Burning Man 2027 RV & Motorhome Rental

Day 1: Collect your RV in the Bay Area on Friday 27 August and run Burning Man's pre-playa tank test before you leave the depot: fill the fresh tank, run the sink for a minute and flush the toilet a few times, checking for leaks. Then take I-80 east about 187 miles (300 km), roughly 3.7 hours in a car and longer in an RV over the Sierra, and camp near Truckee.

Day 2: Spend a slow day around Donner Lake and the Truckee River, then drive to the Lake Tahoe shore at Tahoe City for a swim and a lakeside walk. Top up your fresh water tank and buy spare jugs, as water is the one thing you cannot be short of on the playa, where Burning Man advises 1.5 gallons (5.7 litres) per person per day.

Day 3: Drive 32 miles (52 km) to Reno, about 45 minutes. The Gate opens at 12:01 am on the first Sunday and waits in the first 36 hours can pass five hours, so use today to shop for food, ice and water. Stay at an RV park in the Reno or Sparks area and check that your rental agreement covers Burning Man.

Day 4: Fill the fuel tank, because the Survival Guide says to carry enough to reach Black Rock City and get back to Reno, Fernley or Lovelock, generator fuel included. Close slide-outs, secure loose items and check lights, tyres and fluids. Fill the fresh water tank, then rest, as tomorrow starts early.

Day 5: Leave Reno early on Tuesday 31 August, as Highway 447 is busiest from 11 am to midnight. It is 106 miles (171 km) to Gerlach, about 2 hours, then Gate Road at 10 mph (16 km/h). Display your vehicle pass in the windshield, expect a search at the Gate, and collect your city map from the Greeters.

Day 6: Park the RV along the edge of your camp, not on a main street, so it also shields tents from wind. A vehicle pass does not allow driving in the city, so the RV stays put until you leave. Run the generator at least one hour a day to keep the battery healthy, and keep a five-gallon bucket handy for leaks.

Day 7: Buy your pump-out voucher at the Fire & Services sanitation office before you flag down a truck. RV trucks run from 9 am to 9 pm, and their hoses reach only 30 feet (9 m), so leave a clear path. Save water by using the RV shower every other day and baby wipes in between.

Day 8: Daytime highs routinely pass 100°F (38°C) and overnight lows fall into the 40s°F (about 4 to 9°C), so pack for both. If a whiteout hits, stop where you are, turn your back to the wind and cover your face until it passes. Winds can top 75 mph (121 km/h) in an instant.

Day 9: Saturday 4 September is the expected night for the Man burn, as Burning Man says the Man burns on the Saturday night before Labor Day, weather permitting. Head out on foot or bike before dark with a headlamp and warm layers, and leave the RV parked at camp.

Day 10: The Temple burns on the Sunday evening, around 8 pm in 2026. It closed to visitors at sunrise that day, so visit earlier in the week. Start packing tonight and book a pump-out now, before the queues build on Monday, because pumping demand is high and waits can stretch to the next day.

Day 11: The event ends at 6 pm on Monday 6 September. Walk your camp shoulder to shoulder in a grid and pick up everything, even cigarette butts and bottle caps. Most people leave on Sunday and Monday, so queues on Gate Road were six to nine hours at their peak in past years, with Reno a few hours beyond that.

Day 12: Leave very early, late in the evening or on Tuesday morning before noon, as the Survival Guide suggests. Empty your tanks at a listed dump station, such as Love's in Fernley (825 Commerce Center Dr) or Golden Gate Petroleum in Sparks (1055 S Rock Blvd), both open 24 hours, then rest in Reno.

Day 13: Clean the RV inside and out. Burning Man warns that rented RVs need a thorough clean, engine bay included, or you risk extra fees, and it advises blowing dust out of the air filter area. Take a quiet day around Reno and Sparks to sort laundry, shower and repack.

Day 14: Drive I-80 west about 218 miles (351 km), roughly 4.3 hours, over Donner Summit to the Bay Area and return the RV at its depot. Allow time for the return inspection and refuel the tank to the level your agreement requires. Check the depot's return hours before you leave Reno.

Day 1: Collect your RV on Saturday 28 August, run Burning Man's pre-playa tank test and stock up on water and food before you leave town. Drive US-95 north about 211 miles (340 km), roughly 4 hours, across the Nevada desert to Tonopah and stay overnight. Late August afternoons are hot, so check the air conditioning before you leave the depot.

Day 2: Continue north on US-95 about 103 miles (166 km), roughly 2 hours, to Hawthorne and stop at Walker Lake for the view. Fill up with fuel in Hawthorne, as towns are far apart on this road. Camp near Hawthorne, or press on if you want a shorter drive tomorrow.

Day 3: Drive the last 128 miles (206 km), about 2.7 hours, into Reno, with a detour to Virginia City, the old silver mining town 26 miles (41 km) from Reno, if time allows. Book an RV park in the Reno or Sparks area for the next two nights and ring ahead for late arrival.

Day 4: Shop for food, ice and 1.5 gallons (5.7 litres) of water per person per day, then fill the fuel tank. The Survival Guide says to carry enough fuel to reach Black Rock City and get back to Reno, Fernley or Lovelock, generator fuel included. Close slide-outs, secure loads and check your lights.

Day 5: Leave Reno early on Wednesday 1 September, as Highway 447 is busiest from 11 am to midnight. It is 106 miles (171 km) to Gerlach, about 2 hours, then Gate Road at 10 mph (16 km/h). Waits are usually shortest from about 3 am to 10 am, and arriving Tuesday or later generally means shorter queues.

Day 6: Park the RV along the edge of camp, not on a main street. Your vehicle pass does not allow driving in the city, so the RV stays parked until you leave. Run the generator for at least an hour a day to keep the battery charged, and check the grey tank, as running water fills it quickly.

Day 7: Buy a pump-out voucher at the Fire & Services sanitation office and book service early, as demand is high. Trucks run from 9 am to 9 pm and hoses reach only 30 feet (9 m). Use the RV shower every other day to save space in the tanks, and keep a bucket under the tank connections during any service.

Day 8: Saturday 4 September is the expected Man burn night, as Burning Man says the Man burns on the Saturday night before Labor Day, weather permitting. Walk or cycle out before dark with a headlamp and warm layers, and leave the RV parked at camp until Exodus.

Day 9: The Temple burns on the Sunday evening, around 8 pm in 2026, and closes to visitors at sunrise that day. Spend the day starting your MOOP sweep, packing loose items and arranging your last pump-out. Highs above 100°F (38°C) are common, so drink water and stay in shade through the afternoon.

Day 10: The event ends at 6 pm on Monday 6 September. Walk your camp shoulder to shoulder, pick up everything including cigarette butts, and join the two-hour community clean-up if you can. Secure every load and keep water, snacks and fuel within easy reach, ready for an early start tomorrow.

Day 11: Leave very early, in the late evening or on Tuesday morning before noon. Gate Road took six to nine hours at its peak in past years, with Reno a few hours beyond that. Empty your tanks at a listed dump station, such as Love's in Fernley (825 Commerce Center Dr) or Golden Gate Petroleum in Sparks (1055 S Rock Blvd), then rest in Reno.

Day 12: Give the RV a thorough clean inside and out, engine bay included, as Burning Man warns rentals can attract extra fees if returned dusty. Then drive south about 128 miles (206 km), roughly 2.7 hours, to Hawthorne and camp for the night near Walker Lake.

Day 13: Continue on US-95 about 103 miles (166 km), around 2 hours, to Tonopah. Fill up with fuel and stretch your legs at the Tonopah Historic Mining Park, then keep the evening quiet. Check the air conditioning, as the drive south to Las Vegas is long and hot.

Day 14: Drive south on US-95 about 211 miles (340 km), roughly 4 hours, to the Las Vegas depot. Refuel the tank to the level your agreement requires, check the depot's return hours and allow time for the return inspection. Take photos of the clean interior and exterior before you hand over the keys.

Day 1: Collect your RV in the Bay Area on Thursday 2 September, run Burning Man's pre-playa tank test and drive I-80 east about 218 miles (351 km), roughly 4.5 hours, over Donner Summit to Reno. Shop for food, ice and 1.5 gallons (5.7 litres) of water per person per day.

Day 2: Fill the fuel tank and leave Reno early on Friday 3 September, as Highway 447 is busiest from 11 am to midnight. It is about 106 miles (171 km) to Gerlach, then 8 miles (13 km) to the Gate. Park along the edge of your camp and keep the RV there.

Day 3: Saturday 4 September is the expected Man burn night, as Burning Man says the Man burns on the Saturday night before Labor Day, weather permitting. Buy a pump-out voucher at the Fire & Services sanitation office early in the day.

Day 4: The Temple burns on Sunday evening, around 8 pm in 2026, and closes to visitors at sunrise that day. Run the generator for at least an hour and top up batteries before the final night.

Day 5: The event ends at 6 pm on Monday 6 September. Do a grid sweep of your camp and pick up everything, including the smallest matter out of place, then pack the RV for an early exit.

Day 6: Leave on Tuesday 7 September, ideally before noon, as the Survival Guide suggests. Empty your tanks at one of the listed dump stations in Fernley or Sparks and overnight near Reno.

Day 7: Give the RV a thorough clean inside and out, engine bay included, as Burning Man warns rentals can attract extra cleaning fees, then drive back over Donner Summit to return it in the Bay Area.