Nevada is known for its gambling megacenters, Las Vegas and Reno, but there's much more to this vast state than gambling and bright lights. In fact, most of Nevada is relatively dark at night, with endless opportunities to fall asleep under a million stars at one of its 24 state parks or any number of its private RV parks and campgrounds.
Nevada is known as the "Silver State" because of silver's importance to the state's history. Learn more about how silver affected the state's economy at the Historic Carson City Mint Exhibit at the Nevada State Museum in Carson City. Mining also plays an essential role in the state's economy, with gold being the most mined substance. Visit Tonopah Historic Mining Park, where you can step back in time and experience what it was like to live in the mining town at the beginning of the 20th century during the Nevada mining boom.
In rural Nevada, cattle ranching is big business, with an estimated 500,000 head of cattle throughout the state in 2006. During your trip to Nevada, make time to learn what it's like living and working on a cattle ranch. The Cottonwood Guest Ranch is a working cattle ranch in Wells, in the remote northeastern corner of Nevada. Guests at the ranch can hike, mountain bike, bird-watch, fish, and even participate in some ranch chores.
In 1931, the Union Pacific Boulder City branch was created to build the Boulder Dam. Learn about this exciting time in Nevada's history by visiting the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City.
Great Basin National Park covers 200,00 square miles of land and is bordered by the Sierra Nevada Mountain and Wasatch Mountain ranges. Its diverse land includes mountain trails, limestone caves, alpine snowfields, and marshes. Hikers up for a moderate challenge should put on their hiking boots and hit the Lexington Arch trail to view a six-story limestone arch. Check the weather before coming to this national park because the conditions change quickly.
At 282 feet below sea level, Death Valley National Park is approximately 130 miles from Las Vegas and one of the hottest places on earth during the summer. Visitors who come to the park during the spring might get a spectacular wildflower show when the valley's purple flowers bloom. If you plan to hike trails like the 3.6-mile Desolation Canyon Trail or the 2.0 Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes Trail bring lots of water and consider hiking at around sunrise or sunset.
Lassen Volcanic National Park is about 100 miles from Reno. This is one of the most underrated and least-visited national parks, which means fewer crowds and more wide-open spaces for visitors to immerse themselves in exploring bubbling mud pots, geysers, and teaming fumaroles — from a distance. One of the most popular hiking trails in the park is the five-mile Lassen Peak Trail, with a 2,000-foot elevation change and many switchbacks. If hiking isn't your thing, head to the towns of Chester and Mineral for plenty of shopping opportunities and a bite to eat at the Mineral Lodge Restaurant.
Valley of Fire State Park in the Mojave Desert is a short 50-mile drive from Las Vegas. The state park gets its name from the bright red Aztec sandstone found throughout the park. Visitors enjoy picnicking throughout the park in areas such as the even Sisters and the Cabins picnic area. Many come to the park to hike its array of trails varying in length and terrain. Popular trails at the park include Rainbow Vista Trail and Prospect Trail.
Cathedral Gorge State Park lies in a long, narrow valley in eastern Nevada, one mile north of the town of Panaca. The park is a wonderful location for wildlife viewing, with some of its most notable animal residents being black-tailed jackrabbits, gophers, mule deer, coyotes, and kit foxes. Photography enthusiasts enjoy taking photos of the scenic canyon and its unique patterns in soft bentonite clay. There are plenty of trails to hike, including shorter trails around spires and cave-life formations.
With its waterfalls, flowing streams, and juniper and ponderosa forests, Beaver Dam State Park isn't a park to pass up. It encompasses over 2,000 acres and was established as a national park by the Nevada Legislature in 1935. Within its deep canyons and thick woodlands, wildlife lovers might catch sight of coyotes, bobcats, wild turkeys, or even an elusive mountain lion. Stay a couple of nights at one of the two campgrounds and plan to hike one of the park's popular trails, such as the Beaver Wash Dam Trail or the Oak Knoll Trail.
Burning Man Festival - Held yearly in Black Rock City, Nevada from the end of August to the beginning of September, Burning Man is one of America's most unique and widely attended festivals celebrating inclusion and self-expression.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway South Point 400 - Motocross fans can see all their favorite drivers this weekend in October.
World Human Powered Speed Challenge - Watch engineers and cyclists test the limits of human-powered speed during this free event held in September in Battle Mountain, Nevada.
If you need to store your RV, check out US Storage Centers, just 10 minutes from downtown Las Vegas on Glen Avenue. The storage facility provides 24-hour video surveillance and offers outdoor RV parking. Long-term storage fees start at $121.50 per month, depending on the size of the RV.
For cheaper RV storage options with coded gate entry, 24-hour digital video security, and full perimeter fencing, consider parking your RV at Spring Creek in Elko. Parking rates start at $45 a month, and you can make all your payments online.
Red Rock Canyon is the perfect blend of wildlife and nightlife west of Las Vegas. With plenty of campgrounds in the area, RVers can hike and rock climb during the day, and then catch a show in Vegas or chow down at the buffets at one of the casinos.
The Old Las Vegas Fort Mormon is an interactive fort with many historical artifacts displayed for visitors. It was the first permanent, non-Native settlement in the area and, in the early 1950s, made into a state historic park.
Want to learn more about the early American rail system? Check out the East Ely Depot and get a taste of what it was like to travel by train. The depot's museum gives visitors access to the old freight house and the short-line headquarters office. There are also many coaches, bunk houses, and other train memorabilia.
RVers wanting to camp in luxury choose Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort. The RV resort has everything you'd expect from a five-star hotel, including an on-site restaurant, an 18-hole golf course, and a beachfront family pool. The resort is secured 24 hours and isn't far from Las Vegas's top attractions like the Hoover Dam and the famous Las Vegas Strip.
If you're visiting Cathedral Gorge State Park, reserve one of the 22 campsites with 30 and 50-amp electrical and water hookups. Both back-in and pull-in sites are available. Visitors vacationing with limited RV amenities will appreciate the campground's flush toilets and showers.
Valley of Fire State Park also has comparable campsites. The park's two campgrounds have a combined 72 sites. Each site has shaded tables, grills, and water. Restrooms, a dump station, and restrooms are on-site.
Motorhomes are divided into Class A, B, and C vehicles. On average expect to pay $185 per night for Class A, $149 per night for Class B and $179 per night for Class C.
Do you need to be a certain age to rent an RV in Nevada?Yes. The minimum age is 25 to be eligible to get an RV Rental in Nevada from RVshare.
Does RVshare have emergency roadside assistance?Yes. Every RV rental booked through RVshare receives 24/7 emergency roadside assistance.
Does RVshare offer one way RV rentals in Nevada?Yes. Prior to renting any RV, check with the owner since not all will offer this particular option.
