A Burning Man camp that allows RVs needs three things most camps lack: generator capacity to absorb the draw, a pump-out plan for black water, and a layout with fire-lane access. Bringing an RV to Burning Man sounds like a simple upgrade. It is not. An RV at Black Rock City is a power draw, a water consumer, a waste producer, and a placement constraint. If you own or are renting an RV, finding a camp that genuinely accommodates it — rather than one that tolerates it — is the difference between a functional week and a sequence of logistical crises.
At Nobo House, we have allowed RVs since our early years and have learned what it takes to integrate them without breaking the camp’s infrastructure. If you are bringing an RV and want a camp that has built systems around it, our application opens in January. Here is what RV-friendly means, what it does not mean, and what questions to ask before you commit.
What an RV needs on the playa
Power. RVs draw significant electricity. Air conditioning in a desert environment can pull 2,000 to 4,000 watts continuously. Refrigerators, lights, water pumps, and battery charging add to the load. A camp running a small generator — 25 kW or less — cannot support an RV without shutting down other infrastructure. The camp needs either a generator large enough to absorb the draw or explicit power tiers that tell you when your RV is the first thing to go dark.
At Nobo House, we run a 75-100 kW diesel generator with a documented power-load tier system. RV air conditioning sits at Level 3. If the generator approaches overload, the Mayor of the Day knows to kill Level 4 loads first — the steam room, ice bath, e-bike charging — then Level 3, which includes RV AC. Every spider box is labeled. The system is designed for an exhausted operator with a flashlight and no electrical training. That is what RV-friendly power looks like: not infinite electricity, but predictable priority.
Water and pump-out. RVs need fresh water and they produce black water. A camp that allows RVs needs either pump-out service scheduled during the week — expensive, but necessary for stays longer than a few days — or a plan for the RV to leave and dump mid-week. Water fill is the easier problem; most camps with an outside services contract can handle it. Pump-out is the bottleneck. If the camp does not mention pump-out, ask.
Nobo House coordinates pump-out service for our RV spots. Campers pay per pump, and the camp handles scheduling with the outside services provider. This is not optional for most RVs. A full holding tank in a desert with no sewer system is a camp-ending problem.
Placement and egress. RVs are large. A typical Class C is 25 to 30 feet. A Class A can hit 40 feet plus tow vehicle. The camp’s layout needs fire-lane access for pump trucks and fuel trucks. The RV needs a level-ish spot, close enough to the camp’s power distribution to avoid excessive cable runs, and positioned so it can exit without driving through tent city. Layout planning for a camp with RVs is different from layout planning for a tent-only camp. If the camp has not thought about it, the RV becomes an afterthought that everyone resents.
Nobo House’s layout reserves the backside of our footprint for RVs, with a buffer to Tent City and access to the fire lane for service vehicles. We cap the number of RVs based on what our power and water contracts can absorb. It is not an unlimited welcome.
What RV-friendly does not mean
- Full hookups like a KOA. There is no sewer connection at Burning Man, no grid power, and no potable water line running to your rig — Burning Man’s official preparation guides are blunt about this. An RV-friendly camp provides managed access to shared resources, not individual utilities.
- Silent, private, climate-controlled isolation. The RV is still in a desert with a hundred other people. The walls are thin. The generator hums. Your neighbor’s tent is six feet away. If you are bringing an RV to escape the communal experience, you will be disappointed and your camp will notice.
- No cost differential. RVs cost the camp more in power, water, pump-out, and layout complexity. Most camps that allow RVs charge a premium for the spot. At Nobo House, RV payment is due with full dues and covers the additional infrastructure load. It is not a markup for luxury. It is a reflection of actual cost.
Questions to ask a camp about RVs
- What is your generator capacity, and how do you prioritize loads when demand is high?
- Do you provide or coordinate pump-out service? How many times per week?
- How many RV spots do you have, and where are they positioned relative to power and the fire lane?
- Is there an RV-specific cost-share premium, and what does it cover?
- What happens if my RV’s power draw trips the camp’s distribution system?
- Can I arrive in my RV and stay in it through build week, or do you require tent camping during build?
If a camp cannot answer these questions specifically, they are not RV-friendly. They are RV-tolerant, which is not the same thing.
Join Us
Nobo House allows a limited number of RVs each year because some campers need them — medical needs, mobility constraints, or simply a better sleep environment than a tent provides. We do not treat RVs as VIP upgrades. We treat them as infrastructure loads that require planning, power allocation, and pump-out coordination.
An RV is a tool, not a solution. The right camp makes it a useful one.
If you are bringing an RV to Burning Man and you want a camp that has built systems around it — not one that will improvise when your holding tank fills — apply to Nobo House. We will walk you through the power tier, the placement, and the pump-out schedule before you commit. Applications open in January.
