Overview

There are a number of established primitive campsites along Wee Thump East Road, which is a dirt road off Highway 164 near Searchlight, Nevada. Wee Thump East Road runs north from the pavement along the east side of the Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness Area and provides opportunities for sightseeing, camping, and hunting, plus hiker access to the Heart of the Wee Thump route, the El Dorado Wagon Road Trail, and several other hikes.

The road is rarely graded, but it is in fairly good condition overall, at least for the first 2 miles. The road is fine for low-clearance vehicles (e.g., sedans) to a washout about 2.4 miles out, but sedan drivers should stop at an intersection 1.6 miles out. Beyond there, the road is suitable for 2-wheel-drive high-clearance (2WD-HC) vehicles in good weather.

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about the desert ... Wee Thump East Road generally is a good dirt road, but it runs out into wild and remote country. There are no services or developments of any kind except for a few stone fire-rings and a few barrier fences. Cell phones might work, but don't count on it. Bring water and food, a good spare tire, a shovel, tools, a tow rope, bailing wire, and anything you might need to survive a night stuck out in the desert. There are no dump stations.

While hiking and camping, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. This road runs along Wilderness, so pay particular attention to respecting the land. Be sure to bring the 10 Essentials. For ATVs, spark arresters are required in this area, and they (plus bicycles) must stay on designated roads.

Remember, these primitive campsites are places where people come to seek solitude. If a large campsite is occupied by a single, small camper, the site is taken and other people may not move in next to them, not even if "there is plenty of room." For those with large RVs, consider driving a second, smaller vehicle to check site availability.

Getting to the Roadhead

This road is located adjacent to the Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness Area, about 1 hour south of Las Vegas, just west of Searchlight.

From town, drive south on Highway 95 or Interstate 15 to Highway 164 (called Nipton Road in California). Drive to Wee Thump East Road, on the north side of the highway, which is marked only by a stop sign.

Drive north on Wee Thump East Road to the campsites.

The Campsites

Wee Thump East Road runs north from a large pullout on the north side of the highway. The pullout can be used for a roadside campsite. Wee Thump East Road used to be marked with a large "wilderness area" sign, but vandals tore it down years ago. Nonetheless, pass the highway fence at a cattle guard in the northeast corner of the pullout and continue north past information and designated route signs. Keep an eye out to the west for carsonite signs about 200-feet out that mark the edge of the actual Wilderness Area.

At about 0.2 miles out, the road arrives at an historic corral with fencing, a windmill, water tank, and watering trough, all of which are aging poorly. Just past the corral, the Windmill Corral Campsite (Table 1, Site 1352) is a large, flat, open area to the right that can support several large camper rigs.

At about 0.5 miles out, Wee Thump East Road arrives at the eastern trailhead for the El Dorado Wagon Road Trail, on the left (Site 2030). This parking area is used as a campsite, but campers might have to endure their campsite filling up with hiker vehicles. Even so, this is a good campsite for RVs and low-clearance vehicles.

Wee Thump East Road continues north, and at about 1.0 miles out, arrives at a fairly large campsite on the right (Roadside Camp 1, Site 2031). There are two entrance roads spaced close together. This campsite had been spreading eastward into the desert, and in late 2024, the BLM installed parking barricades on the perimeter. This campsite is large enough for several rigs.

At about 1.44 miles out, Wee Thump East Road arrives at Roadside Camp 2, Site 2032), on the right. This is another large, flat, open area that can support several large camper rigs.

Shortly past Roadside Camp 2, Wee Thump East Road passes a T-intersection (Site 0946) where Piute Valley Road runs to the right. There is a small campsite about 0.1 miles down Piute Valley Road, a couple of quail guzzlers farther along, and the pavement at Hwy 164 about 3.0 miles distant. In good weather, Piute Valley Road is a good, 2WD road that probably could be navigated in a carefully driven sedan.

At about 2.0 miles out, Wee Thump East Road passes another T-intersection where a minor side road branches to the right.

Continuing on Wee Thump East Road, at about 2.5 miles out, campers arrive at Roadside Camp 3 (Site 2033), on the right. This is a smaller campsite suitable for an RV or two. This campsite has two Eastern Joshua Trees in the middle of the site, and campers should avoid parking too close so as not to damage the roots.

Continuing on Wee Thump East Road, at about 3.0 miles out, campers arrive at Roadside Camp 4 (Site 2034), on the right. This is another smaller campsite suitable for an RV or two. This campsite has been spreading outward too, and if people keep driving out into the bushes, this site will get a perimeter fence too.