South Ruby Campground

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

Location: WELLS, NV, NV

Price: From $17 per night

Price range: $17–$34 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (47 reviews)

Season: May through October

South Ruby Campground is situated above Ruby Lake at the base of the beautiful Ruby Mountains at 6,000 feet in elevation, near the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Ruby Valley, Nevada. Ruby Valley is a surprising wildlife oasis. An expansive marsh is laced with riparian corridors coursing with cool, spring-fed waters.

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/south-ruby-campground to be notified when sites open up.

South Ruby Campground offers well-spaced, well-maintained sites at 6,000 feet elevation with beautiful views of Ruby Lake and the Ruby Mountains. Google reviewers consistently praise the clean vault toilets, shade trees, level campsites, and secluded rear sites.

Wildlife alert: Trumpeter Swan, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Canvasback, Canada Goose, Pronghorn, Great Basin Gopher Snake, and North American Racer documented within 8km.

Insider tips for South Ruby Campground: Book early — this is a popular federal campground. Request front sites for views or rear sites for seclusion. All sites include fire rings with grills and picnic tables. Double and handicap-accessible spots available.

Skip South Ruby Campground if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available; suitable for self-contained RVs only.. You plan to visit November-April — seasonal closure..

Best time to visit South Ruby Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only..

Nearby campgrounds: Terraces Campground - Picnic Area (Wells , NV), Thomas Canyon (WELLS, NV), Powerhouse Group Picnic Area (Wells, NV), Angel Lake (Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Nv) (WELLS, NV).

Cell Phone Coverage at South Ruby Campground

Cell signal at South Ruby Campground (WELLS, 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.

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Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Headquarters — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

South Ruby Campground

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WELLS, NV, NV★ 4.3 (47 reviews)From $17/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

South Ruby Campground is situated above Ruby Lake at the base of the beautiful Ruby Mountains at 6,000 feet in elevation, near the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Ruby Valley, Nevada. Ruby Valley is a surprising wildlife oasis. An expansive marsh is laced with riparian corridors coursing with cool, spring-fed waters.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife 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
Max RV50 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
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 — no hookups available; suitable for self-contained RVs only.✕ You plan to visit November-April — seasonal closure.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground.

Request front sites for views or rear sites for seclusion.

All sites include fire rings with grills and picnic tables.

Double and handicap-accessible spots available.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally 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: Trumpeter Swan, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Canvasback, Canada Goose, Pronghorn, Great Basin Gopher Snake, and North American Racer documented within 8km.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
775-752-3357· Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Headquarters
Getting there →

Take Interstate 80 to Highway 93. Exit at Wells and follow Highway 93 south for 30 miles to State Route 229. Follow State Route 229 for 15 miles, then head south on State Route 767 and County Road 788 for 30 miles, to the campground.

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 South Ruby Campground cost per night?+
South Ruby Campground costs $17–$34 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is South Ruby Campground open?+
South Ruby Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does South Ruby Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at South Ruby Campground?+
South Ruby Campground can accommodate RVs up to 50 feet.
How do I make reservations at South Ruby Campground?+
South Ruby 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 South Ruby Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at South Ruby Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is South Ruby Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
South Ruby Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●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.

$17 /night★ 4.3 (47)
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 South Ruby Campground cost per night?+
What season is South Ruby Campground open?+
Does South Ruby Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Terraces Campground - Picnic Area

Wells , NV

From $5/night

Thomas Canyon

WELLS, NV

From $19/night

Powerhouse Group Picnic Area

Wells, NV

From $94/night

Angel Lake (Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Nv)

WELLS, NV

From $18/night

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