U.S. Forest Service · Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Headquarters · Ely, NV

East Creek Campground

Located high on the slopes of the Schell Creek Range in the Duck Creek Basin, sitting in the middle of an alder, pinyon and juniper forest, East Creek Campground offers a wide range of recreation opportunities to the forest visitor. Hiking, mountain biking and off-road vehicle riding are just some of the popular activities enjoyed by visitors to the area. Elevation is 7,400 feet, located approximately 20 miles from Ely, Nevada.

Reservable · Recreation.gov12 sites

More like this: reservable in Nevada

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
East Creek CGCG amenitiesEast Creek CGMiddle restroom
Photos courtesy of USFS · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups12
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Amenities & rules

The campground has 12 newly improved sites and 3 vault toilets. All sites have picnic and serving tables, campfire rings and grills. This is a "pack it in, pack it out" facility.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

SeasonEnd of May to Mid-October
ForestHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
BookingNo reservations needed, first come, first serve.
FeesPer Day: $4
RulesDogs must be on a leash. No stock allowed in campground.

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near East Creek Campground20°30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 0.65 inches of precipitation, 6.3 inches of snowFebruary: 0.74 inches of precipitation, 7.7 inches of snowMarch: 0.90 inches of precipitation, 5.9 inches of snowApril: 1.06 inches of precipitation, 3.6 inches of snowMay: 1.04 inches of precipitation, 1.2 inches of snowJune: 0.60 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.49 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.54 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.75 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 0.75 inches of precipitation, 0.6 inches of snowNovember: 0.66 inches of precipitation, 3.4 inches of snowDecember: 0.67 inches of precipitation, 8.2 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 28.0°F averageFebruary: 30.9°F averageMarch: 38.6°F averageApril: 44.6°F averageMay: 53.0°F averageJune: 63.0°F averageJuly: 71.0°F averageAugust: 69.8°F averageSeptember: 60.2°F averageOctober: 48.1°F averageNovember: 36.7°F averageDecember: 27.7°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 in10 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Mcgill, 9 miles from the campground at 6,270 feet, station USC00264950 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 9 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 37 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

The East Creek Campground is located approximately 20 miles from Ely, Nevada. Travel north on Highway 93 to the town of McGill. From McGill, go north approximately 3 miles on Highway 93 to the Duck Creek Basin turnoff. Proceed east on Duck Creek Basin Road and turn left at the sign for East Creek Campground.

Nearest townEly, Nevada
Coordinates39.4967° N, 114.6548° W · Directions ↗

Good to know

  • Water is not provided at this campground.

Explore

Video

East Creek Campground, MT

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 1.1 mi
    Ranger Trail ↗
    40.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 3 more
  • 1.8 mi
    North Creek Shortcut
    0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, 4WD
  • 2.2 mi
    Little Creek Trail
    0.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, 4WD
  • 3.3 mi
    Piermont Creek
    3.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 4.3 mi
    Oil Springs Trail
    0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, 4WD

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

High Schells Wilderness begins about 3.5 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

Natural features

East Creek, a perennial stream, runs directly through the picnic area and many birds make it their home during the spring and summer seasons.

Recreation

The Ranger Trail can be accessed from this campground. The Ranger Trail is a designated OHV trail that also accommodates hiking and mountain biking use as well. The 30-mile Success Loop Scenic Drive is also in the area, with views of high desert and mountain terrain.

Nearby

Cave Lake State Park and Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park are both a few miles from Ely. Interesting historic stone ovens and an interpretive trail are available there. The Northern Nevada Railway in Ely has a museum and offers train rides.

Guidebooks for Nevada

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Hiking Nevada
    Bruce Grubbs, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best Backpacking Trips in California and Nevada
    Mike White and Douglas Lorain, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best Hikes Reno and Lake Tahoe
    Tracy Salcedo, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at East Creek Campground?

Sites at East Creek Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. No reservations needed, first come, first serve. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at East Creek Campground?

Per Day: $4

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does East Creek Campground have?

12 sites, including 12 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at East Creek Campground?

The Ranger Trail can be accessed from this campground. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to East Creek Campground?

Ely, Nevada. Cave Lake State Park and Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park are both a few miles from Ely.

Source: Getting there

What if East Creek Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Bird Creek Campground (2.3 mi), Timber Creek Campground (6.8 mi), and Cleve Creek Campground (20.5 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby