Saved Account Join
A pickup on a dirt road at the foot of a red sandstone wall lit by low sun.

The Overland Directory

Clubs in Nevada

Local and regional clubs: the fastest way to find people to travel with, learn from and call when you are stuck.

Clubs in Nevada

2 listings

  1. Nevada Offroad Association Carson City, NV Nonprofit association working on public land access for motorised off road recreation in Nevada through education, advocacy and agency partnerships.
  2. Vegas Valley Four Wheelers Las Vegas, NV Nonprofit four wheel drive club formed in 1979 that runs trail outings in the Las Vegas area and supports conservation and community causes.

Nevada by the numbers

Of Nevada is federal land, the highest share of any state 1
79.8%
56.1 million of 70.3 million acres, as of September 30, 2024
Of Nevada is BLM public land, by the agency’s own count 5
67%
BLM Nevada rounds it to 48 million acres. The Congressional Research Service counts 47,225,132
Acres in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest 23
6.3M
The Forest Service calls it the largest national forest in the lower 48. Part of it lies in California
Miles of BLM route managed for motor vehicles, as a floor 54
3,581
The roads and trails recorded for public motorized use in the BLM’s national route data
Boundary Peak, the highest point in Nevada 2
13,140 ft
Esmeralda County. The lowest point is 479 feet, on the Colorado River in Clark County
Approximate mean elevation 3
5,500 ft
Fifth highest of the states in the USGS table
Average annual precipitation, 1895 to 2020 4
10.2 in
NOAA calls Nevada the nation’s driest state
Federal campgrounds a vehicle can reach 55
39
16 Forest Service, 15 National Park Service and 8 BLM. 26 can be booked ahead

Clubs and local knowledge

The BLM’s own advice to newcomers is to join a local club. In a state where 79.8 percent of the land is federal, clubs carry the knowledge that maps do not: which existing routes are legal, where the unsigned checkerboard of private land begins, and which playas are dry.

Nevada’s OHV registration fees feed the state Fund for Off-Highway Vehicles, which a commission appointed by the governor grants out to OHV projects, so registered riders pay toward the ground they use.

The full guide to overlanding Nevada

What clubs do

A club turns a vehicle into a calendar. Day runs, weekend trips, training days, garage nights, and a list of people who will come and get you.

Most clubs offer

  1. 01Organized runs and trips at different levels
  2. 02Training days for new members
  3. 03Trail maintenance and clean-ups
  4. 04A voice in local land-use planning
  5. 05Help, tools and advice

How to find the right one

Go on a run as a guest before you pay dues.

  1. 01Decide between a club built around one make and one open to anything.
  2. 02Ask about the pace and style: family camping, technical trails, long-distance travel.
  3. 03Ask what the dues pay for.
  4. 04Watch how they treat the newest driver on a run.

Why clubs matter

Routes stay open because someone shows up. Clubs that adopt trails, clear them after winter and take part in land-use planning are a large part of why there is still somewhere to drive.

Questions people ask

Do I need a certain vehicle?

Some clubs are built around one make. Many are open to anything with four-wheel drive and a willingness to learn.

How do I list my club?

Use the List your business form and choose Clubs. Tell us where you meet and how people can join a run.

How high is Nevada?

From Mesquite at 1,607 feet to Boundary Peak at 13,140. Altitude decides what your engine, your brakes and your lungs have to work with, and how late in the year the passes open.

Towns

  1. Austin On US 50 in the middle of the state. Forest Service office for the Austin-Tonopah Ranger District. 6,644 ft
  2. Ely Where US 50, US 6 and US 93 meet. BLM district office and Forest Service ranger district. The Park Service puts it 68 miles from Baker. 6,436 ft
  3. Pioche On US 93. The Mount Wilson byway ends here, where State Route 322 returns to the highway. 6,076 ft
  4. Tonopah Where US 6 meets US 95. BLM field office and a Forest Service office. The Lunar Crater byway leaves US 6 to the east, at about mile marker 79. 6,045 ft
  5. Wells Where I-80 meets US 93. Forest Service office. The California Trail byway starts 26 miles north on US 93. 5,633 ft
  6. Baker Five miles from Great Basin National Park, at the foot of the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. The Park Service lists fuel here year-round. 5,311 ft
  7. Elko On I-80. BLM district office and a Forest Service office. The Forest Service puts Thomas Canyon Campground, in Lamoille Canyon, 30 miles away. 5,067 ft
  8. Carson City State capital. BLM district office and a Forest Service office. NDOT’s Tahoe chain rules apply on US 50 between here and Glenbrook. 4,680 ft
  9. Reno On I-80. Home of the BLM’s Nevada State Office. The road to the Black Rock leaves I-80 to the east, at Wadsworth. 4,505 ft
  10. Caliente On US 93, east of Basin and Range National Monument. The BLM’s Caliente Field Office looks after the monument and the Mount Wilson byway. 4,399 ft
  11. Winnemucca Where I-80 meets US 95. The BLM’s Winnemucca District and Black Rock Field Office and a Forest Service office. The Fish and Wildlife Service routes visitors from here to Sheldon refuge by way of Denio. 4,295 ft
  12. Lovelock On I-80. Start of the BLM’s 20-mile Lovelock Cave Back Country Byway. 3,980 ft
  13. Gerlach Portal to the Black Rock Desert, 75 miles north of Wadsworth on State Highway 447. The BLM lists fuel, food and motels here, and the nearest tow truck to the conservation area. 3,943 ft
  14. Alamo On US 93. North end of Alamo Road from the Desert refuge, and the nearest tow service to Basin and Range National Monument. 3,462 ft
  15. Las Vegas Where I-15 meets US 93 and US 95. BLM district office and a Forest Service office. The Desert refuge’s Corn Creek entrance is north on US 95. 1,996 ft
  16. Mesquite On I-15 in the far southeast. The Gold Butte byway starts off nearby Exit 112. 1,607 ft

Passes, high roads and summits

  1. Boundary Peak The highest point in Nevada, in Esmeralda County 13,140 ft
  2. Wheeler Peak Great Basin National Park. The scenic drive ends below its face 13,063 ft
  3. Charleston Peak Top of the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, outside Las Vegas 11,918 ft
  4. Ruby Dome Ruby Mountains, above Lamoille Canyon 11,387 ft
  5. Hayford Peak The highest point in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge 9,924 ft
  6. Wheeler Peak Campground Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive: Baker and State Highway 488 to the Wheeler Peak trailheads, in Great Basin National Park 9,886 ft
  7. Road’s End Trailhead Lamoille Canyon Road: State Route 227 to Road’s End Trailhead, in the Ruby Mountains 8,800 ft

Pass, road and summit elevations are the figures published by the agency that manages them. Town elevations are the town’s or county’s own figure where it publishes an exact one; the rest are from the U.S. Geological Survey (3D Elevation Program at the place’s official coordinates), retrieved September 18, 2026. Every source is listed at the foot of the page.

Sources for this page

56
  1. Congressional Research Service. Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data (R42346), Tables 1 and 2. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  2. U.S. Geological Survey. Elevations and Distances in the United States, online edition. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  3. U.S. Census Bureau, from U.S. Geological Survey data. Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2012, Table 366. Extreme and Mean Elevations by State. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  4. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Nevada State Climate Summary 2022 (NOAA Technical Report NESDIS 150-NV). Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  5. Bureau of Land Management. Nevada state office and district offices. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  6. Bureau of Land Management. Nevada Recreation Activities: overlanding, camping, OHV use, wilderness, the safety checklist and the 14-day stay limit. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  7. Bureau of Land Management. Nevada Byways. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  8. Bureau of Land Management. BLM Back Country Byways brochure: the four types of byway. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  9. Bureau of Land Management. Nevada National Conservation Lands. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  10. Bureau of Land Management. Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  11. Bureau of Land Management. Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails NCA: safety handout (playa travel, breakdowns, tow trucks). Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  12. Bureau of Land Management. Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails NCA: plan your visit handout. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  13. Bureau of Land Management. Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails NCA: Manager’s Report, fiscal year 2024. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  14. Bureau of Land Management. High Rock Canyon. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  15. Bureau of Land Management. Gold Butte Back Country Byway. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  16. Bureau of Land Management. Gold Butte National Monument. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  17. Bureau of Land Management. Basin and Range National Monument. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  18. Bureau of Land Management. Lunar Crater Back Country Byway. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  19. Recreation.gov, from Bureau of Land Management data. Bitter Springs Back Country Byway. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  20. Recreation.gov, from Bureau of Land Management data. Mount Wilson Back Country Byway. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  21. Recreation.gov, from Bureau of Land Management data. California Trail Back Country Byway. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  22. Recreation.gov, from Bureau of Land Management data. Fort Churchill to Wellington Back Country Byway. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  23. USDA Forest Service. Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  24. USDA Forest Service, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. About the Area. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  25. USDA Forest Service, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM). Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  26. USDA Forest Service, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Camping Occupancy and Use Restrictions, forest wide (Forest Order 04-17-24-04). Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  27. USDA Forest Service, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Mountain City-Ruby Mountains-Jarbidge Ranger District: Lamoille Canyon. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  28. USDA Forest Service, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Road’s End Trailhead. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  29. USDA Forest Service, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Lamoille Canyon road work begins next week (news release, August 20, 2026). Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  30. USDA Forest Service, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Thomas Canyon Campground. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  31. USDA Forest Service, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  32. National Park Service. Nevada. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  33. National Park Service, Great Basin National Park. Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  34. National Park Service, Great Basin National Park. Auto Touring. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  35. National Park Service, Great Basin National Park. Directions. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  36. National Park Service, Great Basin National Park. Weather. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  37. National Park Service, Great Basin National Park. Fees and Passes. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  38. National Park Service, Great Basin National Park. Goods and Services. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  39. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Desert National Wildlife Refuge: About Us. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  40. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Desert National Wildlife Refuge: Visit Us. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  41. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Desert National Wildlife Refuge: Rules and Policies. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  42. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge: About Us. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  43. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge: Visit Us. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  44. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge: Rules and Policies. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  45. Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. Off-Highway Vehicle registration. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  46. Nevada Off-Highway Vehicles Program. Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  47. Nevada Department of Transportation. Traction and Chains Requirement Descriptions. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  48. Nevada Department of Transportation. Safe Winter Driving. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  49. Nevada Fire Info, for the member agencies of the Nevada Fire Board. Nevada Interagency Fire Restrictions Plan 2026, Appendix 4: Stage I and Stage II restrictions. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  50. Nevada Fire Info. Restrictions: fire restrictions on public lands in Nevada, by zone. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  51. Nevada Division of Minerals. Abandoned Mine Lands program, with the 2024 AML Report and the brochure it links to. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  52. Nevada Division of State Lands. State Land Office: School Trust Land. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  53. Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe. Pyramid Lake Permits. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  54. Bureau of Land Management. Ground Transportation Linear Features, public display. Sum of GIS_MILES by administrative state for routes managed for public or limited public motorized use.. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  55. Recreation.gov. Recreation Information Database (RIDB) full export. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  56. U.S. Geological Survey. Geographic Names Information System and 3D Elevation Program point query. Elevation of the 3DEP surface at the GNIS coordinates of the named place, rounded to the nearest foot.. Retrieved September 19, 2026.

Reviewed September 19, 2026. Conditions, closures and rules change; check with the managing agency before you travel.

More in Nevada

Keep going

Join Overlanding Life
Saved Account

Start with a region

Browse the directory