With the dramatic backdrop of the Schell Creek Range, this campground offers a quiet desert setting for a getaway with your horse. The Cleve Creek Campground is a rustic Bureau of Land Management recreation site that makes the perfect basecamp to access the surrounding foothills and canyons. Located less than an hour from Ely, the free, first come-first serve campground is accessible but still feels remote.
Campground
Cleve Creek Campground has 12 campsites spread out on either side of a creek lined with big poplar and cottonwood trees. Some of the sites are pull through, some are not, so definitely look at the campground map first. There is one large group site. Some of the sites have shade structures and all have picnic tables and fire rings. There are two vault toilets and a few trashcans. The group site has a large stone grill and fireplace. (Don’t miss the hand drawn map of Nevada on the back!)
To horse camp here you’ll need to bring your own portable panels or electric line. The campground does have an old four-stall contraption with a trough, which apparently was designed to tie horses to for the night. But, I can’t imagine most folks want to use that nowadays. There is plenty of space to set up your own containment system, depending on which campsite you take.
Some of the sites have easy access to the creek for horse water, but you should plan to bring water. There is no potable water onsite. The campground is definitely used, but not overly popular. You should have no problem finding a site, even on a weekend. Think twice if you have a really large gooseneck/LQ trailer – some of the turns are a little tight.
Trails
You can ride in any direction from camp. There are old roads that wind along the foothills with great views of Spring Valley (including the giant wind warm) and the Snake Range to the east. It’s mostly open desert riding and rolling hills dotted with junipers. All the roads are pretty rocky so boots or shoes recommended.
If you follow the road west from camp, you can cross over into the High Schells Wilderness. There is a cattle guard with a cowboy gate at the wilderness boundary. You can ride several miles up the canyon road to get to some backcountry Forest Service trails. Alternatively, you can haul up the canyon – but there is a water crossing and the road is not recommended for large trailers.
The trails high in the canyon (Kolcheck Trail and North Fork Cleve Creek Trail) are tough pack trails, with lots of elevation ascent and descent.
Keep an eye open for mule deer and elk as well as dusky grouse and sage grouse. Also, be warned: There are skunks living along the creek and they LOVE unsecured garbage.
