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Support CVTANearby Trails
There are many urban and rural trails within and surrounding the Carson Valley. CVTA member Terri Sutor has compiled a nearby trails booklet describing some of the trails in the area. Check out these trails below.
Download a pdf document of these nearby trails.
Easy Hikes
Spooner Lake
Curtz / Summit Lakes
Jobs Peak Ranch Trail
Fay-Luther Trail System
Old Railroad Bed in Carson City
Moderate Hikes
Prison Hill
Marlette Lake
Hot Springs Mountain
Burnside Lake to Charity Valley
Horsethief Canyon to Willow Creek & Hwy 89
Strenuous Hikes
Mount Rose
Ralston Peak
Five LakesTrek (Frog, Winnemucca, Round, Emigrant, Caples)
Easy Hikes
Spooner Lake
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2.1 miles (RT)
General Location: Spooner Lake off Hwy 50 & 28
Trailhead: There are 2 choices. One is from the Spooner Lake Picnic Area in
Lake Tahoe NV State Park which entails a fee, or the second is from the TRT parking area off Hwy 50 @ Spooner Summit.
Directions: If coming from the Park, pick up the paved path @ the SE end of the parking lot. The trail encircles Spooner Lake, roughly paralleling the shore. Several interpretative signs are posted along the way. If using the TRT area, proceed up the trail for a short distance to a left turn which leads down to the lake trail. This route adds a short distance to the mileage total.
Curtz / Summit Lakes
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2.5 Miles ( RT)
General Location: Indian Creek Reservoir near Markleeville, CA
Trailhead: Turn on Airport Rd. off Hwy 89/4, midway between Woodfords and Markleeville. Drive about 3 miles to Curtz Lake on the left. Just a bit past the lake is a small uphill parking area.
Directions: Walk around a gate on the north side of the lake on a fairly level dirt road which will lead to Summit Lake. Keep an eye out for eagles, hawks, as well as waterfowl on the way to this small but pleasant body of water. It is possible to walk around the lake. If a longer outing is desired, proceed past the lake downhill to the Indian Creek Campground for a total of 4.5 miles, one way. A car shuttle is necessary then or retrace steps back up to the lakes, making a 9 mile day.
Jobs Peak Ranch Trail
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: 2.8 miles (RT)
General Location: West side of Carson Valley off Foothill Rd.
Directions: From the intersection of Hwy 395 and Hwy 88 in Minden, drive south on Hwy 88 for 2.0 miles. Turn right at the stop light onto Mottsville Lane. Continue driving all the way to the 4-way stop intersection at Foothill Road. Turn left on Foothill Road and drive 2.5 miles. The signed Jobs Peak Ranch Trailhead is located on the right side of the road.
The Fay-Luther Trailhead is located 2.0 miles past the Jobs Peak Ranch Trailhead on Foothill Road.
Description: The Jobs Peak Ranch Trail is generally considered the first 1.4 miles from the Jobs Peak Ranch Trailhead that is located on an easement through private land. This trail is open to hikers only and dogs must be leashed year-round. The trail then continues through USFS and BLM public land and connects to the Fay-Luther trail system and trailhead. The entire length of this trail between the two trailheads is 3.4 miles.
This is a sandy trail traveling through high desert vegetation including Big Sagebrush and Bitterbrush. It then climbs upward into forested vegetation, crosses a small creek with cable steps and travels through a small, lush riparian area. After a short, steep climb, it continues across a private road and reaches public land about 100 yards past the road crossing. There is no trail access to Jobs Peak. Please stay on designated trails only and respect neighboring private property.
More information on the Jobs Peak Ranch Trail...
Fay-Luther Trail System
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: Multiple loop trails, approximately 2 to 5 miles
General Location: Foothill Rd., Gardnerville
Directions: From the intersection of Hwy 395 and Hwy 88 in Minden, drive south on Hwy 88 for 6.5 miles. Turn right on Fairview Lane and drive 1.7 miles (Fairview Lane becomes Foothill Road). The signed Fay-Luther Trailhead is located on the left side of the road. Horse trailer parking is available.
From the intersection of Hwy 207 and Foothill Road at the base of Kingsbury Grade, drive south on Foothill Road for 4.5 miles. The signed Fay-Luther Trailhead is located on the right side of the road. The Jobs Peak Ranch Trailhead is located 2.0 miles north of the Fay-Luther Trailhead on Foothill Road.
Description: The Fay-Luther Trail System is an 8.8 mile network of linear and loop trails with a connection to the Jobs Peak Ranch Trailhead. These trails are open to mountain bikes and equestrians except for the trail section between Valley View Loop and the Jobs Peak Ranch Trailhead. A majority of these trails have sandy soils, making it difficult for mountain bikes. Dogs are allowed year-round and must be leashed October 15 through March 30 to protect wintering mule deer. There is no trail access to Jobs Peak. Please stay on designated trails only and respect neighboring private property.
These trails travel through both high desert and forested habitats. Some common vegetation includes Big Sagebrush, Rabbitbrush, Bitterbrush, Curlleaf Mountain-Mahogany, Jeffrey Pine, Singleleaf Pinyon and White Alder.
More information on the Fay-Luther Trail System...
Old Railroad Bed in Carson City
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 3.2 miles (R/T)
General Location: North Carson City
Trailhead: From West College Parkway in Carson City turn right onto Ormsby Blvd. Follow it to a left turn on Combs Canyon Rd. Go a little over 1/2 mile to Murphy Drive. Turn right and drive to end of road and park.
Directions: Proceed along old RR track bed for 1.6 miles until reaching end of road. At this point one turns around or for a longer more moderate hike, walk up a short hill to explore the area on the mountain top. Add another half mile to the trip by descending down to the 2 water tanks below the freeway. Several interesting groves of evergreen trees are along this section of trail.
Moderate Hikes
Prison Hill
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 5 to 6 miles
General Location: East Carson City
Trailhead: Koontz Lane off Hwy 395
Directions: Drive to end of Koontz to a large green water tank. Make a left turn onto a small parking area. Go through a fence opening after which there are two options. The 1st goes straight ahead which leads rather steeply uphill to a saddle from which one has another choice. A left turn makes a nice 2 mile loop around a hill or turning right takes one up to an interesting Devil’s Backbone rock formation. Following the trail from there continues south to another steep hill & saddle, then back downhill to vehicles. Doing this route in reverse entails turning right (more or less along the fence) at the entrance for the 2nd option.
Marlette Lake
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 10 miles (RT)
General Location: Spooner Lake Area from Hwy 50
Trailhead: The TRT trailhead parking area @ Spooner Summit
Directions: Follow the TRT for a short way to a junction on the left which leads
down to Spooner Lake. At the lake make a right turn, following it until a dirt road
is reached indicating the way to Marlette Lake. In about a mile at another
junction with a kiosk, keep left and hike up the newly constructed trail to your
destination. (The route is a gradual climb for several miles, & then descends to
the lake.) Taken in autumn this hike offers some of the finest fall colors in the
Tahoe Basin. For a different return, one may consider hiking the dirt road from
the lake, but beware of many bicyclists.
Hot Springs Mountain
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 2 miles (RT)
General Location: North end of East Valley Road in Johnson Lane
Trailhead: Junction of East Valley Road & Lindsay Lane
Directions: Park along dirt road and hike up towards a short hill turning right at the top. Shortly proceed left keeping on the main route as it goes uphill. The ascent is gradual as it passes two abandoned mining sites. At a saddle where the road ends, take a right turn up a very steep incline to the summit with its awesome views of Carson City and surrounding. Retrace route back to the starting point. There are many other trails in the area which also could be explored.
Burnside Lake to Charity Valley
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 7 miles
General Location: Area between Burnside Lake & Blue Lakes Rd
Trailhead: Burnside Lake or Blue Lakes Road
Directions: At Pickett’s Junction (Hwy 88 & 89) turn west onto forested Burnside Lake Rd. (unpaved). Drive in 6 miles to Burnside Lake & park. Take the ducked trail on the east (left) from the parking area. Follow its gentle tread for a mile or so, crossing a stream and then switchbacking steeply down to a junction with a trail coming up from Grover’s Hot Springs. Turn right and continue down, then up to meet the Charity Valley Trail. Proceed about another 3.5 miles to a parking area on Blue Lakes Rd. Shuttle by taking Blue Lakes Rd. 3 miles east of Pickett’s Junction, driving in about 5 miles to a small parking area on the right. There is a sign across the road indicating Charity Valley Trail.
Horsethief Canyon to Willow Creek & Hwy 89
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 7 miles
General Location: Hwy 88 & 89 @ Hope Valley
Trailhead: Horsethief Canyon on Hwy 88
Directions: Trailhead in on the right, 4 miles west of Woodford’s & very near Snowshoe Springs Cpg. (A car shuttle is necessary by parking off Hwy 89 which is reached @ a gate .5 mi. north of Pickett’s Junction.) The trail begins very steeply making several switchbacks & then skirting a white-water stream below awesome volcanic buttresses. Upon reaching a Forest Service Rd. @ about 1.5 mi. turn left & follow road up to a summit after which a gradual descent takes one down to Willow Creek & Hwy 89.
Strenuous Hikes
Mount Rose (10,726 ft.)
Difficulty: Strenuous
Distance: 10 miles (RT) 1886 ft. elevation gain
General Location: Mt. Rose Wilderness west of Reno
Trailhead: New parking lot @ Hwy 431 summit
Directions: Take the signed trail behind the rest rooms and follow to the summit. In early summer there is an interesting waterfall to stop and observe in about 2 miles. Lots of flowers abound in the lush meadows before approaching the ascending route on a steeper and narrower path. At a prominent saddle the trail forks. Stay right and resume switchbacking up the western flank to the spectacular summit. Incidentally, Mt. Rose is the only 10,000 ft. plus peak in the Tahoe Sierra with a path all the way to the top.
Mt. Ralston Peak (9,235 ft.)
Difficulty: Strenuous
Distance: 14 miles (RT) 2,000 ft. elevation gain
General Location: 2.5 miles N. of Camp Sacramento off Hwy 50
Trailhead: The Pacific Crest Trail north from Echo Lake
Directions: Take Echo Lake Road off Hwy 50 east about ½ mile to Echo Lakes upper parking lot. Follow trail down to the lake outlet and proceed along the right side on the PCT. Follow signs to Lake Aloha / Haypress Meadows. Once at the meadows one reaches a trail junction. Go left (south) and climb along the ridge to the junction with the trail coming up from Camp Sacramento. Proceed to the awesome boulder summit.
Five Lakes Trek
Difficulty: Strenuous
Distance: Approximately 10 miles
General Location: Mokelumne Wilderness
Trailhead: Carson Pass & Caples Lake
Directions: Starting @ the Carson Pass Information Center take the PCT 1.2 miles to Frog Lake. Turn west & head another mile to photogenic Winnemucca Lake. From there ascend .9 mile to Round Top Lake. In another mile the trail reaches a crest divide where a very steep descent can be made to a 6th lake named 4th of July, or turning right makes a cross country route to Emigrant Lake. From Emigrant its 3.4 miles to the Caples Lake parking area off Hwy 88.