Bird Creek Campground

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Headquarters — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: ELY, NV, NV

Price: From $10 per night

Price range: $10–$60 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (9 reviews)

Season: May through October

Bird Creek Recreation Area is located in the Duck Creek Basin, high on the Schell Creek Range. It sits at an elevation of 8,200 feet, approximately 25 miles from the small city of Ely. Hiking, mountain biking and off-road vehicle riding are popular activities enjoyed by visitors to the area.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/bird-creek-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Bird Creek Campground offers access to the 30-mile Success Loop and Ranger Trail for hiking, mountain biking, and OHV use at 8,200 feet elevation in the Schell Creek Range. Multiple recreation activities including fishing and wildlife viewing are available in the Duck Creek Basin.

Wildlife alert: Pronghorn, Mule Deer, Mountain Cottontail, Black-billed Magpie, Brewer's Sparrow, and garter snakes present in the area.

Insider tips for Bird Creek Campground: Book early as this is a federal campground with only 10 sites. Bring a self-contained RV as there are no hookups available. Access the Ranger Trail directly from the campground for hiking and mountain biking.

Skip Bird Creek Campground if: You need RV hookups - this campground has none.. You plan to visit outside May through October - seasonal closure.. You visit during winter months when the campground is closed..

Best time to visit Bird Creek Campground: May-October — Campground operates May through October only..

Nearby campgrounds: East Creek Campground (Ely, NV), Timber Creek Campground (ELY, NV), Ward Mtn. Campground (Murray Summit) (ELY, NV), Wheeler Peak Campground (Baker, NV).

Cell Phone Coverage at Bird Creek Campground

Cell signal at Bird Creek Campground (ELY, NV): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch›NV›Bird Creek Campground
Bird Creek Campground — photo 1
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Headquarters — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Bird Creek Campground

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ELY, NV, NV★ 4.4 (9 reviews)From $10/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Bird Creek Recreation Area is located in the Duck Creek Basin, high on the Schell Creek Range. It sits at an elevation of 8,200 feet, approximately 25 miles from the small city of Ely. Hiking, mountain biking and off-road vehicle riding are popular activities enjoyed by visitors to the area.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
ADA sites9 sites
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups - this campground has none.✕ You plan to visit outside May through October - seasonal closure.✕ You visit during winter months when the campground is closed.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with only 10 sites.

Bring a self-contained RV as there are no hookups available.

Access the Ranger Trail directly from the campground for hiking and mountain biking.

Best: May-October

Campground operates May through October only.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Pronghorn, Mule Deer, Mountain Cottontail, Black-billed Magpie, Brewer's Sparrow, and garter snakes present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
775-289-3031· Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Headquarters
Getting there →

From Ely, travel north on Highway 93 to the town of McGill. From McGill, go north 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 Bird Creek Recreation Area.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Headquarters fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Headquarters before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Bird Creek Campground cost per night?+
Bird Creek Campground costs $10–$60 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Bird Creek Campground open?+
Bird Creek Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Bird Creek Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Bird Creek Campground?+
Bird Creek Campground is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Bird Creek Campground?+
Bird Creek Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Bird Creek Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Bird Creek Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Bird Creek Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Bird Creek Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$10 /night★ 4.4 (9)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Bird Creek Campground cost per night?+
What season is Bird Creek Campground open?+
Does Bird Creek Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

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