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©1998-2009 Herron Web Publishing.
Fernley, Nevada. All rights reserved.

 


How to Read the Listings


Below you will find a sample of our new listings and how to read the typical listing.  You will find descriptions on the bottom.

 

 - Elevation 6500'
 - Crowding:  2
 - Shade Factor:  4
 - Sites:  18
 - Pit Toilets
 - Open All Year
 - Fire Pits
 - No Water
 - No Fee
 - No Garbage Facilities
 - Reservable
 - No Host
 - No Showers


Maps
Topo
Reservations
Flora/Fauna
Website


( (hold mouse over pic for description)

ENTRANCE

SITE #4

 

Scenic Rating is 3 out of 5 = GOOD

Shady Creek Campground
Big Pines National Forest - High Mountain Ranger District

Shady Creek is a nice campground set way up high in the Big Pines range about an hour south of Shadytown on the banks of Shady Creek (go figure).  The road is paved 3/4 of the way up, but the dirt section is passable to most cars.

Campsites are scattered among a pretty pine forest and meadows in two loops near Shady Creek.  Most sites are fairly private, spaced apart.  You can fish right from your site in the stream side locations.  The stream is popular for fishing so expect visitors during the day, but the campground rarely fills.  

There is a hiking trail that heads out from Site #2 paralleling Shady Creek.  The trail disappears into the brush in about 3 miles but is quite a pleasant stroll.

There is no drinking water provided here, but don't pass this place up for that reason.  Bring some water with you.  Reviewed 06/1998, 07/2005.

 

 

 

 

Description:  This a description of the facilities and what I observed in the campground.  This gives you a good idea of what to expect.  May also include side trips, hiking trips, local fishing, etc.  The time of review is listed at the end (To Be Reviewed = Further Details and Descriptions will be listed upon Review.

Scenic Rating:  This is my personal opinion of how "scenic" the campground is.
  • 1 = Poor          

  • 2 = Fair          

  • 3 = Good          

  • 4 = Great          

  • 5 = Among the Best

Quick Review:
  • Elevation:  List the approximate elevation in feet.
  • Crowding:  This is a general overview of how many people you can expect at camp.  This is figured on a typical weekend in season.  Any place can be swarming on a holiday.
    • 1 = Likely to be Alone

    • 2 = A Few People, Quite Deserted

    • 3 = Maybe Full Around Holidays

    • 4 = Fills on Most Weekends

    • 5 = Full Every Weekend

  • Shade Factor:  This is the amount of shade to be expected in the campground, in general.  There are sites in every campground that can be extreme to one end of the scale or the other, but this is roughly the amount of shade to be expected.
    • 1 = Virtually No Shade        

    • 2 = Some Shade

    • 3 = Moderately Shady      

    • 4 = Mostly Shady       

    • 5 = Very Densely Forested

  • Sites:  The number of camp sites at the listing.  This is the number of Tent and RV Sites combined.  If RV's are not allowed or recommended, it will be listed in the "description."  The Camping Guide Nevada does not list any places that do not allow tent camping.
  • Toilets:  This is the type of restroom facilities present.  See types below:
    • No Toilets = No maintained toilet facilities.

    • Pit Toilets = Similar to an outhouse, where there is an enclosed shed with a raised toilet platform above a hole in the ground where waste collects (usually has toilet paper).

    • Vault Toilets = Similar to Pit Toilets, but can be pumped out (usually vaults are more permanent facilities and better maintained).

    • RV-Style Flush Toilets = These are Vault Toilets where waste collects in a basin (similar to a typical toilet) and you press a lever and a valve in the bottom of the basin opens and water washes it down into a vault (better smelling that a vault toilet).

    • Flush Toilets = Typical restroom toilets.

  • Season:  This is when the campground is open in a "typical" season.  Of course, heavy winters can push the opening dates later, sometimes into July in high elevations.  Some can open early in exceptionally light winters.  Some jurisdictions allow camps to stay open late depending on the fall weather as well.  Call Ranger Districts for information early and late in the season.
  • Camp Fires/Grills:  These are the types of campfire and open cooking units in the campsites:
    • Fire Rings = A depression in the ground with a ring of rocks surrounding it for camp fires.  

    • Fire Pits = Designed pits in a campsite for camp fires (typically made of concrete, rocks, bricks or metal). 

    • Barbecue Grills = Typical barbecue grill designed for charcoal briquettes like you would find at a neighborhood park.  When BBQ Grills are only provided, it usually means that campfires are prohibited.

    • Fire Pits w/ Grills is a fire pit that has a flip-over barbecue grill, this allows you to cook on a grill right over a camp fire.

    • Fire Pits & Grills are a campsite that has a fire pit and a separate barbecue grill.  

  • Fee:  This is the rate for a single group with one car (or one RV unit) to camp at the campground per night.  The general rule is if there is no water provided there is no fee (there are only a handful of exceptions).  Fees listed are based upon my last review, but check the review date, fees do go up.  Some camps charge more for pets or extra vehicles (around $3 - $5 per night).
  • Water:  These are the different types of water facilities found in camps in our region...NOTE:  Water availability can be sporadic at any campground, especially early/late in the season.
    • No Water = This means there are no water facilities provided in the campground. 

    • Hand-Pumped Water = Water is hand pumped out of a spigot (sometimes these are unreliable and you may want to bring water with you). 

    • Piped Water = Water is provided out of a spigot for consumption.  

  • Reservable:  Most public camps in this region do not accept reservations and are listed as Not Reservable.  But a small percentage do and are listed as Reservable.  To make reservations, see who the owner is (State Park, US Forest Service, National Park, etc.)  Contact that Park or Ranger District and ask for reservations at that specific campground.  They may not be able to help you, but they will give you a number to call.  In the cases in which online reservations are accepted, click on the Reservations button in the listing.
  • Garbage Facilities:  Shows whether there are facilities in which to dispose your garbage or not.  If not, please pack it out.
  • Host:  Most popular campgrounds have a campground host.  These are people that the park or forest service has hired (many are volunteers) who keep up the camp facilities, collect fees, etc (most stay on site in an RV).  Many camps with hosts sell firewood (typically $5 - $6).
  • Showers:  Shows whether there are showers provided for campers use and the temperature of the showers, if available.  An extra fee may be required.  Cold Showers just have non-heated water.  Warm Showers spew a constant warm temperature.  Solar showers have tanks that are heated from the sun (temperatures can be variable, and is weather dependent).  Hot Showers mean the temperature is user regulated all the way up to Hot.

Camp Links:

  • Maps: Click on this hyperlink and it will take you to a digital map showing the location of the campground. You can zoom out from here to see how to get to the campground. Feel free to print these and use them as you like. I drew them myself.  Grayed out button means this feature not available at this campground.

  • Topo:  Click on this hyperlink and it will take you to Microsoft's Terraserver website that will show you a topographical map of the area surrounding the campground.  You can zoom out from here and print them out for hiking.  Also most locations you can select an aerial image view and look at a satellite photo of the area.  Grayed out button means this feature not available at this campground.

  • Reservations:  Campgrounds that accept online reservations will have a reservations hyperlink.  Select this and it will take you directly to the National Recreation Reservations Service website.  You can select the campsite you want within a certain campground and check availability and make a reservation.  The NRRS charges a reservation fee and you must pay for your entire stay in advance.  However this is the only way to get into some of the more popular camps.  Grayed out button means this feature not available at this campground.
    NOTE:  This feature is added for your convenience.  Camping Guide Nevada is not associated with NRRS and does not promote or recommend it's use.

  • Flora/Fauna:  Click on this hyperlink to view the BRRC website of Flora (plants) and Fauna (animals) near the campground.  This is currently only available in Nevada listings.  Grayed out button means this feature not available at this campground.

  • Website:  The website of the Park or Ranger District of the public campground that's listed, if applicable.  Grayed out button means this feature not available at this campground.

Other Features:

  • Photos:  Located in some listings are photographs of the campsites and/or facilities of the campground.

  • Weather:  A Weather Channel graphic is located in each listing showing the current conditions of the community nearest to the campground.  If you click on the image you're taken to the Weather Channel website showing the current conditions of that community as well as the 10 day forecast.  From here you an also view weather satellite, radar images as well as the Average & Records section.

  • Campground Map:  Inserted in most listings is an aerial campground map showing the location of all the sites and facility locations.