Top Backpacking Trails in Nevada
13 routes. Each page shows when we last checked it. Updated October 2026.
Backpacking in Nevada means mountain ranges rising out of desert basins. The trips on this site cover the Carson Range above Lake Tahoe, the Ruby Mountains southeast of Elko, the Snake Range in and near Great Basin National Park, the Toiyabe Range in central Nevada, and the Spring Mountains and Sheep Range near Las Vegas. They range from lake basin overnights, like Lamoille Lake to Liberty Lake and the Baker and Johnson Lakes Loop, to long crest routes such as the roughly 38-mile Ruby Crest Trail and the 63-mile Toiyabe Crest Trail.
Water is the main planning problem. Several routes have long dry stretches, including the crest of the Ruby Crest Trail and the Tahoe Rim Trail between Spooner Summit and Kingsbury, and desert springs such as Wood Spring on the Bonanza Trail can run dry. Snow sets the season up high: Hiking Project says snow usually closes the Ruby Crest Trail from November to May. In the desert, the Desert National Wildlife Refuge warns of summer flash floods.
Camping is mostly dispersed on national forest land, but rules vary by managing agency. Great Basin National Park requires a free permit for the Baker and Johnson Lakes Loop, Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park allows camping only in three backcountry campgrounds, and the Tahoe Rim Trail Association says bear canisters are required trail-wide.
In 2026, storm-repair closures continue in the Spring Mountains, and road work closed upper Lamoille Canyon to cars. Check agency alerts before you go.
Quick picks
- Longest trip: Toiyabe Crest National Recreation Trail
- Short alpine lake overnight: Lamoille Lake to Liberty Lake (Ruby Mountains)
- National park loop: Baker Lake and Johnson Lake Loop
- Tahoe Rim Trail high point: Tahoe Rim Trail: Mount Rose Summit to Brockway Summit (Relay Peak)
- Historic cabin camp: Hidden Forest Cabin and Hayford Peak
Central Nevada
- Arc Dome Wilderness: Twin Rivers Loop Arc Dome Wilderness, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Austin-Tonopah Ranger District (Toiyabe Range, north of Tonopah) 13 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping; no designated sites
- Toiyabe Crest National Recreation Trail Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Austin-Tonopah Ranger District, and Arc Dome Wilderness (Toiyabe Range, between Austin and Tonopah) 63 miles Hard Dispersed camping; no designated sites or campgrounds on the trail
Great Basin
- Baker Lake and Johnson Lake Loop Great Basin National Park (near Baker) 11.7 miles Hard Backcountry camping by free permit (required on this loop); no designated sites
- Mount Moriah via Hendrys Creek and The Table Mount Moriah Wilderness, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and BLM (northern Snake Range, near Baker) 19 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping; no designated sites
Lake Tahoe
- Tahoe Rim Trail: Mount Rose Summit to Brockway Summit (Relay Peak) Mount Rose Wilderness and the north rim of the Tahoe Basin (Mount Rose Highway, Nevada, to Highway 267 at Brockway Summit, California) 20.2 miles Hard Dispersed, near the trail; no wilderness permit
- Tahoe Rim Trail: Spooner Summit to Kingsbury North (South Camp Peak) Carson Range above the east shore of Lake Tahoe (U.S. 50 at Spooner Summit to Kingsbury Grade, near Stateline) 12.9 miles Moderate Dispersed, near the trail on established sites; dry camping
- Tahoe Rim Trail: Tahoe Meadows to Spooner Summit (Marlette Peak) Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park and national forest land in the Carson Range (Mount Rose Highway to U.S. 50, east shore of Lake Tahoe) 24.1 miles Hard Designated campground only (Marlette Peak) between Tunnel Creek and Spooner Summit; free, no reservations
Northeast Nevada
- Lamoille Lake to Liberty Lake (Ruby Mountains) Ruby Mountains Wilderness, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (top of Lamoille Canyon, southeast of Elko) 8.4 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping on established sites; no permit
- Overland Lake from Ruby Valley (Ruby Mountains) Ruby Mountains Wilderness, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (east side of the range, Ruby Valley) 11.4 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping at the lake; no permit
- Ruby Crest National Recreation Trail Ruby Mountains Wilderness, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (Lamoille Canyon to Harrison Pass, southeast of Elko) 38 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping; no permit
Southern Nevada
- Bonanza Trail Mt. Charleston Wilderness, Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (Lee Canyon to Cold Creek) 16 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping; no designated sites
- Hidden Forest Cabin and Hayford Peak Desert National Wildlife Refuge, Sheep Range (north of Las Vegas) 12 miles Hard Backcountry camping allowed on the refuge; camping near the historic cabin
- North Loop Trail to Charleston Peak Mt. Charleston Wilderness, Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (northwest of Las Vegas) 20.5 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping; no designated sites
Backpacking in Nevada: common questions
Do you need a permit to backpack in Nevada?
It depends on the area. Great Basin National Park requires a free backcountry permit from a visitor center for any overnight camping on the Baker and Johnson Lakes Loop, while registration elsewhere in the park is voluntary. The Forest Service says no wilderness permit is required in the Mount Rose Wilderness, and no permit requirement was found for the Ruby Mountains, the Toiyabe Crest Trail, or the Desert National Wildlife Refuge. On the Tahoe Rim Trail, the Tahoe Rim Trail Association asks hikers to carry a free California Campfire Permit to use a stove, even in Nevada, so check with the managing agency before you go.
When is the best time to backpack in Nevada?
For the high ranges, usually summer through fall. Hiking Project says snow usually closes the Ruby Crest Trail from November to May and can linger high into July, and Great Basin National Park says its gravel roads, including Baker Creek Road, close in winter. Guides recommend September or October for Mount Moriah, when the Hendrys Creek crossings are lower, while the Desert National Wildlife Refuge warns of flash floods during the summer monsoon. Fall hunting seasons overlap with these trips, so wear bright colors and check Nevada Department of Wildlife dates.
Where do you find water on Nevada backpacking trips?
Water is often the hardest part of planning. Guides describe about 8 to 11 dry miles on the Ruby Crest Trail, the Tahoe Rim Trail Association lists no reliable water between Spooner Summit and Kingsbury North, and Wood Spring on the Bonanza Trail is described as unreliable. On the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, the Fish and Wildlife Service says to carry at least a gallon per person per day and allows visitors to use only Wiregrass Spring near Hidden Forest Cabin. Treat all water and confirm sources with the managing agency.
Can you have a campfire while backpacking in Nevada?
Often not. Great Basin National Park never allows fires above 10,000 feet, including at Baker and Johnson Lakes, the Tahoe Rim Trail Association says campfires are prohibited along the Tahoe Rim Trail, and the Fish and Wildlife Service bans campfires in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge backcountry. In 2026, Stage 1 fire restrictions on the Carson Ranger District and in northeast Nevada, including the Ruby Mountains, run through October 31 unless rescinded, and they allow only gas or liquid-fuel stoves outside developed sites. Bring a stove and check current restrictions.
Do you need a bear canister in Nevada?
On the Tahoe Rim Trail, yes: the Tahoe Rim Trail Association says all food and scented items must be stored in an approved hard-sided bear canister throughout the trail since January 2024. Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park provides bear-resistant food boxes at its Marlette Peak, Hobart, and North Canyon backcountry campgrounds. No food storage orders were found for the other trips on this site, but storing food carefully still keeps rodents and other animals out of it.
Are any Nevada backpacking areas closed in 2026?
Some are. In the Spring Mountains, Forest Service Order 04-17-25-04 closes the Upper Bristlecone Trail and the Upper Kyle Canyon area for storm repairs through May 12, 2027, and Lamoille Canyon Road in the Ruby Mountains has been closed to vehicles above Lions Camp since mid-September 2026 for road work. Nevada State Parks lists a Hobart construction closure in the Spooner backcountry, and the Forest Service closed the Angel Lake campground and day-use area for the season on September 8, 2026, for dam construction. Check the managing agency's alerts page before any trip.
Where this comes from
- NPS: Great Basin National Park alerts and conditions (updated Oct. 14, 2026)
- NPS: Great Basin backcountry regulations
- USFS: Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest alerts
- USFS: Area, Road, and Trail Closures, Spring Mountains NRA (Order 04-17-25-04)
- USFS: Mt. Rose Wilderness
- BLM: Stage 1 fire restrictions begin in northeast Nevada (2026)
- Nevada State Parks: Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park
- Tahoe Rim Trail Association: Rules and permits
- Tahoe Rim Trail Association: Current trail conditions
- USFWS: Desert National Wildlife Refuge rules and policies