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Desert Creek Campground
Humboldt-Toiyabe Nat'l Forest - Bridgeport Ranger District

The Desert Creek camp is located near the Douglas/Lyon County line approx. 1 hour south of Yerington, near the California border.  It is located in the rugged Desert Creek Canyon beside the perennial Desert Creek.  Towering overhead is Desert Creek Peak.  I love it when they get original with place names!

Access to this camp is via Desert Creek Road which makes a 20 mile loop as it parallels Nevada State Highway 338 that runs from Wellington, Nevada to Bridgeport, California.  The road is fair coming from the south with only one creek crossing (medium to high clearance, but no 4WD needed).  The road is quite rough coming from the north with many rocks, and there are 6 water crossings (4WD needed).  All the water crossings can be quite deep in the Spring and Early Summer.  One time I wasn't able to make it.  Once in 1998 I tried in a Subaru wagon and almost was carried downstream.

If you visit during the weekend in Summer, you will see that Desert Creek Canyon is quite popular.  Fishermen and Off-Roaders make up the lion's share.  But most visitors to Desert Creek primitive camp along the creek or leave with the sun.  Not many use the actual developed campground at all.  I think it may be due to the fact that none of the sites at the campground are actually on the creek, but just across the road.  

Sites are well forested with piñon pine (40%), juniper (40%) and the occasional jeffrey pine (5%).  Piñon and juniper do not grow very tall, and since they make up the majority of the trees, shade can be limited midday.  But since the canyon walls are pretty steep here, the sun comes up late and goes down relatively early here.  Visited 05/98, 08/98, 10/06.

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