Two hikes for Carson City roamers that are close and fun
From Carson City I've probably hiked Dead Man's Creek opposite Washoe State Park at least 20 times, spring, summer and fall and once in mid-winter. It's about a 2-mile round trip with 300 feet of altitude gain.
At the end of the trail is a gazebo which looks out serenely on Washoe Lake and Slide Mountain. Last Sunday when I hobbled up (bad back) the gentle trail (Park Rangers call it "moderate"in difficulty) the westerly winds were steady and strong as is usual with the sweep of the valley allowing winds to gain strength.
And the view from the gazebo (rebuilt s couple of years ago as an Eagle Scout project and now decorated with hundreds of ET loves SJ carvings) was beautiful.
Seldom has the lake sprawled so widely at this time of the year.
Not a lot of wildflowers now, but great bunches of golden brush are every where. Plus the tiny purple flower bushes that pop up occasionally. Rabbitbrush and Desert Peach, Monkey flower, Indian Grass Rice, Mormon Tea and of course sagebrush line the trial and are identified by metal signs.
At the switchback halfway up the trail there's a branch which leads to a wildlife viewing area, and at the gazebo there's a rough road leading up into the hills. Walk that a few hundred yards and the views are even more spectacular.
Going downhill one can take the old trial, now no longer maintained. It's shorter and steeper and takes one through the spring that feeds the brush and small trees. The Rangers don't advise it — disturbs wildlife habitat, they claim.
If you're still in the mood for a little more hiking, enter Washoe Lake Park (just up Eastlake Boulevard a few hundred feet from the Creek parking area), pay a modest fee and head for the Dunes and Beach trails. No clear direction so just aim for the large sand dune by the lake. I found a sign for the Beach trail; never did find the Dune trail.
This is a flat hike, about a half-mile from the trail head to the dune. The dunes were created out of the grit and dust that the winds brought across the lake and piled up along the shore line.
The big dune isn't like the dunes of the Sahara; here they are compressed by the wind into a solid, unmoving shape. You can walk on the dunes but Rangers ask you to be gentle.
At the beach that trail runs both ways along the shore. Up to you how far you want to hike — looked a good miles in either direction. Neither of these hikes are demanding and may be ideal for visiting flat-landers.
And the park itself is beautifully maintained with plenty of shelters and cooking stands. I'm always amazed at how few locals enjoy the park. It's always 5 to 10 degrees cooler than in town, thanks to the breeze. The RV parking sites seem to be busy year round.
— Sam Bauman