts.
Where to go
Ely Area and State Parks
Several RV parks near Ely offer tent, RV, and cabin camping, while yurts can be found in McGill. Head to Cave Lakes State Park for water activities, hiking, great mountain biking, ice fishing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and two developed campgrounds. At Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park, visitors can spend the night and explore historic charcoal ovens from the 1870s. Further west, the BLM-run Illipah Campground next to Illipah Reservoir is a popular spot for fishing in summer and ice fishing in winter.
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
The Ely Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest spans around one million acres, including some of the most rugged backcountry terrain in the forest. Four developed campgrounds can be found nearby, including Ward Mountain Campground just south of Ely and the East Creek, Bird Creek, and Timber Creek campgrounds to the northeast of Ely. Eight surrounding wilderness areas also offer plenty of opportunities for backcountry camping.
Great Basin National Park
About an hour east of Ely, Great Basin National Park is one of the least visited parks in the country. It’s home to the Lehman Caves, ancient bristlecone pines, the second highest peak in the state, Wheeler Peak, and incredibly dark night skies, which campers can appreciate from one of five developed campgrounds, including one open year-round.
When to go
Summer is a good time to visit Ely, when temperatures are warm but pleasant. Plentiful winter activities make winter another good time to visit, though many area campgrounds will be closed then. Look for the largest herd of elk in Nevada feeding around Ely during spring and fall. The Renaissance Village is open from late May to late September. Visit in September for the Great Basin Astronomy Festival and January for the Fire and Ice show.
