Lahontan State Recreation Area Dam Side Group Use Area

Open — Open year-round for reservations. Park winterization is in effect October through April. A 14-day maximum stay within a 30-day period is enforced.

About

The Dam Side Group Use Area at Lahontan State Recreation Area provides group camping near the historic Lahontan Dam, built in 1915 as part of the Newlands Project, one of the first irrigation projects under the 1902 Reclamation Act. The recreation area surrounds a 11,200-acre reservoir with 69 miles of shoreline when full, set in high desert sagebrush communities below 4,000 feet elevation. The park offers year-round access to diverse outdoor recreation including boating, water skiing, fishing for walleye, white bass, catfish and trout, and wildlife viewing. The area is home to wild horses, bobcat, coyote, fox, and deer, along with migratory waterfowl, pelicans, herons, egrets, and hawks. Lahontan is one of the few nesting sites for bald eagles in Nevada. Wooded areas of native cottonwoods and willows are scattered along the lakeshore, providing shade in the desert landscape. The park became a state recreation area in 1971 and remains one of Nevada's most popular destinations for water-based recreation and camping. The Dam Side Group Use Area requires reservations through Nevada State Parks' Reserve Nevada system. The park enforces a maximum stay of 14 days within a 30-day period and maintains facilities including dump stations, boat launches, and modern restrooms. Pets are permitted on leash, and the park is open 365 days a year.

Directions

Located 45 miles east of Carson City on Nevada Highway 50, near Silver Springs. The park entrance is at 16799 Lahontan Dam Road, Fallon, NV.

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