Fort Churchill State Historic Park

05/22/2026

Come steep yourself in history. The Nevada Civil War Volunteers will be encamped on the visitor center lawn for an educational and engaging weekend of living history. They will be setting up camp on Friday and breaking camp on Sunday afternoon.

05/17/2026

Memorial Day weekend is just a few days away, and we are expecting the park to be busy. To help ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend, please keep the following in mind:

• All campsites in the Samuel Buckland Campground (at Fort Churchill) are reserved. In the event of a cancellation or no-show, site(s) will be available on a night-to-night basis as first-come, first-served.

• Overflow camping (first-come, first-served) is available at Scout Camp. Scout Camp is a dispersed camping area with limited amenities.

• Park day-use and camping fees apply. Day-use fees are $5.00 per vehicle for Nevada residents and $10.00 for out-of-state visitors. Camping fees are $15.00 per vehicle, per day for Nevada residents and $20.00 per vehicle, per day for out-of-state visitors. Self-pay fee stations are located throughout the park including the main park entrance, campground, and Scout Camp. A credit card machine is also located at the main park entrance.

• Quiet hours are 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.

• ATVs and other motorized vehicles are not permitted on the trails.

Thank you and have a wonderful weekend!

05/08/2026

Welcome!

We are pleased to share the Fort Churchill Visitor Center has reopened following recent earthquake activity in the area.

05/04/2026

Heavy clouds, signaling rain, represent an agent of change at Fort Churchill. Rain, snow, and wind all contribute to the continuous weathering and erosion of the adobe structures.

05/01/2026

A friendly reminder to visually inspect an area before placing your hands, feet, or bottom. While non-venomous, this gopher snake, hanging out under a park bench, may be an unwelcome surprise for some visitors.

Often mistaken for rattlesnakes because of their patterned skin, defensive hissing, and tail-vibrating behavior, gopher snakes are generally not aggressive. Gopher snakes are beneficial reptiles – helping to control rodent populations and maintain ecosystem balance. Please remember to be respectful of all wildlife in the park.

04/15/2026

The visitor center at Fort Churchill State Historic Park is closed until further notice due to damage from recent earthquake activity in the area.

The closure is necessary to ensure the safety of visitors and staff while the building is assessed. The park remains open, and outdoor areas are still accessible at this time.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to ensure the facility is safe. Updates will be shared at https://parks.nv.gov/news/fort-churchill-visitor-center-closed as more information becomes available.

03/29/2026

Many, many thanks!

We are so grateful for the Mason Valley Gem & Mineral Club members who came out this weekend for some annual spring cleaning in the campground. The Club's ongoing commitment to Fort Churchill is much appreciated and makes such a difference!

03/28/2026

It's that time of year again at Fort Churchill...insect season. Make sure you come well prepared to deal with pesky and persistent insects. We strongly recommend mesh head nets in addition to insect repellent. Head nets may seem excessive, but we cannot emphasize enough how essential they are when dealing with the springtime gnats.

03/17/2026

On March 17, 1861, Mary Evelyn Chapman, an officer’s wife, made a brief and rare entry in her diary about the enlisted men at Fort Churchill. She noted that St. Patrick’s Day provided a diversion from the monotonous routine of daily life, with many of the fort’s Irish soldiers celebrating the day with alcohol - even though it was prohibited on the military reservation.

03/02/2026

The exhibit redesign project at Fort Churchill State Historic Park has been awarded a Green Good Design® Award by The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.

We couldn’t be more pleased and proud of the team that transformed the visitor center and visitor experience at Fort Churchill. Thank you and congratulations to Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA), exhibit design, and Gizmo Art Production, exhibit fabrication and installation!

Established by the U.S. Army in 1860 in rural northwest Nevada and abandoned soon after, the ruins of Fort Churchill have gradually blended back into the landscape. What remains reads as an imprint—adobe architecture withered by wind and time—within a much older and continuing terrain and narrat...