Is South Fork Campground first-come first-served or reservation?

South Fork Campground accepts online reservations. We recommend booking in advance, especially during peak season (typically summer weekends). Use campsite alerts to get notified when spots become available.

Can I see photos of campsites at South Fork Campground before I book?

Yes! South Fork Campground has 7 campsite photos on Outdoorithm, contributed by campers who've stayed there. Browse real photos of individual sites to see what to expect before you reserve. You can also add your own photos after your trip to help the next family plan theirs.

What is the best time to visit South Fork Campground?

South Fork Campground is open Open year-round (per secondary sources). The best time to visit depends on your preferences—summer offers the warmest weather and most activities, while spring and fall provide fewer crowds and milder temperatures. Check current conditions before your trip.

Are there showers at South Fork Campground?

South Fork Campground does not have shower facilities. Plan accordingly—nearby alternatives may include day-use areas or towns.

Can I have a campfire at South Fork Campground?

Fire policies at South Fork Campground: Sites include fire rings; visitors must follow current Nevada State Parks fire restrictions and any local fire danger closures.. Always check current fire restrictions before your trip, as conditions change seasonally.

Is there cell service at South Fork Campground?

Cell phone service at South Fork Campground is generally available. Cell service is available. Coverage may vary by carrier and exact location within the campground.

How many campsites does South Fork Campground have?

South Fork Campground has 25 campsites. Sites vary in size, privacy, and amenities. Check availability online to find the best site for your needs.

Are dogs allowed at South Fork Campground?

Pets are not allowed at South Fork Campground. This policy helps protect local wildlife and other campers. Consider nearby pet-friendly campgrounds if traveling with animals.

What amenities are available at South Fork Campground?

South Fork Campground offers: Restrooms, Dump Station, Electrical Hookups. See our detailed campground page for the full list of facilities and features.

What activities can I do at South Fork Campground?

Popular activities at South Fork Campground include Hiking, Fishing, Swimming, Biking, Boating, Wildlife Viewing. The surrounding area offers plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities for all skill levels.

South Fork Campground

4.50

18 reviews

Top 15% in NVSummer

BReport Card

Scenic ViewsSwimmingSummer Destination

Featured in:Boating Camping Nevada Fishing Camping Nevada

Quick Facts

5,266 ft

Price

Varies

Booking

Reservable

Sites

25 campsites

Season

Year-round

Cell

Has Service

Pets

Check Policy

Electric

Book on Nevada State Parks (Department of Conservation and Natural Resources)Official Website

Get Directions

Quick Facts

5,266 ft

Price

Varies

Booking

Reservable

Sites

25 campsites

Season

Year-round

Cell

Has Service

Pets

Check Policy

Electric

Book on Nevada State Parks (Department of Conservation and Natural Resources)Official Website

Get Directions

South Fork Campground

No fees available

Campsite Fees

Camping: $15.00 per vehicle, per night (Non-NV Vehicles: $20.00 per vehicle, per night) + $10.00 for sites with utility hook ups Powersites available...

No paid fee categories listed.

Get Notified When Available

We'll monitor this campground and alert you the moment sites become available.

Free to start · paid plans add 2-min scans

256,000+ sites monitored · Email alerts to start; SMS and in-app with an account

Learn more about alerts →

Share this campground

Nevada State Parks

Provider

(775) 684-2770

I manage this campground

Ask Camp Sage about South Fork Campground

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Campground Map

South Fork Campground

40.6765, -115.7523

Nearby supplies

Town of Spring Creek

Weather at South Fork Campground

Best Time to Camp at South Fork Campground

Summer delivers the warmest window for water recreation. Daytime highs reach the 80s and low 90s, ideal for swimming, boating, and shoreline fishing. Long daylight hours and calm evenings make lakeside dinners and Ruby Mountain hikes especially pleasant. Expect busy weekends and filled sites, so arrive early. Check for fire restrictions during hot, dry spells. Winter temperatures drop to the 20s, opening the frozen reservoir for ice fishing and surrounding terrain for cross-country skiing. Wind remains a factor year-round.

Best

Summer(Jun-Aug)

4.5 / 5

Top 15% in NV

Summer is prime for swimming, boating and fishing; highs in the 80s–90s.

Planning Tips

Operating Season: Open year-round (per secondary sources)

About South Fork Campground

Coyote Cove sits on the southwest shore of South Fork Reservoir at 5,266 feet, where 25 first-come sites line the water beneath the Ruby Mountains. Each site includes a picnic table, fire ring, and wind block screen. Vault toilets and a dump station cover the basics. No drinking water or showers on-site.

Open camping area with approximately 25 sites along Coyote Cove and Jet Ski Beach; includes at least one reservable group site and sites that can accommodate larger RVs (one site supports up to 40 ft).

Weather and SeasonsSummer delivers the warmest window for water recreation. Daytime highs reach the 80s and low 90s, ideal for swimming, boating, and shoreline fishing. Long daylight hours and calm evenings make lakeside dinners and Ruby Mountain hikes especially pleasant. Expect busy weekends and filled sites, so arrive early. Check for fire restrictions during hot, dry spells. Winter temperatures drop to the 20s, opening the frozen reservoir for ice fishing and surrounding terrain for cross-country skiing. Wind remains a factor year-round.

Natural Features and SceneryThe campground occupies a narrow shoreline strip where the Lamoille Valley opens to South Fork Reservoir. The Ruby Mountains rise directly behind the lake, their snow-capped ridges visible from most sites. Meadowlands and rolling hills dotted with scattered trees frame the camping area. Mule deer, kit foxes, beavers, badgers, ducks, and geese frequent the shoreline and grasslands. Wind sweeps across the open water constantly, even when the wind screens are in place.

Geological RegionLamoille Valley at the base of the Ruby Mountains

Scenic ViewsDirect views of the South Fork Reservoir with the snow-capped Ruby Mountains visible from many sites.

Best Campsites

Curated by campers, for campers

Reveal picks

Reserving a campsite

Stay Limit

14-day limit within a 30-day period (per secondary sources)

Tents

Tents are not allowed

RV vehicles

RV vehicles are allowed

Primitive

Primitive camping is not allowed

Reservable

Reservations are allowed

Reservation PlatformsReserve Nevada (reservenevada.com)

Total Campsites25 campsites

Best CampsitesSites line up along Coyote Cove and Jet Ski Beach, most offering direct lake views and water access. Site 32 accommodates RVs up to 40 feet. Site 51 is a reservable group site for up to four vehicles and eight people. Each site includes a picnic table, fire ring, and wind block screen, though the screens don't fully tame the breeze.

Need help booking South Fork Campground?

Reservation tips, booking windows, and free cancellation alerts.

When to Book

Find your booking window

Cancellation Alerts

Free alerts for this campground

Amenities available

A 25-site campground is located off the north park access road. Facilities include campsite tables, grills and a flush restroom with showers. East Campground has 6 pull in sites: 5, 9, 11, 19, 20, 25. Powersites available in East Campground for an additional $10 mandatory fee, regardless of use. The RV dump station is open year-round and is just off the main north park entrance road.

Electricity hookups

Flush toilets

Dump station

Fire rings

Picnic tables

Vault toilets

I manage this campground

Activities you can enjoy

Recreation centers on South Fork Reservoir and surrounding lands: boating and boat launching, fishing (including trout, bass, catfish), swimming and kayaking, hiking and shoreline walks, mountain biking, wildlife viewing and picnicking. Winter activities reported include ice fishing and cross‑country skiing; hunting occurs in the general area.

Hiking

Fishing

Swimming

Biking

Boating

Wildlife viewing

Planning your trip?Check out our camping packing checklist

Policies & Safety

Hazards & AlertsWindy conditions are commonly reported at lakeside sites; water-related hazards exist around the reservoir. Limited on-site potable water and facilities mean visitors should plan accordingly, and follow Nevada State Parks fire and safety restrictions.

No Potable WaterThis campground does not have potable water on-site. Bring all the water you need for drinking, cooking, and cleaning.

Trip Planning Tools

Set an AlertGet notified when sites open up Check WeatherHistorical weather data Gear for This TripMatched gear recommendations Packing ListCustomizable checklist

Questions & answers

Researching this campground? Ask anything — other campers and our team will weigh in. No visit required.

Tips from campers

Short heads-ups about the road in, gear quirks, timing, and more. You don't have to have been here to share what you know.

Reviews

Rate South Fork Campground

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From Booking Sources

4.5

18 reviews

Recommended

South Fork Campground is recommended, placing it in the top 40% of campgrounds based on reviews

Visitors highlight outstanding Ruby Mountain views, lakeside campsites and direct water access; facilities are basic with pit toilets and limited on-site services.

Review Summaries

Based on 18 reviews

What Campers Love

Scenic views of the Ruby Mountains, direct access to South Fork Reservoir for boating, fishing and swimming, wildlife sightings, picnic tables and fire rings, generally clean pit toilets.

Based on 18 reviews

Outdoorithm Community

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South Fork Campground

No fees available

Campsite Fees

Camping: $15.00 per vehicle, per night (Non-NV Vehicles: $20.00 per vehicle, per night) + $10.00 for sites with utility hook ups Powersites available...

No paid fee categories listed.

Get Notified When Available

We'll monitor this campground and alert you the moment sites become available.

Free to start · paid plans add 2-min scans

256,000+ sites monitored · Email alerts to start; SMS and in-app with an account

Learn more about alerts →

Share this campground

Nevada State Parks

Provider

(775) 684-2770

Go if

Anglers chasing trophy trout, boaters, and families who want swim-from-your-site access will get full use of South Fork Reservoir; pull-through sites 5, 9, 11, 19, 20, and 25 in East Campground have electric hookups if you need power.

Skip if

No potable water on-site is a real planning burden, wind hammers the open shoreline constantly, sites fill fast on summer weekends, and a handful of reviewers describe interactions that suggest campers who don't fit the local cultural mainstream may find the atmosphere unwelcomin

Nearby Campgrounds

Less Visited

0.0

(4)

Zunino/Jiggs Reservation Campground

Tucked along the northeastern shore of a seasonal 45-acre reservoir, this intimate BLM campground offers a peaceful retreat in the wide-open country between Nevada's Ruby and Toiyabe mountain ranges. You'll find a handful of developed sites with essential amenities and sweeping views, though the reservoir's water levels dance with the seasons, sometimes retreating to leave anglers and boaters waiting for wetter times.

140 Pacific Ave, Wells, NV 89835, USA

Thomas Canyon sits in the Ruby Mountains of northeastern Nevada, operated by the Mountain City-Ruby Mountains-Jarbidge Ranger District within Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. This alpine campground offers tent and RV sites near Lamoille Creek, with vault toilets, potable water, fire rings, and picnic tables. Campers come for hiking, fishing, mountain biking, wildlife viewing, and rock climbing in the surrounding high country.

$19.00 - $38.00 / night

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South Ruby Campground

140 PACIFIC AVENUE, WELLS, NV, 89835, USA

South Ruby Campground sits in the mid-elevation forest of Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest near Wells, Nevada, with direct access to Ruby Lake and the Ruby Mountains. Operated by the Forest Service, this campground draws anglers, birders, and hikers seeking a remote base for exploring one of Nevada's most scenic wildlife refuges. Sites accommodate tents and RVs, with vault toilets, potable water, fire rings, and picnic tables, though campsites lack privacy and supplies require a drive.

$17.00 - $34.00 / night

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South Fork Campground

Camper Report Card

How campers graded it

Rated higher than 72% of graded campgrounds

Graded on what 70 campers actually wrote - graded on 14 things that make or break a trip. Each topic is graded against every other campground on it - A is among the best, C about average. No star ratings.

Strengths

Grade A.Facilities
Grade A-.Rules & policies
Grade B+.Crowds & noise

Watch-outs

Grade C-.Booking
Grade C.Bugs & weather
Grade C+.Getting there

Every grade - tap to see what campers said

Each topic is graded against every other campground on it; a topic campers liked never grades below C−. ± shows the 95% confidence range from the sample size.

How we grade →See how Nevada grades overall

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