Mt Charleston primitive camping w/ car

[te_wa]

hey all, looking for some tips for at-large/primitive camping near Mt Charleston

btw, Hilltop was my first choice if I had to stay at a campground, but it is Closed for remodeling.. we're trying to stay near the Trail canyon/South Loop area without paying redonkulous prices at the "campgrounds" full of RV's and noise...

I get that it's doable to find a spot off the main road, I just don't see much info about where to go, what the better spots are, etc..

plan is next weekend, so holla back with your ideas.. GPS coords are fine. regular driving directions like "turn left at the red post, go 40 feet past the large rock" are good too..

[LindaAnn]

Are you wanting to be up in the pines, or down in the pinyon-type trees a little lower off Kyle Canyon Rd? If you don’t mind high desert/pinyon, I know of some spots. 4wd not necessary, but helpful, at least medium clearance.

[toddak]

I've camped along Mack's Canyon Road off Highway 156 at about 7500', decent.

[hikeaz]

There is free camping off of Harris Mtn. Rd as well as some sites on Telephone Canyon Rd.. and Champion Road which is also called Road 203.

From July3, 2015

"Spring Mountains National Recreation Area is expected to fill up fast this holiday weekend, and there just aren’t enough developed campsites to go around, despite $55 million in renovations over the past three years.
That effort(?) actually resulted in far less campsites — not more — at the Las Vegas Valley’s favorite place to escape the summer heat.
Though some new campsites were built, the recreation area wound up losing two entire campgrounds as a result of the work(?) that began in 2012 and wrapped up this spring. Total sites went DOWN; from 219 to 129. Old wooden tables and fire rings on bare ground were replaced by new tables and raised grills on concrete pads that can accommodate wheelchairs.
The Old Mill and Kyle Canyon picnic areas used to be campgrounds with about 100 spaces between them, according to a Forest Service visitor guide from 2010. Both areas have since been converted to day use only, mostly out of concern about flooding."
."

[te_wa]

thanks guys. now that I have the general areas pinned, im thinking to drive up Telephone and check for good spots next weekend. hoping the weekend warriors got the 2x a year "camping" out of their systems... and I have the place to myself.. ha
likely if nothing along Telephone i'll keep going and check out Mack's or Champion.

[te_wa]

lastly, what does anyone know about the Cave spring? I've not found anything notable telling me of it's reliablility. although it was a wet winter, hits on my question are rare. gal on a phone today told me that the ranger station near Kyle canyon doesn't have a phone! what the...
any links to info about the Cave Spring out there? sheeshush.

[chumley]

@te_wa
There's a really good website for over there at www.hikenv.com

Check it out. It even has water reports for springs like Cave Spring!