What a shame...Walker Lake used to be such a full and beautiful lake. I can recall driving by it as a kid on numerous occasions heading to my rodeos and 4H competitions in Reno, Nevada This most recent drive by I was shocked by how much it has shrunk through the years. Since it has been receiving little to no water from Walker River since 2011, the fish and the fishing has become obsolete. Walker Lake is a natural lake in the Great Basin. It is 11 miles in length and only 5 miles wide. At its deepest, it is 68 feet. History tells us many years ago that the Northern Paiutes ancestors inhabited the area around the lake and depended on the fish and birds it provided to live. Through the Walker Basin Restoration Program they were able to deliver water to the lake in 2019 for the first time and they aim to restore Walker Lake to a state where it can house fish and birds again. I hope this comes true. We enjoyed our lunch stop overlooking this beauty. read more

Walker Lake - Clouds reflecting on the lake on this beautiful day - Lakes Near Me

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My week I spent in Hawthorne; I had some down time hanging by Walker Lake. I'm a water baby and bodies of water calm me; my happy place. It was a huge plus that the weather was perfect and probably the last warm one this year. Learning the history and chatting it up with the locals here was good time. I hope Mineral county is able to sustain Walker lake and preserve it for years to come. I look forward to my next hangout passing through the Alt-95 or next time I'm in Hawthorne. read more

Walker Lake - Lakes Near Me

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Beautiful and isoloated, this is Walker Lake. The terrain creates a unique landscape that reminds you of another planet or far off location. Actually this lake is about an hour and 45 minutes from Gardnerville, the nearest civilized town. Hawthorn NV is closer but no way I'm finding anythng good to eat or decent to stya there. I'm here Walker Lake on a work location assignment, so no camping for me here. Sportsman's Beach Campground is very nice if you have an RV but tent camping here seems a little rough. The unique picnic shade structures make for a artsy scene. The short time I was here, I did see the beauty of this place. Now back to civilization! read more

Walker Lake - Arty scene at Walker Lake - Lakes Near Me

Walker Lake is a natural desert lake that gets water from the north by the Walker River and has no natural outlet except absorption and evaporation. The lake itself deserves 5 stars being an amazing desert lake that has fed and provided fish and water to native Americans who lived off the lake. The problem comes when people want to live and ranch in the desert and take water from rivers and lakes that can't sustain it. Walker Lake supported over 50% of the economy of Mineral County through tourism and recreation-fishing derbies to boat races, water skiing to an annual Loon Festival. The loons no longer stop over at the lake because there is no food to sustain them. The lake was a key part of Mineral County and Walker River Paiute communities. The area around the lake has long been inhabited by the Paiute who depended on the lake's fish and bird populations for food. More than a century of upstream irrigation diversions of the Walker River have left Walker Lake in a state of ecological collapse with salt at a toxic level. Recently, the Walker Basin Restoration Program significant restoration, conservation efforts, and litigation to bring back Walker Lake to where it can support fish and wildlife. It could be a great comeback story if we all cooperate. read more

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Riding along US Route 95 coming from Lake Tahoe we had to stop alongside the mountains and take this photo Walker Lake is located in Mineral County, Nevada along the east side of the Wassuk Range, about 75 mi southeast of Reno. What a beautiful view from 7,000 feet! Standing in front seemed so unrealistic. Wow that was nice experience for my kids especially. They were like they can touch the sky lol. When you look down over the guard rail you see nothing but water from a far. On the flip side, east of Walker Lake offers a variety of recreational opportunities including swimming, picnicking, boating, bird watching, water-skiing and camping. For me the view was a pleasant sight for the moment. read more

Walker Lake - Lake and Mountain View from 6000 ft - Lakes Near Me

Attempting to access this place feels like you are driving into someone's backyard. It's kinda weird. But the boat ramps are public and you can find them when you get closer to the lake. We saw a coyote meandering along the lakes edge at sunrise which was pretty cool. We were there in January, but this looks like a good spot for water play in the early summer. read more

Walker Lake - Sunrise over Walker Lake - Lakes Near Me

There isn't much to do in the area of Walker Lake We were on our way to Las Vegas from Reno on US Highway 95 south, Walker Lake is located along the highway. There were many entrances to the lake along highway 95 but we stopped at Sportsman's Beach to use the toilet. This beach has a campsite which provides thirty one individual camp sites. We didn't drive in further to see the campgrounds but we did see the covered picnic tables on paved grounds complete with each a BBQ pit grill. It was the afternoon of July 3rd when we drove by, the day before the country celebrates Independence Day. A day of picnic and family fun at the lake but there was no one sight. Almost creepy and the feeling of solitude and isolation. I've read later that Walker Lake is experiencing declining water levels and increase in salinity. The silly Yelper who created the page placed the check-in location in the middle of the lake. LoL! Walker Lake is located approx 75 miles southeast of Reno. Review #1088 read more

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I'm gonna get straight to the point here- I love camping at Walker Lake! Traveling from the north, it's perfectly situated for a stop over. No frills unless you consider vast, quiet, empty, and free to be. The perfect combination! A word about the spiders- they are big and plentiful and have essentially taken over the elegant brown 50's era, military-chic shade structures. If you really wanna be treated to a show, find an ant and flick it into a web. You may be so mesmerized that you forget to ever leave? read more

Walker Lake - Lakes Near Me

I've traveled by this lake many times over the years. I've always enjoyed the desolate beauty of the lake. Since we were on vacation this time we decided to pull over and take some photos. The lake was very quiet. From what I've read it's not utilized much anymore. Sort of a dying lake. The fact that no one visits it makes me like it even more. Guess you can say I'm not much on crowds of people. Three is a crowd. We enjoyed the quiet and solitude. Stretched our legs a bit. Took some photos then headed on down the highway. We'll see you again Walker Lake. read more

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Great views, nice clean facility for a very reasonable price! Water quality while we visited was not that great and there were tons of spiders and bugs, so I wouldn't have stayed for more than one night given those conditions, but for a one night spot to pull off with a nice view and it will not break the bank. read more

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Living at Walker lake is an experience all of it's own! Unfortunately the alkaline level in the lake killed off all the fish, and the farmers upstream have choked off the water, allowing the lake to dry up, so no one really utalizes the lake or the campsites. Occasionally you'll see a local out on their boat, but there isnt much activity other than that.. On the up side, there are VIEWS FOR DAYS!! Sunrises and sunsets that melt your worries away!! Big horn sheep that gives you a child like aww in amazement with the raw, natural beauty of what a natural earth resembles. As the water rises and the alkaline levels deplete, the fish will be stocked and we Walker Lake will buzz like never before! #savewalkerlake read more

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We were driving from Zephyr Cove to Goldfield, NV, and this gem of a lake just happened to be on our route. There is lots of room to park, places to picnic in the shade, boondock, public no-flush toilets, sandy beach spots, and the gorgeously clear salt lake. There is also a boat launch for water toys. We enjoyed our time splashing in the water and admiring God's beautiful creation. read more

Walker Lake - Truck and trailer parked above the lake with plenty of room. - Lakes Near Me

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USDA Primitive Camp Ground. If you need it, take it with you. The nearest store is Safeway, 20 Miles South. In the shadows of Mount Grant, Walker Lake is a restful stop with water in the middle of the desert. It is a bird flyby, and is sparse in vegetation. For the high desert, it is the best in wilderness camping. read more

The place is perfect for one trying to conquer Arachnophobia. Harmless spiders abound, and if you can get through that, you will certainly enjoy the peaceful setting. Campsites are plentiful during the summer months, as the temps hover in the 90's, and as you get closer to the waters edge, its more quiet due to the proximity of the highway. Be sure to explore the beach and discover the diverse wildlife, as I highly recommend it during the evening when the stars seem to be within arms reach! read more

Walker Lake - Solitude, Spiders, and Space! - Lakes Near Me

Solid location. Pretty good views... is no one going to mention the huge spiders everywhere though edit: down to one star. swarms of flies drove us out the night of. 300 flies stuck in the inside of the car as we left is an understatement. i'll be submitting this as the worst place in america - i'll be suprised if it it doesn't win by miles read more

A very large lake on the way to Reno off the 95. We stopped by to take stretch. Our dogs walked around the edge of the lake while we rested up and had a snack. What a beautiful view of the lake and the mountains around it. There are covered benches to eat at and a few bathrooms around the recreational area. There are numerous exits to chose from off the 95 to enjoy the surroundings. Sadly, the lake has shrunk in size over the years and so fishing is down to a minimum. The high salt content would make it not very enjoyable to cool off in- my dogs were covered with salt residue when they dried off. read more

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We drove by this lake on the way Reno Nevada. It looked a little low but beautiful all the same. I can't wait to come back and spend a weekend. read more

Walker Lake - Lakes Near Me

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We were driving to Reno from Vegas and say this Beautiful lake! It is so gorgeous and serene!!! So excited to go camping here!!! read more

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Loved this Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Campground at Sportsman's Beach. I camped as a gal road-tripping alone and felt quite safe. It was a hot July Tuesday, so I had the place to myself for the afternoon and evening. When I awoke in the morning, there were a couple other campers. Despite the highway sounds, it was peaceful, with gorgeous views. There are regular camp bathrooms (but not gross), BYO water, and don't worry too much about the orb spiders (they don't bite people). read more

Walker Lake - Sun starting to set; the mountains behind me casting a shadow across the lake was gorgeous. - Lakes Near Me

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For some reason I got a creepy vibe while visiting this lake. We visited twice, once in the morning and another in the afternoon. Each time the place was desolate. Not one person, boat, car or bird in sight. I guess that may be peaceful to some people. It was beautiful to stare out at the water but something about the emptiness of life made my skin crawl. read more

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We drove by Walker Lake in late March 2018. There were campgrounds, picnic areas, and parking lots. And boat ramps. And not a single person anywhere! It was totally strange. Where was everybody? It was kinda like it was in the "Twilight Zone". Quite sad really. When I got home I read about how up stream water diversions of the Walker River has made the water salty and its on the brink of ecological collapse. read more