River campground proposal shelved

An RV campground proposed for county land near the East Fork of the Carson River was shelved by members of the Douglas County Parks & Recreation Advisory Board last week.

The campground was proposed in a feasibility study, which the board accepted, but halted any further work on the idea.

“It was not very popular with the neighbors, and it’s not going anywhere at all,” Community Services Director Scott Morgan said.

The $10,000 feasibility study was paid for through room taxes generated during the pandemic year of 2020-21, which saw a $3.5 million surplus in the parks and recreation budget.

After Ruhenstroth residents turned out for an Aug. 23 meeting on the proposal, the county backed off any discussion on campsites at either the fairgrounds or the former motocross track.

The 38-spot campground would be located east of the Riverview Mobile Home Park across the river from the old Washoe Tribe Campground.

Concerns specifically related to the Carson River site included trying to pull out onto Highway 395 at the base of Jake’s Hill and flooding which has occurred over the years.

The causeway that crosses the river at that site was built to access the Washoe Campground, which still has several structures still standing on the other side of the river.

County commissioners approved spending $350,000 on the acquisition of the 7.34-acre parcel using State Lands Question 1 funds on Oct. 6, 2004. The county’s match of the Question 1 funds was $87,500.

Had the proposal gone forward, construction of the campground would have cost the county $400,000, according to the Parks & Recreation capital improvement plan.