• Carson Now on Facebook
  • Follow Carson Now on Twitter
  • Follow Carson Now by RSS
  • Follow Carson Now by Email

Carson River Canyon railbike tours begin Saturday, to deliver an experience unlike any other

All aboard for a unique ride on the rails. Visit Carson City, in partnership with the V&T Railway Commission, have announced an all-new attraction unlike any other in northern Nevada. It’s not a train, it’s not a bike, but it is the Carson Canyon Railbike Tours.

Railbikes are power assisted, recumbent style pedal bikes that safely ride on top of a railroad track. Visitors will trek on an easy and fun-filled round trip in and out of the Carson River Canyon for five miles via the V&T Railway Commission’s canyon tracks. Go here to watch the video.

These specialized railbikes are equipped with customized wheels which deter derailments and provide riders with a smooth trip above the scenic canyon. The optional pedal-assist motors make the two percent grade out of the Carson River Canyon comfortable and easy.

“Carson City is the only place in northern Nevada that you’re going to find this extraordinary experience,” said David Peterson, executive director of Visit Carson City. “People of all ages can enjoy a scenic ride into the beautiful Carson River Canyon while socially distancing and getting a little exercise. We invite you to have a one-of-a-kind experience along a historic train route and then enjoy all the fun activities and amenities that Carson City has to offer.”

Each tour is guided by a Freedom Rail host, who will escort the railbikes from the Eastgate Depot into the canyon which offers a variety of vista views and Instagrammable moments. A curved canyon track will add excitement to the experience. A rest stop near the Eureka Mill site will provide an opportunity for riders to take a break, enjoy the area and allow the guides to turn the railbike around for the trip back which will go past the Depot, cross the V&T Railway Hwy 50 bridge to the historic Halfway House site before turning back to the Depot to end the tour. Riders will enjoy historical commentary at each turn around point.

Freedom Rail, of Utica, N.Y., is the maker and operating entity of the Carson Canyon railbike operation. The bikes which are innovative, easy-to-peddle and manufactured in the U.S. are a great fit for V&T Railway’s canyon track and their railbikes provide a safe and unique way for people to access the breathtaking beauty of Carson City that they may not have been able to see before.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Freedom Rail and Visit Carson City to offer such a new and different way to witness the beauty of our area,” said Elaine Barkdull-Spencer, general manager of operations for the V&T Railway Commission. “Visitors and locals alike of all ages will be able to create new memories while enjoying the Carson River Canyon’s grandeur.”

Carson City railbikes are located at the Eastgate Depot at 4650 Eastgate Siding Road in Carson City. Railbikes will run Tuesday-Sunday, four times a day 10 a.m., noon, 2p.m. and 4 p.m. Excursions are $45 per person. Tickets may be purchased online at vtrailway.com.

Admission includes water and a small snack for each rider. Children must be six years or older and accompanied by an adult. There is a small storage bin on the railbike to store cell phones, water and other compact items. Once riders arrive back at the depot, they may purchase memorabilia at the V&T Railway gift shop. Bikes will be thoroughly sanitized before and after each ride to ensure passenger safety. Masks will be required when in the depot.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit vtrailway.com or call (877) 724-5007. More information can also be found at https://visitcarsoncity.com/

Freedom Rail is also hiring. Check them out on the Carson Now Jobs Page.

Top Stories

... or see all stories

The call for country and Olympic team unity has Stephen Curry lacing up his basketball shoes for Paris and setting his golf clubs aside this July, foregoing his title defense at the American Century Championship, the celebrity golf tournament at Lake Tahoe.

A 36-year-old Yerington resident died, one person was injured and three escaped from a house fire Monday night in Yerington, according to the Lyon County Sheriff's Office.

Looking for a place to take your little ones this week? Look no further! Here is a list of family-friendly (and fun!) activities and events happening this week around Carson City.

A gang fight at an apartment complex last month resulted in the arrest of 14 juveniles and adults, according to the Carson City Sheriff's Office.

Carson City Sheriff's Office Uniformed Reserves and Partnership Carson City collected approximately 410 pounds of prescription drugs in the Prescription Drug Take Back held last month in Carson City.

Mark Twain Days Festival returns this Friday through Sunday, May 10-12, with a bevy of events lined up for the second year of the festival, which is held in honor of Mark Twain, our region’s most famous writer.

Meet others from the community for conversation and real connection.

CONNECTIONS social gatherings bring locals together every week for story sharing, conversation and inspiration.

Join us every Tuesday for Café CONNECTIONS at Comma Coffee, 312 S Carson Street, Carson City.

Check out the free Senior Health Fair from 8 am to 12 noon this Thursday, May 9 at Casino Fandango Grand Ballroom in Carson City.

More than 70 vendors, a record number, will share valuable information about their programs and services. Participate in raffle drawings, interact with service dogs, donate blood, and have quick access to important vaccines. Pick up our fifth edition of the Senior Celebration magazine and a Community Resource Guide.

Partnership Carson City has launched “Rediscovering Your Mental Health Series,” a five-week program aimed at promoting mental wellness during Mental Health Awareness Month this May. Each week, participants will have the opportunity to learn new skills and techniques to enhance their mental well-being and foster a healthy community.

The Battle Born Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution is a women's volunteer service organization, promoting Patriotism, Education, and Historic Preservation.

Photo courtesy of David and Gayle Woodruff

Carson City Historical Society hosts local authors and historians David and Gayle Woodruff, who will present a Chautauqua on "Snowshoe Thompson: Superhero of the Sierra" from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 11 in the Carriage House behind the Foreman-Roberts Historic House located at 1207 Carson Street, Carson City, during Mark Twain Days.

Join us at the Territorial Enterprise Mark Twain Museum located at 53 South C Street for an event filled with fun and excitement for the three days of "Mark Twain Days" in Virginia City, Nevada.

On the morning of Saturday, May 11, volunteers will fan out across the Truckee River watershed to collect and test water samples from creeks, streams, smaller lakes, and Lake Tahoe itself to take a “snapshot” of water quality at a single moment in time for this important source of drinking water and outdoor recreation.

The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners will hold a special meeting May 20 that will include the final adoption of the County Budget Fiscal Year 2024-25.

A 44-year-old man was arrested Saturday for suspicion of unlawful occupancy of real property and violation of a suspended sentence, according to a Carson City Sheriff's Office booking report. The man was occupying the home of a deceased person without permission.

The Nevada Artists Association Art Gallery in Carson City presents the "Just the Right Size" show with 130 entries by 31 local Nevada artists.

UPDATE 3:11 PM: The fire in the 1400 block of Monte Rosa Drive was contained to the garage and was knocked down quickly, according to CCFD Battalion Chief Jon Pedrini. The fire did not extend to the main structure. No one was home and there were no injuries. The cause is under investigation.
***
UPDATE 12:37PM: Carson City firefighters knocked down the fire and are beginning to clear the scene.
***
Carson City Fire Department and sheriff's deputies were called late Monday morning to a structure fire in the 1400 block of Monte Rosa Drive.

For years, advocates have called upon presidential administrations to reclassify marijuana or deschedule it entirely from the DEA’s list of controlled substances.

UPDATE: The roadways have reopened.
***
Firefighters in Yerington and the Lyon County Sheriff's Office are on scene Monday morning of a semi truck rollover on Aiazzi Lane and Miller Road in Yerington. The entire area is closed to all traffic.

It's time again for the biggest one-day food drive in the country, the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive happening Saturday, May 11. This event is vital for helping food banks to provide food during the summer months.

Polka Dot Powerhouse, Carson City Chapter, invites you to be a guest at our May monthly business luncheon. Come meet Carson City's most dynamic, positive, action forward women to connect for business and friendship. Join us for collaboration, celebration, and fun! Special raffle prizes for all guests.

We’re back, bigger and better than ever! Please welcome the second annual Mark Twain Days, May 10-12. For a listing of events take a gander at the website here.

You will find something of interest or my name’s not Mark Twain, or used to be anyways. And this year Virginia City is joining in on the fun along with Carson City. Wow!

Nevada Division of Forestry state nursery is open for business beginning Thursday, May 9. When we first bought our home in 1988 with its 2.5 acres, there were some poplars, pines, blue spruce, willows, and grass, but little else. I soon discovered the state nursery and filled the yard with flowering shrubs and other plants. I added lilacs, sand cherries, golden and Nevada currants, sumacs, Apache plumes, and incense cedars.

The Lyon County Sheriff's Office arrested a Dayton man Saturday for possession of child pornography. During the investigation, officers also learned the man was a local little league coach.

Mrs. Carson City America, Kassandra Tapia, is set to grace the stage of the Mrs. Nevada America Pageant, scheduled to take place on June 9, 2024, in Las Vegas. She is proudly representing the Capital City, and she aims to not only showcase her poise and grace but also advocate for her powerful platform, Cycle Breakers.

Nevada Author, Sandie La Nae will be selling her Carson City and Virginia City books the three days of the Mark Twain Days, May 10, 11, and 12.

As part of Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday celebration, the Smokey Reading Challenge is underway. Launched this morning at the Nevada State Library, Archives and Public Records in Carson City, the program is designed to engage children across Nevada in an exciting reading journey to learn about wildfire prevention, forests, and careers in natural resources with Smokey Bear.

The Nevada Jeep Club held their first Washoe Valley Cleanup on Saturday, May 4 and collected more than 450 pounds of trash along Highway 395.

The Carson City Leisure Hour Club members continue celebrating the organization’s 127th year with a presentation on the upcoming Jazz and Beyond festival.

At the club’s dinner meeting on Thursday, May 16, Cherie Shipley, a member of the event planning committee, will talk about the annual Jazz and Beyond festival, how it formed, and the impact it has had on the community. Jazz and Beyond is scheduled for August 16 to August 25, 2024.

Here is the Carson City area road report for the week of May 6-12, 2024. Closures are expected at the following locations due to road and utility work: