U.S. Forest Service · Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest · Nevada

Big Creek Campground

Access to Kingston Canyon and Groves Lake. High clearance vehicle needed. Surrounded by water birch, cottonwood, and Russian olive trees at the mouth of a canyon along a creek. Stream runs through the campground. High clearance vehicles only 2021

First-come, first-servedFreeTents only

More like this: first-come in Nevada · free in Nevada · tent only in Nevada

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
FeesNo fee

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

SeasonMid-May to Late October
ForestHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
FeesNo fee
RulesTrailers are prohibited from crossing the top of Forest Service Road 002. Dogs must be on a leash at campground. Certified weed free hay required.

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Big Creek Campground30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 1.22 inches of precipitation, 10.4 inches of snowFebruary: 1.15 inches of precipitation, 12.9 inches of snowMarch: 1.46 inches of precipitation, 11.8 inches of snowApril: 1.64 inches of precipitation, 8.4 inches of snowMay: 1.86 inches of precipitation, 2.6 inches of snowJune: 0.61 inches of precipitation, 0.9 inches of snowJuly: 0.58 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.40 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.64 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowOctober: 0.53 inches of precipitation, 0.8 inches of snowNovember: 1.11 inches of precipitation, 6.8 inches of snowDecember: 1.14 inches of precipitation, 8.7 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 34.2°F averageFebruary: 35.0°F averageMarch: 40.7°F averageApril: 45.0°F averageMay: 53.9°F averageJune: 63.4°F averageJuly: 72.6°F averageAugust: 70.8°F averageSeptember: 62.6°F averageOctober: 51.0°F averageNovember: 40.0°F averageDecember: 32.6°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Austin #2, 11 miles from the campground at 6,780 feet, station USC00260507 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 12 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 64 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Coordinates39.3464° N, 117.1361° W · Directions ↗

Explore

Video

BIG CREEK CAMPGROUND REVIEW / SECLUDED NATIONAL FOREST CAMPING

Worth a stop

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 3.2 mi
    Deer Canyon East
    0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, 4WD
  • 3.3 mi
    Deer Canyon West
    1.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, 4WD
  • 3.8 mi
    Crest Cut-Off ↗
    5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.9 mi
    Kingston Creek
    0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 4.4 mi
    Basin Canyon
    1.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 4.5 mi
    Sawmill Canyon
    0.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Guidebooks for Nevada

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Hiking Nevada
    Bruce Grubbs, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best Backpacking Trips in California and Nevada
    Mike White and Douglas Lorain, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best Hikes Reno and Lake Tahoe
    Tracy Salcedo, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Big Creek Campground?

No. Big Creek Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at Big Creek Campground?

Nothing. Big Creek Campground is listed as free. No fee

Source: Forest Service

Can I bring an RV to Big Creek Campground?

Big Creek Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

What if Big Creek Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Kingston Campground (8.5 mi, first-come), Bob Scott Campground (10.4 mi, first-come), and San Juan Dispersed Campground (17.2 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby