Washoe Lake State Park Campground — Hotel in Washoe Valley CCD

We stopped in here for a couple of nights on our way home because it was convenient to the highway. We were in the 'A' loop, which is electric/water. The 'B' loop is dry camping. Our site was level asphalt, long and wide. Every site has a metal ramada with a large low roof which actually protects the table from wind and rain. We had no trouble backing in and setting up. There are some trees and lots of scrub brush, providing some privacy. If you have to dry camp there is plenty of open sky for solar. Bathrooms were not clean. Some smelled like cigarette smoke, probably from the camp host in the site next to us. And no one cleans above the 5ft level. A-Loop has 2 showers, large open rooms with no curtains so your clothes get wet. Restrooms have poor ventilation as demonstrated by the water soaked ceilings with peeling paint and crumbling drywall. Showers have a skylight and one 40-watt light so you might want to shower during daylight. Like many parks, the signage is lacking. Driving around the park the signs only face incoming traffic, and there are no exit signs in case of emergency. We found a couple of references to a "visitors center" but it is NOT on any of the maps. We eventually drove over to the park headquarters across the street (outside the park) and found a small, maybe 200sqft, visitors center. There is very little parking there and no way for RV's to get in or out. The VC has a few displays and a couple of items for sale, no cash. When we walked in the employee turned on the lights on the displays for us. Obviously they don't get many visitors. There is a trail head across the street from the group picnic area called Deadman's Creek Trail. But no signs to it from inside the park. We did the hike to the top of the hill where there is a gazebo. Trail is poorly marked and maintained. Overgrown in some parts where obviously hasn't been touched in years. They have a day use area, picnic tables, grass, a beach and a small boat ramp. Don't take RV's or trailers down to the day use as turning around would be difficult to impossible. Even in the boat ramp parking. They have wifi here which you have to pay for, I didn't use. I had trouble with their online reservation system. When I cancelled a reservation for Big Bend State Park, it cancelled all my reservations, including here. Then would not let me place a new reservation. I had to call and then found that they had blocked my account. Took a half...

Certainly a most desirable place to camp and one we will remember fondly. It took awhile for us to finally get in there, as there are only 24 hook up sites I believe and there are no reservations taken ahead. It’s only a first come first serve basis. Admittedly that means competition. One guy strapped himself to a picnic table and had a bat in his hand in order to stake out his spot! Lol

Having said that, when you do get in, there isn’t much to dislike. The spaces are all different so it’s the luck of the draw which size and shape you get. No custom fits. If you can live with that, let me tell you, the desert and mountain views and sunsets make it all worth it.

Be advised the WiFi is no good at all. It’s only water and electricity in park A, not sewer. There is a dump station near the ranger station entrance. Also there is second park (B) where B has no hookups. Just parking spots. That’s like maybe the overflow area?

Again be advised that you never know what you’re going to get. But we did hit the jackpot with a nicely shaded spot at the back we snagged. If a tenter got it first, we might have had to stay in a small site even though our rig is 35’. Even a small van is allowed we noticed. No custom fits.

But I still say it was one of our better camping experiences. We loved the evening walks in the desert with the free roaming ponies. Real camping. No frills just...

We came to Washoe Lake SP en route to the Pacific coast, with SUP paddling high on our list of priorities. The park was billed as a great place for water sports. Our first evening we took a stroll along the water, which ran murky and dark along the shore. A little research let us know that the lake was toxic. The park has no literature mentioning water quality. There are signs saying no cooking in the bathroom, but nothing about the toxic lake. We camped in B Loop, and to everyone’s credit we barely heard a generator. The bathroom, though, was hard to take. The Stalin-era bathhouse has three bathrooms and a shower done up in turn of the century prison motif. There’s a filthy light bulb in a recess of the ceiling to little positive effect. There’s a handy hole in the wall for garbage, directed to the utility room, where, theoretically, someone working could keep a close eye on you while using the bathroom. At least they don’t provide soap. The dump station was out of commission for the duration of our stay, requiring us to hook up and head to town to dump. This is apparently a common occurrence. If the park has some purpose, it remains shrouded in mystery. Spend some money and show some respect for...