iNSide:
hit the
road
3
intro
4
A Walk on the Wild side
7
Adolescent Entertainment
8
Yonder Mountain
11
Love the Wine You’re With
12
The Road Less Traveled
14
Take a Hike
RN&R’s summeR Family Guide exploRes oNe-day Getaways
a Special Supplement to the reno News & review
July 21, 2016
The Washoe Education Association welcomes students and educators back to the 2016-2017 school year. May it be a safe and productive year!
1890 Donald St. • Reno NV 89502 Phone (775) 828-9282 • www.weatoday.org
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RN&R Family Guide
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A special supplement to Reno News & Review
Family day trip recommendations from the RN&R
W
elcome to the summer 2016 edition of Family Guide. This week is also our “back to school” issue, and you’ll find school-related stories in the main part of the paper. But how seriously depressing is that? I certainly think it is, and that’s why I wanted this Family Guide to be a handbook to all the fun you and yours can have before getting back to the regular old scholastic grind. With the help of some RN&R regulars, I’ve compiled stories about different one-day getaways. Some are closer than others, but they’re all fairly close and generally rad. Shaun Hunter has the scoop on a local favorite—Virginia City. Read his piece on page 7 to get ideas for unexpected things to try on future trips to Reno’s beloved Old West neighbor. On page 11, Steve Timko has recommendations for wine country day trips—perfect for empty-nesters and otherwise happily childless folks. (Designate a driver, guys.) If you’ve got children of the four-legged variety, you’ll appreciate Erin Meyering’s
insight—page 14—into hiking trips that are dog friendly. And on page 12, Jessica Santina has the lowdown on Hope Valley, a perfectly proximate place for you outdoorsy types. I also got out and had some (mostly) family-friendly fun at two nearby destinations that I think you might enjoy. On page 4, you can read about the Animal Ark wildlife sanctuary. It’s a great place to see some awe-inspiring creatures, plus—with a mile of walking trails—it’s kind of like exercising. And perhaps you’ve seen my other destination— Thunder Mountain Monument— while driving on Interstate 80, but have you ever stopped there? It’s a folk art installation near Imlay, Nevada that was once someone’s family home, and it’s well worth a visit. Read about it on page 8. Happy reading! Regards, Jeri Chadwell-Singley
RN&R Special Projects Editor jeric@ ne w s re v i e w. c o m
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RN&R Family Guide
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A walk
animal ark wildlife sanctuary
on the
wild side Animal Ark sanctuary is where the wild things are
“If you’ve never seen a cheetah run at high speed, this is spectacular.”
4
RN&R Family Guide
07.21.16
30 mINs
from reno
A cheetah dash is scheduled for July 30 at 6:30 p.m. at the Animal Ark. People attending must be at least 8 years old. Learn more about Animal Ark’s hours and prices, visit http:// animalark.org.
S t o r y A n d p h ot o by J e r i C h A dw e l l - S i n g l e y
L
ocated about 20 miles north of Reno, Animal Ark is also home to some more the Animal Ark wildlife sanctuary is exotic residents. El Santo the jaguar was an easy day trip that’s great for people donated to the sanctuary by Project with small children—or those who just can’t Survival’s Cat Haven to help raise buy into the notion that the journey is more awareness of the threats faced by important than the destination. his species. According to the Ark’s As a destination, Animal Ark has a lot to website, “Jaguars historically offer. The sanctuary is set on 38 acres, with ranged from the southern U.S. roughly a mile of well-tended walking trails. (as far north as Berkeley, CA (Golf carts are available for people who and as far east as Louisiana) can’t walk the trails.) The experience is a lot throughout the Amazon and like going for a casual hike, except this trek Argentina. Jaguars were includes encounters with animal species many hunted for their pelts people never have the chance to see up-close. with approximately Animal Ark was established in 1981 15,000 killed annually to provide a home for non-releasable in the 1960s.” These wildlife. It was opened to the public in days, they’re a protected 1994. Most of its denizens are incapable species but are only occaof surviving in the wild—some because sionally spotted as far north they’ve been permanently disabled by as the U.S.-Mexico border. injuries, others because they were kept as The educational opporexotic pets that were confiscated from or tunities at Animal Ark extend unwanted by their owners. beyond the plaques posted Large enclosures house animals ranging outside each animal enclosure. from bears to birds of prey. Plaques on the Visitors can also chat with the walls of glass-enclosed and shaded viewdocents, animal keepers and voluning areas give the name and story of each teers and watch while they carry out animal, like Kiera the kit fox who regular duties like feeding the came from somewhere near bears and exercising the Fallon and was injured as a cheetahs. pup when a golden eagle Bear feedings take picked her up and then place every day at 10:30 dropped her. a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Just down the trail, At first glance, it’s a coyote Sadie Hawkins bit comical to watch lazes under the shade Gracie the North of a juniper in her American black bear enclosure and looks search for the food back, without fear, at the that’s been carefully diana hiibel passing humans. She’s not hidden around her encloAnimal Ark co-founder afraid because she’s been sure. She tips over a milk around people since a Fallon pail to find the nuts hidden rancher found her when she was inside and stands on hind legs just two weeks old—young enough to to bat at a tether ball with carrots require bottle feeding. In part, it’s her lack of attached to it. But as she goes on to retrieve fear for people that makes her un-releasable. every last piece of food the keeper has
GReAt
for kids
Gracie the North americaN black bear has fouNd a piece of apple while foraGiNG iN her eNclosure duriNG feediNG time.
hidden, the power of her animal instincts becomes clear. “It’s a lot of fun for the kids and the adults to see the bears doing what they would normally do out in the wild, you know,” said Animal Ark co-founder Diana Hiibel. “They’re foraging for food.” Animal Ark’s two cheetahs, Moyo and Jamar, came from the De Wildt Cheetah Centre and Wildlife Trust in South Africa. During the day, visitors are likeliest to find them napping under a tree in their shared enclosure. But according the Hiibel, the cats need to get regular exercise—even when living in captivity. Once or twice a month
A special supplement to Reno News & Review
they get their cardio in front of an audience during an event the sanctuary calls the “cheetah dash.” “If you’ve never seen a cheetah run at high speed, this is spectacular,” Hiibel said. “It certainly happens very fast. These cats are reaching speeds, you know, of 53 to 58 miles an hour, uphill at 6,000 feet. That’s pretty good. Generally, the cats can run 60 to 70 miles an hour in the wild, so it’s quite impressive.” Other special events include nighttime tours of the sanctuary and an annual adultsonly fundraising event with an open bar, dinner and silent and live auctions. Ω
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Adolescent entertainment s t o r y a n d p h ot o by s h au n h u n t e r
take the kids to Virginia City
150
years ago, the streets of Two different locations, DanCin Virginia City were known Crystals and Virginia City Mining as the bawdiest in the West, Company, offer children the opportunity to with gambling halls, saloons and a red-light pan for gems or gold, which they can keep district. Duels served as a common way of as a souvenir. An arcade-style shooting settling disagreements. gallery—with animatronic characters that These days, the population sits at under dance and scream—sits tucked away inside 1,000, far fewer than the 25,000 who were Sawdust Trails mercantile. estimated to live there during the peak of the Among the most popular attractions in silver mining rush. But you still don’t have to Virginia City are train rides on the Virginia look far for a shot of whiskey on C Street— & Truckee Railroad. Steam or diesel locoVirginia City’s current riches are found in the motives take passengers past some of the form of tourist dollars from people who come area’s mines on a loop between Virginia to walk its storied streets and explore its City and neighboring Gold Hill. The V&T rich history. For Northern Nevada residents, also occasionally brings in a replica of Virginia City makes for a nice, quick day Thomas the Tank Engine from the popular trip. And despite the popularity of children’s book series and show. the town’s paranormal tours and “This last year, we had it street festivals, Virginia City here for three weekends, also holds a lot of appeal and it was huge,” Dotson for families with younger said. “Over 8,000 kids children as well. participated.” “You won’t find neon Mines in town, such lights. You won’t find as the Chollar Mine and deny dotson any Starbucks here,” said the Ponderosa Mine, offer Virginia City director Deny Dotson, Virginia City’s tours for children as young of tourism director of tourism. “You’ve as 5. Western-style gunfights got a one-mile strip that has about performed by actors are a daily 15 museums in it.” occurrence during the tourist season, Museums such as the Mackay Mansion and wild horses and burros can frequently and Fourth Ward School offer displays and be found wandering the side streets. relics of the town’s past. The Way It Was These days, Virginia City feels less Museum, whose roadside carriages and like the Wild West and more like a ghost water wheel greet visitors as they come town-themed amusement park, but the off of Geiger Grade, has cases of artifacts authenticity is still there. and photos on display, along with an ore “We pride ourselves on not changing a cart that was once used deep underground. whole lot,” Dotson said. “We want folks Farther up the road, the Comstock to be able to step back in time and see Firemen’s Museum displays several old fire what history was like. But with that, we engines and other equipment that served want to make history fun!” Ω the mountain town.
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“We want to make history fun!”
virginia city
34 miNs
from reno
GReAt
for kids
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RN&R Family Guide
7
Yonder
mountain Part folk art installation, part family home— Thunder Mountain is a desert enigma
S T o r y a n d P h oT o S by Jeri C ha dwell-Single y
P
erhaps you’ve driven past Thunder Mountain Monument about two hours east of Reno on Interstate 80. If you have, you definitely wondered what the hell it is. Others have wondered the same since about 1968. I’d been wondering since I was a kid in the ’80s.
At first glance, Thunder Mountain looks like an impressive if somewhat derelict example of large-scale folk art. And it’s fair to call it that. The main building, constructed of concrete and glass bottles, stands some 50 feet tall—every bit of it covered in bas relief and free standing sculptures of Native Americans, and inlaid with objects ranging from old wagon wheels to typewriters. But the art is only part of the story, because Thunder Mountain Monument was more. It was also home for a man named Frank Van Zant—a.k.a. Chief Rolling Mountain Thunder—and his young wife and children. Daniel Van Zant was a grown man by the time his father remarried for the third time and loaded up his 1946 Chevy pickup and travel trailer to leave California in search of a different lifestyle and the opportunity to honor the part of his own heritage that was Native American. Two decades later, Van Zant inherited the property after his
father’s passing. Today, he does what he can to preserve the Thunder Mountain Monument and educate people about the man who made it. He also maintains a website, which chronicles the history of Thunder Mountain through stories and photos. Shots of Chief Thunder and his monument that were taken by photographer Richard Menzies, who first visited the monument in the early ’70s, are particularly striking. But nothing beats exploring the place in-person. I set out to do just that in early July. Dan Van Zant lives out of state, but his childhood friend, Fred Lewis, has been a full-time caretaker at Thunder Mountain for the last four years. He knows more about the monument and Chief Thunder than perhaps anyone but the chief’s own family. Lewis often leaves the comfort of his camper to speak with visitors, and I was especially fortunate in securing several hours of his time on a recent Saturday afternoon.
Thunder Mountain monument The main Thunder mounTain monumenT is 50 feeT Tall and doubled as chief Thunder’s family home.
1 hR 53 MiNs from reno
Good
for kids at parents’ discretion
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RN&R Family Guide
07.21.16
A special supplement to Reno News & Review
Learn more about the Thunder Mountain Monument by visiting www.thunder mountainmonument.com. The monument is open to visitors during daylight hours. There are no admission fees, but donation boxes can be found around the grounds. View additional photos, including photos from inside the monument, on Jeri’s blog: www.newsreview.com/reno/special-sauce/ blogs.
Opportunity makes a chief
as a sheriff’s deputy, a forest ranger and a private investigator, all before attempting to open a Native American museum As I drove up the dirt road paralleling in Yuba City using artifacts he’d I-80 to park outside of Thunder Mountain collected during his time as a ranger. Monument, I had the sense of finally “Finally, in about 1967, he achieving an enduring goal, though, in all got completely fed up with the honesty—as many times as I’d driven past politics of California, and the place and found myself pondering it financially he wasn’t doing for miles afterward—I’d never given any very well with the museum, serious thought to stopping there. I’d always and he wanted to get as far been destined for someplace else. away from California as he I wandered the grounds, which cover could,” Lewis said. several acres, for well over an hour before He got as far as Imlay Fred Lewis came out of his camp trailer before his pickup broke to join me. We sat beneath the awning of down, or at least that’s how another, older trailer to get out of the wind most accounts—including while Lewis recounted his stories about Lewis’s—tell it. But the rest Chief Thunder. of Chief Thunder’s “When I knew him story has a distinct down in Yuba City and air of apocrypha afterwards, before he about it. came out here … I “He was was frightened of squatting on the man,” Lewis some property said. “He scared up here … and me. And I found he was waiting out later that … to get his pickup Dan was just as running, so he frightened of my could continue dad as I was of going east,” his. You know, Lewis said. both of them were “Every time he Chief Rolling Mountain Thunder old World War II thought he’d have vets, in the thick of it, his pickup running, and they were hardcore he’d get it loaded up, disciplinarians. That’s the and it wouldn’t run right. type of people they were.” But he could get in his pickup Before Frank Van Zant legally and drive to Reno and get supplies and changed his name to Chief Rolling Mountain come back, and it would run perfect.” Thunder and began building the monument Dubious origin myth aside, what’s known at Imlay, he’d served in the Army’s Seventh is that Chief Thunder eventually purchased Armored Division in the European Theatre the land he was squatting on and started during World War II, where he was seriously building his monument. The travel trailer he injured and received a medical discharge. left California with was encased in cement, After leaving the service, Van Zant lived in and rooms were built off and up from it. California, where he attended and dropped This became the main monument and also out of ministry school and then worked stints home for Thunder, his wife and the eight
“Without family and all of its ramifications, this nation and the idea of free man is doomed.”
SculptureS of native americanS cover the groundS at thunder mountain monument.
children they had together over the years. Construction on it and several other buildings continued for two decades. “The only thing he ever paid for was the cement,” Lewis said. “Everything else he found within a 50-mile radius of here.” According to Lewis, the children helped their father scavenge for building supplies, but that wasn’t the only thing procured from the surrounding land. The children were also responsible for gathering edible vegetation and small animals like rabbits, which were cooked in a single large pot every evening. “The kids, if you saw them, they looked like poor paupers—kids running around in diapers, bare footed,” Lewis said. On rare occasions the children would get the treat of candy from their visiting older half-brother. “Dan had a friend in Reno that owned an airplane,” Lewis said. “Dan would buy a big box of penny candy, you know like bubble gum and lollipops. … He’d have his friend fly him out here … and he would dump all the candy out of the airplane. … And all these kids would be running around grabbing at it like mad, if you can picture it in your mind.”
Fire on the mountain
a cement airplane and SwingS were part of a playground.
Visitors to the monument today must look closely to see the picture of Thunder Mountain as a family home. Only a portion of what once stood on the five-acre site remains. Nonetheless, it’s a tremendous amount of material, even excluding the main monument.
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A makeshift playground complete with swings and a cement airplane stands at the far eastern edge of the property, giving a glimpse into family life at Thunder Mountain. Old cars and highway signs are stacked together to form walls around the property. And Thunder’s writings can be found throughout, carved in cement and scrawled in paint—their subject matter ranging from diatribes on the mistreatment of Native Americans to short, often poetic declarations about family. Standing in contrast to the various depictions of Native Americans is a sculpture of Chief Thunder’s son, Sid, who died at the age of 19. A closer look at these remains offers hints to the tragedy that eventually befell the monument and its creator. A fire in 1983 destroyed several buildings, leaving behind only scorched outer walls. The main monument was spared; however, a few years later Chief Thunder’s wife left with their adolescent children. Alone and aged, with his health failing, Chief Thunder wrote a farewell note bequeathing the monument to his son Dan. Thunder committed suicide early in 1989, but—even three decades later—his presence at the monument can still be felt in the words he left behind there, like this note I found carved in the cement by the playground: “Without family and all of its ramifications, this nation and the idea of free man is doomed. Pray together. Work together. Stand together. Be loyal to one another, and this nation will again wax strong. This nation is many separate nations—families.” Ω
RN&R Family Guide
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Love the wine you’re with
then Drive ut not drink b way her the ot nd arou
b y S t e v e t i m ko
M
any of California’s first wineries sprang up in the Sierra Foothills as people settled the area during the Gold Rush. Sierra Foothill wineries are getting a better reputation nationally, and there are several that allow a day trip from Reno for tastings. Let’s take a look at some in El Dorado County, most of which are a short, two hour drive away. Fans of more restrained, lower alcohol wines may already know that labels like San Francisco-area Donkey & Goat and Edmunds St. Johns make great wines using El Dorado County grapes. La Clarine Farm is based in El Dorado County and is also getting attention. In fact, when a group of vintners for importer Louis/Dressner traveled from San Francisco to Reno to hold a tasting, they detoured through Placerville to visit La Clarine Farm. Eric Texier, a darling of the natural wine movement whose wines are imported by Louis/Dressner, said La Clarine Farm is his favorite U.S. winery. La Clarine Farm has no tasting room. But several nice wineries do. Many of the most popular grapes— cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc—generally do not do well in El Dorado County. It is better suited for grapes that have their highest expression in France’s Rhone Valley, for Italian varietals and zinfandel. The white Rhones may be oily or have a slightly oxidized taste but pair much better with food than chardonnay does. The wines are generally less expensive than Napa wines. You’re not paying for the real estate. These are a few of my favorite Eldorado County wineries:
2 hrs 38 mins
Cedarville Vineyard 6320 Marestail Road, Somerset Open for tastings by appointment only
I particularly like their syrah, grenache and viognier. A veteran wine drinker passed on the wisdom that all viognier is either Dolly Parton or Julia Roberts, 2 hrs meaning it is opulent, fat and lush 36 mins or bright and vibrant. The Cedarville viognier I learned to like was Dolly Parton. Cedarville co-owner Jonathan Lachs told me they changed styles, and their viognier is more vibrant now. I’m looking forward to trying Julia Roberts. And at $22 a bottle, it’s a steal.
2 hrs 38 mins
Holly’s Hill Vineyard 3680 Leisure Lane, Placerville Tasting room open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Holly’s Hill has nice wines, a nice tasting room and—right outside the tasting room doors—one of the prettier views of any winery I’ve visited. Their Patriarche is their flagship red wine, a blend of Grenache, syrah and mourvedre (and some others). I find most talk about pairing a certain wine with a certain food is rubbish. But at one Family Winemakers tasting event in San Francisco, Holly’s Hill offered a first-rate gruyere cheese with their Patriarche, and it was like my taste buds were mainlining endorphins to
2 hrs 33 mins
my brain. Their mourvedre is also a standout. Like Cedarville, they offer viognier (Julia Roberts, if I recall correctly). More importantly, they offer roussanne and some other white Rhones. Try these for more food friendly wines.
Skinner Vineyards & Winery 8054 Fairplay Road, Somerset Tasting room open Thursday to Monday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Skinner has a nice range of red and white Rhones. Their top bottlings are out of my price range, but I’ve liked the more affordable wines. The Skinner mourvedre I’ve had has been outstanding.
Miraflores Winery 2120 Four Springs Trail, Placerville Tasting room open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Miraflores has a large, elegant tasting room that can compete with most in Napa. Since I’m not bad at math, when I was visited the tasting room I had to wonder how much of its cost was built into the price of the wine I bought. Unlike some Napa winemakers, they get out of the way of the grapes and let the grapes show themselves. They seem to be more red wine specialists. When I visited they
07.21.16
offered several vintages of their syrah for tasting, and all were good. They have some nice Italian varietals as well. I also liked their dessert wines.
2 hrs 21 mins
Boeger Winery 1709 Carson Road, Placerville Tasting room open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Boeger Winery was started in 1972 in the Apple Hill area. According to the winery staff, it made the first zinfandel served in the White House. (Ronald Reagan was president.) They make a variety of wines, some of which are so heavily fruit forward they’re imbalanced, but there are also several I like. Their barbera can be a fruit bomb one year, and balanced and spicy the next. The first tasting I did at Boeger was held in the winery’s 1800s wine cellar, and that remains one of my favorite out of the dozens tasting rooms I visited. They’ve since replaced that with a more Napa-esque tasting room. Ω
wine trips
2-2.5 hRs from reno
RN&R Family Guide
11
OF NORTHERN NEVADA 2016
at parents’ discretion
The road less
traveled O
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• SATURDAY The Summit, South Virginia and Mt. Rose Highway Through Oct. 1 9:00-2:00 PlEASE SEE wEBSITE fOR DIRECTIOnS AnD fURTHER InfORMATIOn
ON STANDS
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s t o r y a n d p h ot o by J e s s i c a s a n t i n a
• SATURDAY The Village Shops, California and Booth St., Through Oct. 1 – 8:00-1:00
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from reno
a quiet refuge minutes from Lake tahoe
• THURSDAY The Sands Regency, Behind the Hotel/Casino In the BIG Tent Through Aug. 25 4:00-9:00
12
1 HR 15 miNs
BEST
• TUESDAY The Summit, South Virginia and Mt. Rose Highway Through September 27 9:00-2:00
Hope Valley
h, sure, Lake Tahoe. Everyone goes to Lake Tahoe for their summer getaways, right? It’s almost prosaic at this point. And sure, it’s gorgeous, and there’s a ton to do there, but you’re also fighting throngs of other people doing the same things. If you’re looking for a scenic spot in the Sierras where you can enjoy some outdoor recreation without having to fight the masses, try heading down the road about 20 minutes to Hope Valley. It’s another world down there, at the junction of Highway 89 and state route 88, southeast of Meyers and southwest of Minden. It’s ironic that less than 20 miles from the hubbub of South Lake Tahoe sits the serene Hope Valley, located in Alpine County— California’s least populated county with just over 1,000 residents. There are actually more trails in Alpine County than there are people. And that may give you some indication as to the area’s primary appeal: It’s a recreational paradise. Situated at 7,000 feet, just minutes from Kirkwood Ski Resort, sits Hope Valley— humbly providing a 360-degree view, including 11 mountain peaks, a sparkling blue river, bright green grasses and vibrantly yellow aspen groves. Hope Valley is one of the Sierras’ largest alpine meadows, carved by the west fork of the Carson River and ancient glaciers. About 25,000 acres of it is unspoiled, protected wilderness, which is home to abundant and diverse wildlife, from mule deer, marmots, bobcats and black bears to about 100 species of birds—including the rare bald eagle. And it’s a fly-fishing mecca, an ideal location to catch Lahontan cutthroat trout. Its lush grasses, quaking aspens and wet meadow made it appealing to early settlers,
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which is how it became a stop along the Mormon Emigrant Trail. In fact, families can explore a bit of its pioneer history at the Alpine County Museum in Markleeville, the county seat. And about those trails: There are miles of them, suitable for summer day hikes, cycling, horseback riding and winter crosscountry skiing, for all ability levels. Start at the 88/89 junction and head southwest along 88, the Carson Pass Highway, following it all the way to Caples Lake. Along this stretch of road alone are at least two dozen trails, including the leisurely Caples Lake to Emigrant Lake Trail, which follows the shoreline of Caples Lake and provides views of rioting color, from spring wildflowers to fall foliage. Or if you’re up for something more challenging, catch the Hope Valley Overlook Trail, which starts just west of Sorensen’s Resort on Highway 88 and features an easy-to-spot parking lot. It’s a primarily uphill climb through conifer forest that offers impressive vistas. And who needs to compete for a campsite at Tahoe when there are three campgrounds at Hope Valley? Whether you prefer roughing it in a tent or staying in a tricked out RV, camping puts you in a prime location for scenery and recreation, more affordably and without the noisy rush of tourists. For something a bit more civilized, try Sorensen’s Resort, a bed-and-breakfast style resort with cozy two- to fourperson cabins, a sauna, fire pits, shaded hammocks and a fantastic restaurant on the premises serving three meals a day. Sorensen’s also offers visitor workshops and guided hikes, including historical treks, wildflower tours, painting workshops and geological hikes. Ω
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A big perk to hiking with your fourlegged friend is the uninterrupted quiet.
Take a hike Hit the trail with your dog
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hether you’re hiking for exercise or simply exploring nature, you’re one step closer to relaxing your mind, body and soul. While hiking is often a group activity, I encourage you to explore your local landscape solo. Well, sort of solo—bring your dog. Wherever I go hiking, my big black lab, Biscotti, bounds across the terrain effortlessly. I hobble behind, slowly and meticulously planning my steps over large rocks and branches. It’s blissful. Now, it’s fairly easy to pack yourself up to hike. My person? Check. Phone? Check. Water? Check. But make sure you pack a few items for your pup. Pack water and a shallow bowl or cup for your dog to drink from. There are even lightweight collapsible bowls made just for this purpose. Pack a few treats. I sometimes pack a snack both my dog and I can munch on, like almonds. Bring a leash, just in case the place you’re hiking requires it. Bring bags, for when your dog does his business. Loading your dog up with a small pack he can carry around will make him feel valuable and is also a way to lighten your own load. A big perk to hiking with your fourlegged friend is the uninterrupted quiet. No one is gabbing about how work is tough, and they’re tired of x, y and z—just the breeze along the trees, fluttering leaves, maybe a gurgling stream and the sound of birds chirping. Now is the perfect time to explore what the Reno-Tahoe area has to offer. Be sure to pack plenty of water and head out early, as it’s tough—for you and your dog—to hike through extreme heat. My last word of advice—enjoy yourself. Doing something alone can be incredibly powerful for your psyche and create a sense of responsibility and accomplishment. Try these local hikes by yourself or with a puppy friend:
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Boca Reservoir Starting at Stampede Dam Road in Truckee
Hike along the reservoir to watch boaters and water-skiers or take one of several trails that lead you away from the direct shoreline.
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Donner Lake Rim Trail Starting at Glacier Way in Truckee
This is perfect if you want to really get out for a day. Hike more than 15 miles through the high country around Donner Lake, or take one of many paths away from the shoreline.
1 hr 20 mins
Fallen Leaf Lake Trail Starting at Fallen Leaf Road in South Lake Tahoe
A modest 3.5 miles, Fallen Leaf Trail will take you along the second largest lake in the Tahoe basin.
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Galena Trails off of Mt. Rose Hwy Starting at the Galena Creek Visitor’s Center
From here, you’ll be able to head off on a variety of hikes, ranging from easy to difficult. One of my favorites is the Galena Creek Trail, because it’s only 1 mile—simple enough for a midweek hike. Ω
hiking trips
20 miNs - 1.5 hRs from reno
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