Illipah Reservoir Recreation Area

First of all for the price (free) it's great. We backed up to the Reservoir although it is currently very low.

Pros:

Free
wide open and large sites.
walk to the reservoir
wildlife (Wild mustangs around the water)
Several pit toilets

Cons:

Very buggy, this kept us inside more than we normally would be while boondocking
About a 1 1/2 miles off a very dusty and washboard road (could also be a pro because the result was a very quiet stay.
No trash containers (pack in pack out)
No cell phone service

All and all, a reasonable overnight camp.

Good gravel road in, just a short drive from the highway. We stayed in late Dec. with a couple of inches of snow on the ground, and it looked like we were the only ones there. Arrived after dark, left before dawn, so can't tell you much. Spaces were large, flat, and well spaced, no cell phone reception.

We stayed just one night Illipah Reservoir and were amazed at the quality of the sites for a free campground! Just a little over a mile off of Hwy 50 on the graded, gravel FS Rd 401 is a hidden gem of a campground. We stayed in the upper loop with views of the small reservoir and surrounding hills. The sites were very large and well separated, each with a covered picnic table, firepit and grill, and a small fence windscreen. There were several pit toilets and a central dumpster for garbage.

There is a small separate day use area and the area is popular for fishing. We loved watching the trout jump out of the water. There’s no trail, but it’s possible to hike around the reservoir, a bit of a scramble on the far side, but fun. We’ll definitely stop again if we find ourselves on Hwy 50, “The Loneliest Road”.

The only potential downside, we had no Verizon cell service at the campground.

Stunningly gorgeous, but once I realized there was no Wi-Fi or Verizon phone, I had to leave :(

This campground is easy access off Route 50 in Nevada - America's Loneliest Road. It has nicely spaced sites, some with a great view of the reservoir. It was a bit windy while I was there, but it's up on a plateau. There is no cell service, and no drinking water but each site has a covered table and fire pit. People were fishing each day and I was told the reservoir was stocked.

We stopped for a few hours on the way back from an overnighter to try our luck at fishing. The kids had a great time. The road was good and I had no trouble maneuvering my truck and trailer. Nice no frills campground. We look forward to another trip and next time we’ll stay longer.

We are in a 35 ft (37 nose to tale) class a and towing a 1999 Jeep Wrangler with bikes in between and on the back of Jeep too. With that said it started raining as we got close to the area so I read the other reviews and through we would try it. We got to the campground easy and slow no issues in the rain we found a open spot ok and level too we didn’t even have to unhook our tow vehicle leveled up in the rain (auto levelers) did well slide outs out in minutes. Life was good got gen started made dinner quickly to and battery changed up then to bed it was quite lot of space in sites and campground the view is amazing here wish we had more time would love to Jeep here and more!

No cell but I am good with that too!

This is a truly amazing place on BLM land. The sites are huge, and could easily hold 2-3 rigs. Our site was right on the water & we could have easily put another 2-3 big rigs in there with us & we are 41 ft DP pulling a toad. Beware if you stop in October it is hunting season no problem for us but if you go out hiking I suggest orange. There is a pit toilet for every 2-3 sites & each site has cover, wind break, barque & fire pit. Oh yeah & the wild horeses!!!
Definitely want to return here.

This campground is well marked off of US 50 eastbound. The sites overlook the reservoir where boating is possible. Windbreaks make the picnic tables usable and include fire pits. The vault toilets are plentiful and clean. It was a great stop on the long drive from Fallon to Ely and the Great Basin park.

As a quick overnight stop this fits my criteria - not far off the main road but far enough away (1 1/2 miles) to not hear traffic, and free is a bonus. Exposed sites set a decent distance apart. The shade shelters provide some protection but expect it to be hot in summer and often windy, as is a lot of Nevada. Deducting one star due to no water and the number of OHVs that create dust/some noise but they were mostly respectful during our stay..