Dispersed Camping at Knob Hill

While we were in Las Vegas, a friend recommended that we check out the camping at Knob Hill. We had never heard of it but thought that was a perfect reason to go and explore a new area nearby. Knob Hill is about halfway between Searchlight and Boulder City, tucked back into the desert about 6 miles east of the US-95. Upon arrival we didn’t really know what to expect but after spending a week in the area we can tell you what to expect from camping at Knob Hill!

Quick Info:

Cost: Free

Ownership: BLM; 14 day limit

Directions: Click here to get directions to the dispersed camping at Knob Hill

Solar: Good

Water: None

Miles From Town: About 16 miles from Searchlight and 35 miles from Boulder City

Cell Service: Good at our spot but most of the area is a dead zone.

Road Conditions: The main dirt road is wide and seems to be graded but is washboard. On the side roads you may encounter rocks, semi deep sand and narrower conditions. And in particular, after a certain point on the way to the dispersed camping at Knob Hill the road gets a bit bumpy, more narrow and a little curvy but we did see a few travel trailers that managed to make it back!

Our Experience Camping at Knob Hill

After hanging out at Anthem Skatepark and Craig Ranch Skatepark, we headed south to go camping at Knob Hill. We turned off of US-95 S onto Nelson Cutoff Road and followed it for about three miles. We stopped at this intersection and walked it a bit to scope it out. It was noticeably more narrow and sandy so we decided to continue following the wider road. At this point it was getting pretty dark and we lost service so we continue a bit further to the next intersection. This is where we spotted an ok spot to park for the night off of a powerline road that was out of the way of traffic.

After parking we realized that we had cell service. And after a few days of exploring the area, we learned that this particular spot was the only place we had service. Because we work while living on the road we decided to stay parked in this spot so that we could use the cell signal to get work done while staying and exploring the area.

But if you are interested in camping at Knob Hill, we definitely recommend making the drive back to the dispersed sites among the cool rock formations! The road back to the scenic area is a bit rougher but we saw passenger cars make the journey. Once near Knob Hill there are rocky desert mountains, beautiful rock formations and lots of rock scrambling opportunities!

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And among this awesome scenery there are dispersed pull offs and parking areas for camping at Knob Hill. Some of the camp sites that we saw were great for car camping and tents. But while we were rock scrambling, we also noted that several mid-sized travel trailers were also camping here. We would definitely recommend scoping the area out ahead of time before deciding to tow.

While we were camping at Knob Hill, we quickly realized that this place is no secret. On week days there were a number of people driving to and from. And on weekends there was a lot of traffic including lots of OHV’s. So if you’re looking for solitude, camping at Knob Hill may not be the best option for you. But otherwise, everyone waved and seemed friendly.

As we were exploring the rocks at Knob Hill we made our way to the tops of several rock piles as well as a couple ridges. The climbing was a lot of fun and reminded us of climbing around at Joshua Tree. And the views from the top were beautiful and extremely vast. From the top of one ridge we could see the Colorado River in the distance. The blue was a major contrast with the surrounding browns and tans! We also discovered a few random man made objects as we wandered around.

All in all, camping at Knob Hill was a cool new experience! As you’re driving along US-95 and you look out into the desert, you wouldn’t suspect such a cool rocky area set back here. Our spot was pretty peaceful with nice sunsets and good stars. It also gave us a new place to explore while painting boards and getting work done!

Thanks for Reading About Camping at Knob Hill

We love getting to know new areas and seeing new things! Let us know in the comments below where your favorite place to go camping is.

If you’d like to see some of our other dispersed camping spots, check out the links below:

• Camping With A View on Mogollon Rim
• Free Camping at Williams Hill Recreation Area
• Dispersed Camping Near Crested Butte
• Camping Near Sycamore Creek

To sustain our on the road lifestyle, we work hard on our hand painted longboards! If you would like to see our latest lineup head over to our Lost Coast Longboarding Shop. We also design and screen print our own t-shirts and long sleeve shirts as well.

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