USDA Forest Service · California
Lookout Campground
USDA Forest Service · California, United States
- Sites
- 20
- Hookups
- 18 no hookups
- Season
- June 28 to September 30
- Max RV length
- 50 ft
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 6,801 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 3
- Cell coverage
- Verizon weak · AT&T good · T-Mobile none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- LOOKOUT CAMPGROUND (NFSR 31008) · bituminous surface treatment · moderate degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Headquarters
- Nearest town
- Carson City, Nevada
- Address
- 1536 South Carson Street, Carson City, Nevada, CA, 89701
- Phone
- (775) 882-2766
- Activities
- Camping
18 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Lookout Campground is located on the California/Nevada border just west of Reno, Nevada. It sits at an elevation of 6,770 feet in a large aspen grove. It is not a highly developed campground, but it is considered a secret hideaway by those lucky enough to know about this remote gem.
Recreation
Adjacent to the campground is 'Crystal Peak', which can be accessed by vehicle or a short hike. This area is also popular for off-highway vehicles, wildlife viewing, and hunting opportunities.
Facilities
This campground has 17 first-come, first-served campsites (including two double sites) and one reservable group picnic area that can accommodate up to 100 people. Each campsite has a picnic table, fire ring, grill, and tent pad. There are four vault toilets and trash service. There are no electric hookups and no dump stations. Trailers and RVs should be limited to 15 feet in length (however, two sites could accommodate up to 30 foot lengths). To ensure that campfires are extinguished completely, there is non-potable water available on site (no drinking water available). Please bring your own firewood as none is available on site.
Natural Features
Visitors to this campground will be surrounded by a lush aspen, pine, and fir forest. Sites are well spaced to afford visitors plenty of privacy.
Nearby Attractions
Crystal Peak is known for its impressive crystal formations. Dog Valley and Peavine Mountain are popular off-highway vehicle and mountain biking areas. The American Discovery Trail also runs through this area.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 36° | 20° | 3° | 52° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 36° | 19° | 2° | 53° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 39° | 23° | 2° | 70° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 47° | 27° | 4° | 60° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 59° | 36° | 22° | 72° | 6 of 11 |
| June | 72° | 44° | 30° | 87° | 2 of 11 |
| July | 83° | 52° | 41° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 80° | 53° | 46° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 71° | 47° | 35° | 81° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 61° | 36° | 24° | 73° | 7 of 10 |
| November | 46° | 29° | 10° | 66° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 37° | 22° | 6° | 54° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Sardine Peak Lookout · USDA Forest Service · 7 mi · 1 sites
- Emigrant Group · USDA Forest Service · 8 mi · 6 sites
- Logger Campground · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi · 205 sites
- Bear Valley Campground · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi
- Boyington Mill · USDA Forest Service · 11 mi · 13 sites
All public campgrounds in California · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.