Lye Creek Campground
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest - Santa Rosa Ranger District
Longitude -117.56079, Latitude 41.68528

Lye Creek campground is located, well, on Lye Creek about 18 miles north of Paradise Valley in the Santa Rosa Range, a few miles past Hinckey Summit.

The Santa Rosas are an unusual Nevada range because they go straight from desert into aspen groves. Usually you go from junipers to limber pines to tundra with aspens in the drainages. Here there are no trees except aspens in the drainages (there are limber pines located much higher). But aspens (quakies) are extremely beautiful, and that's right where Lye Creek is.

This camp is popular with the locals (Winnemuccans, etc.), as it is the only forested campground within 100 miles. It is remote, but they'll be there. It can fill up on the weekends, so you will need to be early. The camp sites are pretty well spread out, with most along the creek. Dense aspens provide good shade, but not before they start to unfurl their leaves in early June, though.

There are 2 sets of bathrooms, convenient to most sites. They are clean and well maintained. The Martin Creek Ranger Station is only 1 mile away.

Visited August 1999.