When you live in a metro area nestled between the Great Basin and the Sierra Nevada, the adventure possibilities are endless.
For alpine peaks, mountain lakes and forested trails, just head toward Truckee, Tahoe or anywhere else uphill. To the east and north, remote desert wonders abound. You just have to know where to look for them.
A landscape photographer, a professional hiking guide, a guidebook author and two of the RN&R’s own experts shared their favorite destinations—all within day-tripping distance of Reno.
A blast of sci-fi technicolor
Fly Geyser
Scott Mortimore does a lot of wandering. A landscape photographer who won accolades this year and last in Desert Companion magazine’s Focus on Nevada Photo Contest, he has a jaw-dropping portfolio of images that you should flash when your next East Coast relative who’s never been here says, “but Nevada seems so barren.”
Of the many far-flung Silver State locales Scott has photographed, Fly Geyser is a favorite. It’s a surreal, conical formation of calcium carbonate and other minerals—formed by accident, starting in 1946, when a drill hit a well—that spews hot water 24/7 in the Hualapai Geothermal Flats near the Black Rock Desert.
“You’ve got this explosion of technicolor,” Scott said. “And there are these little hot pools around there, too.”
He learned about the geyser when he was a kid, on family hunting trips. “You could just drive down the road and get out and take a look at it,” he said. These days, the only way to visit is to join a guided nature walk.
Friends of Black Rock-High Rock offers tours of Fly Geyser on Saturdays and Sundays, April through November, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with blackout dates in late August due to Burning Man traffic. The tour meets at the group’s office, 320 Main St., in Gerlach. Tickets are $52, or $26.50 for kids 12 and under. For tickets and information, visit blackrockdesert.org.
To see Scott Mortimore’s photos, visit scottmortimore.com.
Distance from central Reno: 107 miles (plus 20 miles from the meeting spot to the geyser)
Travel time: 2 hours
Scott’s pro tips:
- Bring mosquito repellent.
- Eat at Bruno’s in Gerlach on the way home.
- For the best photos, shoot as early in the morning and as late in the year as possible to ensure softer light and longer shadows.
So far yet so close
Donner Peak Trail
Ashley Kasper, vice president of the adventure travel company Outdoor Calling, spends a lot of her time leading guided hikes in national parks and throughout the Southwest. When she’s at home in Reno and she wants a quick adventure, one of her go-to spots is the Donner Peak Trail near Truckee, Calif.
“It feels like you’re getting away, but it’s not too far away,” she said.
The challenging, 3.7-mile out-and-back route starts out with switchbacks exposed to sun. “But the higher you go, you’re crossing some streams, and there are tons of wildflowers. It’s really pretty,” Ashley said.
The route intersects with the Pacific Crest Trail, which spans from Mexico to Canada, and Ashley enjoys chatting with the thru hikers she comes across. Her other favorite part: the view. After climbing from 7,000 feet to almost 8,000, you’ll see what she called “iconic views of Donner Lake” between picturesque Sierra granite formations. If you’re like Ashley, and reaching a peak just makes you want to reach another one, opt for an add-on to nearby Judah Peak, which makes the whole hike a 5.2 mile loop.
The Pacific Crest Trail and Donner Peak Trailhead is located at 96161 Old Donner Summit Road, in Truckee, Calif. There’s a spacious lot, and parking is easy. To learn more about Outdoor Calling’s guided trips, visit www.outdoorcallingadventures.com.
Distance from central Reno: 41 miles
Travel time: 47 minutes
Ashley’s pro tips:
- Pack a picnic for the summit.
- If you’re not used to hiking at high elevation, take it slow and steady, and always pack plenty of water.
- On the way home, stop at Old 40 Bar and Grill at Donner Ski Ranch, at 19320 Donner Pass Road, in Norden, where the pie is made from scratch. Ashley favors the rhubarb and the caramel apple.
A wonderland for wanderers
Placerville and El Dorado County
Heidi Knapp Rinella, former food critic for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, is now making the most of retirement by traveling and camping a lot. The seventh edition of her guidebook, Nevada—Off the Beaten Path, published in May, is packed with fun facts, history, trivia and advice on what to do, indoors and out, in every part of the state. One her favorite day trips from Reno, however, is actually in California.
Heidi and her husband had a “commuter marriage” for a few years, which had them often passing through the regions between Reno and Sacramento. This is how she stumbled upon Placerville and El Dorado County as a go-to adventure locale:
“My husband told me to check our AAA book—this was in the pre-smartphone era—for wineries,” she recalled. “I was dubious, but lo and behold—lots of them, tucked in along winding roads, reached via dirt tracks. They were small and personal, with the actual winemaker presiding at each spot. Best of all, because of the topography, they specialized in zinfandels and Ports, among our favorites.”
“Today, there are more than 20 wineries near the Route 50 corridor and downtown Placerville,” Heidi said. “Some are a little fancier, and there are a few tasting rooms downtown. The town itself is quaint without being precious, with boutiques such as Gifts and Wishes and the Main Street Mercantile, and food-related stores such as Dedrick’s Main Street Cheese and Winterhill Olive Oil.”
To reach Placerville, take Interstate 80 west from Reno to State Route 49 South, or take U.S. 50 west from Carson City. One good source for trip advice is Visit Eldorado (visit-eldorado.com/visiting-el-dorados-wineries). For spontaneous travelers, Heidi noted that the area is suited to simply showing up and wandering.
The new edition of her book, Nevada—Off the Beaten Path, is available from major online retailers.
Distance from central Reno: 125 miles
Travel time: 2.25 hours
Heidi’s pro tips:
- Stop in for a crepe, fondue or a steak at the Enchanted Forest Dining Experience, 372 Main St., Placerville.
- Get some fresh produce at the Main Street Farmers Market, 574 Main St., Placerville, on Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to sundown. It opens for the season June 6.
A lovely lake loop and enough sugar to fuel the hike
Carson Pass
The Carson Pass Information Station is on State Route 88 in Alpine County, Calif., between South Lake Tahoe and Kirkwood Mountain.
“There are a ton of really nice hikes back there,” said Helena Guglielmino. She should know. She’s not just the RN&R’s outdoors columnist; she’s also a trail crew member for Tahoe Rim Trail Association and the author of the forthcoming hiking book Urban Trails Reno, scheduled for October publication.
One of Helena’s favorite trails, south of the parking area, is the 5-mile, out-and-back trek to Lake Winnemucca. For the cold-hardy, this alpine lake is perfectly swimmable. Spring snow usually yields an impressive July wildflower show.
For inspired hikers seeking more miles and more solitude, she recommends extending the route to nearby Round Top Lake or heading north from the parking area on a 10.2-mile roundtrip walk to Meiss Meadow.
“It’s so pretty,” Helena said. “It’s super lush” Wetlands, more wildflowers and views of Lake Tahoe included.
The Carson Pass Information Station is located on State Route 88, 27 miles south of South Lake Tahoe. A day-use parking permit is required.
Distance from central Reno: 76 miles
Travel time: 1.5 hours
Helena’s pro tips:
- Parking can be tight, but may be less so on weekdays. There’s an overflow lot 350 feet west of the main parking area.
- “Make a full day of it”—from Reno, head south to Carson Valley; load up on “amazing” dark chocolate coffee bark at the Chocolate Shoppe, 1363 U.S. Highway 395, in Gardnerville; drive up Kingsbury Grade on State Route 88; hike to your heart’s content; stop at Divided Sky, 3200 U.S. Highway 50, in South Lake Tahoe, for carrot cake; then loop around the west side of Lake Tahoe for a scenic drive home.
Ancient history
Lagomarsino Petroglyph Site
Did you know that former RN&R editor Frank Mullen is also a history writer? He’s working on an update of his 1997 book The Donner Party Chronicles, and he’s logged countless miles checking out history sites of all kinds, all over the region.
He described the Lagomarsino Petroglyph Site in Storey County like this: “It’s close to Reno, and it is one of the most amazing petroglyph sites in Nevada, if not the West. … It’s near a spring, which, incidentally, is supposed to be haunted. There’s a basalt cliff face, an old lava flow, and over the millennia, big blocks of the cliff face have rolled down the hill into what they call a talus slope—a rock-strewn slope up against the cliff. And just about every surface is covered in petroglyphs.”
He added that you could probably spend days there and not likely see them all.
These rock drawings appear in every form known in this part of the world, from simple lines and squiggles to human and animal forms to more complex designs. Anthropologists estimate that they could be up to 10,000 years old.
While you don’t need to be an extreme off-roader to reach Lagomarsino, you do need to be prepared for desert adventures. You’ll need a high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle. Carry a spare tire or two, as the route involves sharp rocks.
Google Maps can show you a few different ways to get there—either from Virginia Highlands, Lockwood or Clark—but its estimate of a one-hour drive time from Reno will lead you astray. Plan on at least two, and possibly more, depending on conditions.
Of the three routes, Frank recommends the one from the Virginia Highlands. Take Lousetown Road to Long Valley Road to the petroglyphs.
Distance from central Reno: 33 miles
Travel time: 2 or more hours
Frank’s pro tips:
- Bring binoculars so you can spot the petroglyphs that are high above ground level.
- Bring a picnic lunch; hang out all day. You can climb around the petroglyphs, check out rock walls, and watch wild horses and other wildlife.
- “Don’t wreck stuff.” Vandalism at undeveloped petroglyph sites is common. Don’t make it more common.
- Be alert for rattlesnakes.
- Download your map before you go. Cell service is spotty at best.