Walker Lake Recreation Area

Everyone loves a relaxing weekend at a lake, especially scantily-clad teenagers in horror films. But while most lakeside campsites aren't haunted by terrifying monsters, each summer there's one particular place that really does turn into a horror flick. No, not Camp Crystal Lake, we're talking about Nevada's Walker Lake. Or as I like to call it, Spider Hell in the Desert. As if the terrible heat wasn't enough to keep you away, every year, Walker Lake becomes home to swarms of millions of orb-weaving spiders. The creepy-crawlies take over entire trees and shrubs, spinning enough webs to make it look like the leaves have suddenly turned white. -Roadtrippers Walker Lake and the Sportsman's Beach Recreation Site is located in Mineral County, Nevada. This lake is a rare perennial lake of the Great Basin and is important for a variety of resident and migratory wildlife species.  Approximately 38,000 acres in size, Walker Lake is the most prominent geographical feature in the region and the primary focal point for recreation in the area. Walker Lake offers a variety of recreational opportunities including swimming, picnicking, boating, fishing, bird watching, water-skiing and camping.  Sportsman's Beach provides thirty one individual camp sites plus two undeveloped camping areas that accommodate RV and tent campers.  Facilities include vault toilets, covered picnic tables, grills, pull through and back-in camp sites, paved access and a public boat ramp area.  There is no potable water available at Sportman's Beach. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Carson City District-Stillwater Field Office, manages a Recreation Fee Program at Sportsman's Beach Recreation Site.  Authorized by Congress, this program has been effective in collecting fees to help maintain facilities and enhance visitor services.  We reinvest all fee money collected to improve and expand facilities at the site where it is collected.  We plan to improve the facilities at Sportsman's Beach and to make facilities accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. User fees at Sportsman's Beach are collected for overnight use of the area. BLM and Mineral County officials have for years been adjusting the boat ramp facilities at Sprotman's Beach to coincide with declining surface level of Walker Lake, however, the current lake level has dropped well below the design of the ramp. The original boat ramp was built with grant monies through the Nevada Department of Wildlife, but no current grant or appropriated funds are available to build a new ramp orupgrade/reconstruct the existing boat ramp at Sportman's Beach. Nevada State Parks recognized the need for a new ramp in the area and built one at Walker Lake State Park, located south of Sportman's Beach and north of Hawthorne, Nevada. Contact Nevada State Parks for additional information regarding their facilities.