State Park · Nevada
A high-elevation reservoir park in the Schell Creek Range near Ely, with cold-water fishing, pine-and-aspen trails, first-come camping, and winter use. Sits above 7,000 feet.
Field briefing
Cave Lake State Park starts with access, not mileage.
Before you go
Plan it as a late-June-to-September fishing and hiking trip, expect first-come camping, and treat spring as still-wintry and fall as a fast cool-down.
The landmarks worth the trip. Tap any photo to enlarge.
Weather, crowds, and what the season changes about the trip.
Cold and unpredictable at elevation, with possible late-season snowstorms.
Pack Real cold-weather layers, traction, and flexibility for snow.
Pleasant high-country days and cold nights, the reliable hiking and fishing window.
Pack Warm camp layer, rain shell for afternoon storms, and sun protection.
Crisp days, aspen color, and excellent fishing before the cold sets in.
Pack Insulating layers, headlamp for shorter days, and a wind shell.
Cold and snowy, with Elk Flat Campground closed and the lake used for ice fishing and snow play.
Pack Full winter insulation, traction, and a plan for limited services.
Cave Lake fishing
A cold-water reservoir stocked with trout, popular for shore and small-boat fishing in summer and ice fishing in winter.
Cave Lake Overlook Loop
A high-country loop above the lake with strong elevation gain and overlooks across the reservoir and Schell Creek Range.
Steptoe Creek and Twisted Pines connectors
Longer trail combinations link the overlook with the creek drainage for hikers who want a bigger high-elevation day.
Book the tour time first, then treat surface trails, overlooks, or visitor-center stops as the flexible pieces. For one day in Cave Lake State Park, make Cave Lake fishing the non-negotiable, add Cave Lake Overlook Loop only if the first stop runs clean, and keep Steptoe Creek and Twisted Pines connectors as the flexible finish.
Turn Cave Lake's conditions into water, pack, and sleep-system decisions.
Build around access
Plan the transfer before the trail list.
Plan your trip
4 quick tools, already seeded for Cave Lake State Park. Tune the route, pack weight, weather margin, and overnight setup after the access plan is real.
Start with the gear decisions this park changes: footing, weather, camping, and water.
Kit Authority
Cave Lake State Park packing list
0 of 21 packed. Check items as you pack, then take this list to the store, trailhead, or campsite.
Pack planning
Use this as a constraint check while you are still shaping the trip. The active checklist becomes useful once your route, dates, and sleep plan are set.
Checklist mode
21 items, grouped for the trip you are actually taking.
The buying guides that match what Cave Lake asks of your kit, with our current top picks across budget and use case.
Camp inside the park at Lake View or Elk Flat campgrounds, both first-come outside the single reservable group sites. Ely, about fifteen miles down the canyon, has hotels, food, and fuel and works as a base when the campgrounds are full or Elk Flat is closed for the winter.
Camping reservations
The park's two campgrounds, Lake View and Elk Flat, are first come, first served except for one group site in each. There is no reservation race to win, but popular summer weekends can fill, so arrive early.
Reviewed June 11, 2026
Booking window
Most Cave Lake sites are first-come, first-served. Nevada reservations, where offered, can be made from three days to 11 months ahead through Reserve Nevada; the group sites are the reservable exception here.
Where to book or verify
Official park page with campground status, fees, and conditions.
Nevada reservation system for the park's reservable group sites.
Check for federal campground, backcountry, tour, and permit inventory tied to this park.
Campgrounds to know
Plan the last mile as carefully as the destination.
Airports, roads, entrances, and local movement belong in the same plan.
Getting there
Car strategy
Cave Lake sits about fifteen miles southeast of Ely, reached by US 6/50/93 and then a paved park road that climbs into the Schell Creek Range.
Car strategy
Most visitors drive from Ely, and the high-elevation access means snow can affect the road outside the core summer season, so check conditions before a spring or late-fall trip.
Pair this with lodging: the simplest base is the one that removes a real morning problem, not just the one nearest the map pin.
No. The standard sites at both Lake View and Elk Flat campgrounds are first come, first served. Only the single group site in each campground is reservable, so arrive early on summer weekends rather than booking ahead.
Partly. The Elk Flat Campground closes for the winter, but the lake and Lake View area remain accessible for ice fishing and snow play. Expect cold temperatures and limited services, and check road conditions before going.
The park sits around 7,300 feet in the Schell Creek Range. That elevation means a short season, cold nights even in summer, and the real possibility of late-spring snowstorms.