Rye Patch State Recreation Area — Attraction in Lovelock

If you have never camped at Rye Patch reservoir you are missing a very remarkable spot. Before the reservoir was constructed the Humbolt river was part of the immigrant trail and Big Meadows (Lovelock) was a major stopping point before crossing the 40 mile desert or heading north on the Oregon trail.

The Humbolt River was also a vital resource for steam locomotives on the transcontinental railroad, completed on May 10, 1869. This monumental project connected the existing eastern rail network to the West Coast, drastically reducing cross-country travel time from months to about a week and fostering American expansion and trade.

The dam and reservoir were completed in the 1930's. Rye Patch became a Nevada State Recreation Area in 1971 after being operated by Pershing County’s Water Conservation District and Parks Department.

If you are not from the area, I would consider camping here very rustic. Also, the climate can change from warm and sunny to cold and cloudy during the spring and fall. Summers are very warm so the lake offers great boating opportunities. Fising can be really good on both the river and at the reservoir. There are also endless miles of off roading, gold prospecting, hiking and hunting opportunities (chukar, duck, turkey, quail, pheasant). No hunting is allowed in the State Park.

You can make reservations online with the State of Nevada Parks Department. There are two separate campgrounds, one on the Humbolt river below the dam called the River Campground and another next to the boat launch called the West Side Campground. They do a great job of keeping the campgrounds and restrooms clean. The bathrooms have flush toilets and several camp sites offer power and water and one with full hookups. There is also a nice dump station with plenty of access.

Lovelock is only 20 miles away if you need groceries or you can order pizza at Gold Diggers Saloon down the road and get fuel, ice and drinks at the Chevron truck stop about 5 miles away.

If you get bored, there is plenty to explore in the surrounding hills. The old mining town of Unionville is about a 45 minute drive and worth exploring. Samuel Clemens, later known as Mark Twain briefly lived there and prospect for gold in 1862. He and his brother Orion bought a small claim in Unionville, but it was not successful. Twain later recounted his mining experiences in his book "Roughing It". Sandra Bullock is rumored to have spent some quiet time in Unionville in one of the beautiful properties situated along Big creek.

Not far from Unionville is the Safe Haven Wildlife Sanctuary which spans 320 acres and is home to a diverse range of animals, including lions, tigers, bears, bobcats, and various bird species. The facility offers educational programs and tours to the public, aiming to raise awareness about wildlife conservation and the challenges faced by...

Please read if you are planning on camping here in June/July and/or hate spiders. I love Rye Patch! This was my second time going, the first time was last October and we had no issue. This time however, the dog woods were dumping fluff everywhere and the cheat grass got into everything. There are TONS of spiders, my tent practically became a science lesson on the different species of Nevada spiders on the last night we were there and i ended up sleeping in the car. I couldve toughed it out if it werent for the very large and aggressive spiders that would charge me every time i tried to go in. We all got tons of mosquito and (potentially) spider bites. We ended up bailing out and staying in a hotel for the last night of our reservation because of all this combined with the heat. On the other hand, theres two species of really cool lizards that are everywhere and theres some not aggressive wild turkeys that wander around camp! The bathrooms are clean but have a lot of bugs in the early mornings and get hot/humid especially the ones with the flush toilets since there are two showers. The group camp sites look SO FUN and would be super awesome if you’re planning on bringing kiddos! i think theres 3 or 4 of them and they are only $25/night i believe! Theres even one right on the reservoir with direct beach access (shared with day use but still cool)! The bar is super fun and such a vibe but may not be the best place to bring your kids even though they allow minors and serve food, the locals are so nice and fun to talk to which is not what you expect in such a small isolated town! Overall i really love Rye Patch and am planning on going there again later in the year but i will never ever ever camp there this time...

Camping at Rye Patch is unique. Just a short distance from Interstate 80 about 20 miles east of Lovelock, Nevada, you'll find a great campground located in a micro-climate surrounding the reservoir.

Busy with my camping activities I spotted several deer grazing across the river. Large geese honked and appeared to gather on the hills nearby. Numerous large herons (I'm not a birder) nested in trees along the river, and wild turkeys gobbled in early morning.

Schools of 2- to 3-foot long fish were seen in the clear water. None of those camping near me could identify what the fish were. They appeared to be a brownish color and evidently, based on size and number. the fish are eating good in the neighborhood!

I didn't visit other parts of the camping and park areas. But what I saw was well maintained and handled our group of about 400 fraternity brothers.

From what I saw, the campground surely rates a return visit on...