Sitting right on Washoe Lake, you'll get the most out of a visit to Washoe Lake State Park by camping at $15.00 per night. It's offered on a first-come basis, There are 29 campsites, equipped with a table, grill with fire rings and room for trailers. Two comfort stations, one of which includes a shower, are available. Several sites can hold an RV up to 45 feet in length. Don't forget to get your Nevada fishing license before dropping a hook into the lake. The views of Washoe Valley & the Sierra Nevada Mountains make it all worthwhile !! read more

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In the almost 20 years we have lived in Northern Nevada, and driven by here enroute back and forth between Carson City and Reno, this is the first time I have stopped, gotten out and walked around. I spent some time in the picnic area and walking along the shoreline. The park was well maintained with lots of shady spots, cool grass and sandy beaches. The bathrooms were convenient and clean and there was a generous parking area. There are BBQ grills and lots of picnic tables throughout the area. There is also a large group pavilion. There are a number of trails around, but may be better suited for cooler weather as there is not a lot of shade away from the day-use area. There is a ranger station a few miles north that is worth a stop. Staff are friendly and helpful and there is a small exhibit of old mining and farming equipment and a very nice native plant garden. Definitely worth the stop. read more

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Five stars for this Northern Nevada State park. Beautiful area with a very full lake. Trees and shrubs indicative of being on the "other side" of the mountains. Wild horses abound. Very peaceful with a warm summber breeze and a view of our snowcapped mountains on this July day. We ventured out to Little Washoe and the park attendants were not present, so no fee for our visit. Nice picnic benches along the water. Just read where you can get annual passes and if you are old like me, for a senior discount rate. Northern Nevada is abundant with beautiful areas such as Washoe Lake and lots of opportunities to fish, camp and hike. Just around the bend from South Reno on the way to Carson City. read more

Washoe Lake State Park - Lakes Near Me - Carson City, Nevada

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Best place to hike w/ your dogs in Northern Nevada. Leash up in the developed read but let them run once we get away from the crowds ( very few). South Lannding has great beach, nice path associated w/ the golf frisbee and unbelievable views of the Sierras. North Beach has great dune area and unique seasonal habitat open Aug -Feb in what appears to be old ranch. Little Washoe has great access just as you turn on East Lake Blvd from 395. Watch out for mustangs, especially early mornings . This area can be windy. Definitely a hike any time. read more

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Mud hole Memorial Day baby! This is strictly a review of the Little Washoe Lake day use area. Memorial Day weekend and the fam has the beach in the brain, but with a toddler and infant in tow, going the distance to find a place by Lake Tahoe or further to one of the alpine lakes just wasn't an option, so we thought we'd try here. I think Washoe Valley is beautiful, especially in early summer. Snow capped mountains with the greening of the hill sides and pastures is just breathtaking. You can see a lot of that from Little Washoe and the lake is pretty from a distance too, so it seems like it could be a good place to sit for a spell until you actually get down to the shores. We're in a low water year so the lake has receded a lot. The shores are extremely muddy and there are a lot of little water bugs flitting about. Due to the depth, the water is super warm, it's also very muddy, and since it doesn't get a lot of flow from anywhere, it's also pretty stagnant, making it a bad choice for swimming and Eve wading. The beach is covered in soft sand, which is pretty nice. Nice that is until you realize that it's mixed in with horse poop from the wild herd that roams the valley, inevitably using the lake and shores as their toilet. So in short, this is a part of the park that's good from far but far from good. If you're a toddler though, you won't care and you'll have a blast! On the whole I'd rate Washoe Lake State Park a solid 4 stars. More on that in the next review. read more

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It is beautiful and quite. Clean restrooms etc... Wild horses all around Dump station was closed the entire 2 weeks we were there otherwise I would have given 5 stars read more

Washoe Lake State Park - View from my front door - Lakes Near Me - Carson City, Nevada

Pass by this flat looking on the highway so many times. Didn't know it had hiking, beaches , campgrounds, bird wetland sanctuary, picnic areas and clean bathrooms. Depending where you park and do, it's $5 to park in the southern beach area. Put $5 in brown envelope, keep tab and place it on car dashboard. Beautiful scenery. Pretty well kept signs and placards. Lots of dogs, though some wetland areas the dogs need to be leashed. No swimming or boating. read more

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Love Washoe state park but has never been a "swimming" lake. Parasites cause rash and itching (swimmers itch). No warning signs at all. Used to have them posted everywhere! Check state park signs- swimming not on there! read more

Correction on the annual passes: I will say that this "little" place is one of my neighborhood blessings. $5 for daily use, $100 for your yearly state park pass for day use, (unless you are a disabled veteran or a senior, then it is $30 for theball access!) All access pass includes camping and boat launching is $250. This will get you into ALL OF THE NEVADA STATE PARKS. They have picnic benches on the beach as well as covered benches in the parking lot areas. They also have vaulted toilets near the boat launch side with running water. It is no Lake Tahoe and the water levels are WAY down, but if you have Littles, life jacket them up and come on over to splash around, enjoy the scenery and the decent water temperature . read more

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Amazing little state park. The camp host as this review was the best camp host we have ever dealt with and the park reflects. We have 43 foot motor home and the A loop has water and electric with almost every site being able to fit our rig. The park is nicely maintained and you can make reservations in advance. We only stayed one night but will add this place to our future adventures. A definately must do place. read more

On our Sunday Funday we had decided to venture out for another hiking adventure, on this particular early May day why not check out Washoe Lake...yep the one we have all driven by over and over as we venture to and from Reno to Carson for umpteen years. We laughed as both of us had done just that for far too long...so off on another hiking adventure we went, first pulling up the website: http://parks.nv.gov/parks/washoe-lake finding several hikes within Washoe Lake that we were totally unaware plus excited to explore: Beach Stroll = 2.7 miles Dune Trek = 2.4 miles South Loop = 2.5 miles Day Use Pathway = 0.4 miles East Loop = 3.8 miles Deadman's Creek Trail = 0.6 miles (this is the most popular) North Loop = 3.4 miles Wetlands Loop = 1.1 miles (with lookouts to see various foul) Paved Bicycle Path = 2.7 miles (ummm - this is on our next bicycling adventure) Upon arriving on this sunny yet windy May day, we entered the State Park on the east side paying our day use fee of only $5 - what a deal!! Then we drove around the park a bit to check things out, seeing the boat launch being utilized by locals, covered picnic table with BBQ areas with nearby restroom facilities, equestrian area for horse enthusiasts and the many different hiking trails throughout the park. We decided with our dogs in tow we would venture for the Beach Stroll that runs along the East Shore for 2.7 miles. The beach was exposed to the elements with sand dunes close by with some sporadic tree coverings along with a few locals enjoying paddle boarding, fishing, having a picnic and the beautiful surrounding area. We enjoyed our stroll along the lake, through the dunes and over along the South loop, we even went to have a look over in the Wetlands area to find currently they have signage up stating nesting was happening and that dogs were NOT allowed at this time - no biggie. Overall the views are scenic with easy flat hiking trails that are in the heart of Washoe Valley can get a wee bit warmer than I would like during the late Spring and Summer however it's close by for an early morning stretch the legs or a practice on your SUP, relax under the picnic area to have a BBQ, bird and hang glide watch and I have seen friends ice skate in the winter, heck I bet you could get a great workout snowshoeing around in here. Get out to explore would LOVE to see what trek or hike you find in and around Washoe Lake - I know they post Guided Hikes and Star Parties with the State Park Rangers throughout the year so be sure to check those out here: http://parks.nv.gov/events?child:park=1218 ENJOY everyone and #moveyourbody read more

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We came out to Washoe Lake today with the kids and the kayaks as an alternative to Tahoe. It's not Tahoe (but what other lake is, and we definitely weren't expecting it to be!), but it does offer beach area and the water is much warmer! We happened to be out at a windy time, and the waves were definitely kicking up. So much so that they pushed us to shore and made it difficult to get back out. Just added to our adventure! If you're like me and get weirded out by your feet touching things in water, definitely wear your water shoes. You can for sure feel grass on the bottom for a ways out! Many others were out today enjoying wind surfing, jet skis, kayaks, swimming. Everyone we met was friendly. Picnic tables and restrooms were available. We were only there for day use, so not sure what the camping set ups look like. Gorgeous scenery! read more

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If you love emptiness and solitude, you'll love Washoe Lake State Park. It's so empty that half the time the park isn't staffed to pay your $5 makes you wanna holler entrance fee. The camping spots were barely filled - maybe 4 spots taken. Not sure why people camp overnight here except for the fact that there is much emptiness and solitude and I would probably camp here, but not when it's 110 degrees. It would be like a Poor Man's Burning Man without the tutus or art. When my sister stopped to use a bathroom, an unkempt man driving a brand new Honda Civic asked her if she knew where he could find Howard Hughes or Michael Jackson and if she could help him find his parents. As of August 2015, we could not find the lake to dip our toes into. The funniest sign is one that says "Trail To Beach" which just leads to sage brush and sand. read more

Washoe Lake State Park - Lakes Near Me - Carson City, Nevada

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A "fav" campground--on a picturesque lake with sand dunes surrounded by mountians in high desert. Spacious sites, no electric hook up, RV/trailer/tent, with aromatic mint sage, sun cabana / picnic tables and fire pit. Occasional howling coyotes singing in the night. Stellar sun sets as the daylight sinks behind the mountains. Don't like the standard issue crummy state park push and hold shower heads and sink faucets in the bathrooms. Between Carson City (closer to) and Reno. Hiking trails ok, but I'll head to South Tahoe Lake for some great mountain biking and hiking. read more

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Great location and amazing views. Wild horses visit all the time. Huge park with lots to explore. Dedicated equestrian area for day use and camping. read more

Lots of fun and relaxing. Water is low and has lots of pollen in it. People in camp area are nice

This park is wonderful! It's fun seeing the small wild horses grazing and walking by the equestrians riding their horses. Our dogs stay on the leash, and are loving walking here! read more

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Well, unlike my friend Kara, we LOVE this park. Mostly because of the reasons she gives for NOT liking it. Not a lot of people visit the park, I think because of the obvious lack of shade trees. You bring your own shade, or use the picnic bench affairs under the shade structures. We come here with our travel trailer from our house in Carson City, and it's maybe 20 minutes away. It FEELS like we're hundreds of miles away - and that's why we go here. We never have to worry about finding a spot because it's rarely over 1/2 full. There are no hookups, water, or sewer at the sites, though they provide a dump site for use on your way out. There's water spigots in various spots around the park in the two distinct camping areas. The Loop "A" camping area has the larger RV accommodating sites, with some actually being pull-throughs. The Loop "B" area is more attuned to tent campers, though you can do either in either area. There's an area specially set aside for 'horse people', with horse watering and feeding accommodations. A horse path leads directly to the lake area from here. Nice if you are a horse aficionado (which I am NOT!). There are also rest rooms provided, with running hot and cold water, and, there are also showers! Hang gliders jump off McClellan, glide over Eastlake Blvd, and land in the park, in what's also a designated landing zone. Fliers of MASSIVE kites come here from all around (including the Bay Area) and launch their huge, colorful kites on windy days (which, as Kara mentioned, is almost EVERY day). There's a day use area, a group picnic area, and a boat launch. So basically, this state park has just about everything (except shade - ha) you could want or use. But, virtually nobody goes there. And that's the big draw for us. Now that I have my senior state park pass ($30/yr), and have spent two nights at the park, all other visits are free, including any and all OTHER state parks. What a deal!!! read more

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After three consecutive dry winters, northern Nevada has developed a mighty thirst. To view some bizarre effects of the drought, we drove 15 miles south of Reno to Washoe Lake State Park, and trekked the east shore of the shrinking lake. Like walking on a giant jigsaw puzzle, we crossed a massive interlocking network of polygonal mud cracks on the drying lake bed. We had to watch our step; however, to avoid the thousands of large dead fish, casualties of the declining water level. Centuries of persistent westerly winds blowing across the shallow lake bed have assembled a long ridge of sand dunes along the lake shore. Careful not to damage the dune structures and vegetation, we hiked a portion of the Dune Trek trail through the soft rippled sand. Our visit to the east shore of Washoe Lake reminded us of an ocean beach at extreme low tide. Only accessible during a drought, the exposed lake bed revealed strange features that will endure until northern Nevada can quench its mighty thirst. read more

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I hate to give just a three star review to this campground. But, it's the trash that started to come there. Trash that gets drunk and disturbs an entire campground, requiring the sheriff to come out at 3:00 AM, just to shut them up. Yet, even afterwards, they still moaned and complained 15 min afterwards. If this is what you want to be surrounded by and you're not trash, then steer clear of this beautiful desert park. Their flush toilets with hot showers (Loop A only) are trashed with toilet paper and who knows what, like the people that litter them. Though, if you're a die-hard, while most trash is not, then you can still enjoy the park during the week or during inclement weather. This park is geared towards the person who wants to camp, loves the desert, doesn't mind the wind and changing weather. Don't expect much shade except for the picnic areas and a few small, newly planted trees. After all, it's a desert campground. Remember, whether at home or camping, be courteous to your neighbor. Quiet down at 10:00 PM. No generators after 10:00 PM. And, if you're drinking with a buddy, remember, your voice can travel a lot more than you think. As is said in earlier postings. There are RV spots, tent spots and even a dump station. A few water spigots too boot read more

I didn't see where the kid's miners place was that I saw on here. So, this place has no trees to put your tent over, so if your fine with being in your tent with the sun beating down, than you will be alright. It is fun to drive up the road to this place and they have an area for people to ride horses, even a little arena. They have posts to tie your horses, and water troughs. We saw jackrabbits, which was the first time my daughter has seen them, sooo cute! Each site has a little overhang type thing, fire-pit and a table. There is a bathroom available There is a old boat ramp but since that area is dried up, they mainly use it for parking/picnics. Down towards the picnic area there is a small spot to drive, wouldn't recommend going on the dirt path if you have a car There are plenty of spots to camp, and decent on privacy due to all of the brush/weeds. read more

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Not recommended. Poorly run in regards to payments. Every day a ranger would come and ask if we paid. Blonde ranger took our cash payment yet they had to come and check daily very unprofessional. Unfriendly, loud bass, barking dogs at all hours. I felt that since I had a shaved head from MS that they were harassing us. read more

We camped here in January. It was cold. We loved it. So quiet and peaceful. The campsite had electrical hookup but the water was off for the winter. No sewer at site but there is a dump station. The sites are big and spread out so you are not right up next to other campers. There is a nice picnic table with shade for summer. The site are paved. I did not see one single piece of trash. The bathrooms are clean and there is a shower. Wild horses roam the campground. We saw owls at night and eagles during the day. The stars at night were beautiful. All the campers were quiet and respectful of each other. Close to lake. Tons of trails. All this and you are just minutes from Carson City if you feel the need for civilization. Not a lot of shade and it does get hot in the summer. read more

Washoe Lake, nice to see you full of water again! East Lake Blvd side of the lake was busy with people visiting you, picnic tables full and plenty of smiles to go around. Most of the picnic areas around the lake have bbq's and near by restrooms but some of the bbq areas are concerning because of all the brush near them which may cause a fire. Some of the bathrooms are flushing style and then there are a few that are camping style that are just pits so choose wisely if you prefer one over the other. There is tons of parking and if you're there for the day, the fee is $5.00 but a lot of times there is no attendant to take your fee and the use of the good ol' honor system is enforced by using one of the provided envelopes which you will keep the number tab portion to prove you paid and slip the envelope portion into the indicated slot. There are a lot of hiking trails and there is a camping ground but pretty primitive. I would say it's more for an RV style camping and there is no shade. read more

Washoe Lake State Park - Nothern part of the lake gets really windy in the afternoon/evening. - Lakes Near Me - Carson City, Nevada

Drove all the way out here and was honestly disappointed. Was expecting kind of a mini lake Tahoe in terms of scenery but it looked like a swamp in the middle of the desert. And you're not going to see anything you can't see from I-80. Skip. read more

We have never stopped at the park before. But our friend Mike is staying in his fifth wheel for a few days and is parked here. What I found was a very quiet spot with great views and very few people to bug ya. It is a dry camp for the most part so one depends upon ones self here. The showers and toilets are clean and there is a dump to take care of your unit before you leave. The main gate is manned at the time we were here by a very friendly woman. So if you do not need a lot to get by and really enjoy the quiet this is not a bad place at all. read more

I drive by this lake all the time. It seems an odd location for a state park. It's a lake and seems fun, sure. But, it's desolate, has no shade and seems to offer little to do other than sit around pondering the desolation. Like other reviewers have said, that's clearly part of the charm. You can park there and chill for a while. Step in the lake, picnic, fish, whatever. I guess people can launch boats, but I'm not sure that they ever do. I've never seen a boat on this lake. Considering it, I think the real charm is this: Because this place is a state park, the public will have continued access to the site. There will be no homes built there. State parks personnel can monitor it rather than it being a lower priority for Washoe County Sheriff's department. So, it remains public for us all to enjoy. I've liked the feeling being out here, on a lake, mostly just me and having a chance to really just let my mind wander. There's not really another spot in Northern Nevada, certainly not a lake of this size, that's as easily accessible that provides the same opportunity. It may be dry, windy and even boring, but I'm really glad that it's there. read more

We stayed at this camp ground last fall and again a few days ago. The campground is very nice and the facilities are kept up and clean. The lake is too low in water to recreate on and I think that's why this campground is so quiet. I think most of the folks use it as a stop over along the highway. It's close enough to Carson City so that you can enjoy the restaurants & bars on town without having to drive real far. We will be back here on OUR travels thru town. read more

Nice OPEN trails around the lake. Luna and I didn't walk to far, because this OPEN park is not one that peeks my interest to walk in the heat... We'll be back in the fall to check it out again.... read more

Beautiful place but very windy but make sure you have a fishing license though cops are nice but will give you a ticket even if your just messing around with a kiddy pole read more

I had a wonderful experience thus far in this park. The park rangers were incredibly friendly and helpful. This is especially true for Jennifer Dawson (JDawson@hdiss.net, 775-687-4319) whom I had a wonderful conversation about the park and things to do in the area. The park has a very friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Each camping site has a picnic table and grill. There are nice showers as well. The park is easily accessible- only about 5 miles away from Carson City, and about 25 miles south of Reno. read more

Washoe Lake State Park - Sunset over the park! - Lakes Near Me - Carson City, Nevada

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Great views from the campground and plenty to do - fishing, boating, jet skiing. There's also a frisbee golf area and a group picnic area.

Went here for the first time ever today. I was born and raised in Carson city, so I know it seems strange. Very pleasant park.

We'd have a hard time finding a better group camping area than this one. Their Pagoda area can fit over a hundred comfortably, has a kitchen area with running water and electricity. There are lights and the path is lit. A private restroom and all a short walk down to the beach. We're going to start booking the areas we want to use every single year as soon as it opens. Heck... say camping and hot showers together and people who normally hate to camp will give it a shot. Additionally, the team is amazing. The manager and every single staff person has been helpful, polite and consistent to the rules, but not using them to prevent good events. They have firewood available in decent quantities for fair prices (it is worth just asking them to deliver some and donating to skip the process of loading and hauling firewood). They take great care of the park, plant, water and care for things in timely manners. When trees age and die they remove them and then they replace them. The work they do on the budge they have is downright miraculous. read more

This Nevada State park at washoe lake is a good place to stay and the last time I was there which was about a year ago there was free hot showers read more

We stayed at the beginning and end of our 16 day camping trip to NV and CA. The surroundings are peaceful and beautiful. Lot's of space between sites. The grounds were very well kept. We enjoyed it very much. read more

Wife and I like camping here because it is close and quiet. There isn't a lot to do as of September 2015 with zero water. No sites have a lot of shade, some have a bit if they have trees. All sites have some. The Rangers we have talked to were super nice. read more

Little Washoe Lake is a treasure. Thank you for cleaning it up recently.