We saw an episode of Wild Nevada on KNPB a couple weeks ago that featured a hike to see the…read moreGriffith Canyon Petroglyphs. This week, someone posted about this hike in a hiking group that I follow. Clearly, all signs were pointing us to head here ourselves, so we did this morning! It's a little tricky to get here so we used directions found on a hiking trail site. You will end up on a rocky, dirt road that would be hard to get through if it was wet and muddy. There is no trailhead sign on the side of the dirt road where you park and there is no marked trail, but you will see a culvert and you head down from there. The "trail" is in and along a somewhat dry riverbed filled with rocks/shale and it can be tricky to navigate with uneven footing and loose rocks. And, it can get muddy. But, wow, it is worth it! Colorful shale made even more colorful by what appears to be an occasional sprinkling of lichen. And, yes, there are petroglyphs! So cool! My son was quick to point out the fake ones so be patient when looking for them. We were the only ones here today but I hope everyone that goes here will be vigilant to help prevent vandalism. This is an approximate 1.9 mile out and back trail that is great for families! Our dog seemed to handle it ok, too, considering all the loose rocks, but she seems turn into a billy goat when it comes to hikes.

Great view! A little rugged trail and climb the rock to a super windy view! Pretty and a great way…read moreto stretch your legs for 5 minutes

I am so glad that I decided to spend the night in Virginia City…read morehttps://www.yelp.com/biz/virginia-city-rest-stop-virginia-city?hrid=YTG0nKub99Uv2prnfuTPgA instead of trying to drive down Geiger Grade Road into Reno. In the daytime, this road is magnificent and the switchback turns are enjoyable even in a big Sprinter van. At night time, this would have been terrifying. From this lookout spot where there are a handful of parking spaces, you can look across the Reno valley and see the interstate across the way and the southern end of the city of Reno. This area is new to me so I don't know what's what or even how much of the city we can see. But the view was amazing. If you're able-bodied, there is a bit of a walkway down through clearings to some rock piles that seem to have been fashioned into lookouts. I would recommend caution as this is the Nevada desert and you might be disturbing some of the creepy crawlies that think your big toe is dinner. That would be unpleasant. But the views? Five stars on a clear day like it was today. [Review 17708 overall - 53 in Nevada - 1229 of 2022.]

I'm local and have been visiting Grover for two decades and things have really gone downhill since…read moreCovid. The reservation system sucks. Why can't we make reservations the same day? This makes no sense. I used to visit Grover weekly, so they made around $500/year from my visits. Since Covid, I've been three times, so they've made about $30 from my visits in the last five years. Making it harder to visit is extremely stupid and has turned off many locals who used to visit regularly. I'm in favor of keeping the reservation system, but the 48 hour cutoff is idiotic. The other major issue is the inconsistent opening hours and arbitrary closings. This has been true since before Covid. However, these days the phones NEVER work, so there's no way to know if they are actually open. Even if you have a reservation, I wouldn't trust them to be open. I've made that mistake more than once and wasted an hour and half in the car. Since they can't be bothered to fix their phones (this has been going on for YEARS) or get a cheap cell phone for the pool area, it's impossible to know if they are truly open. Buyer beware. Opening hours also suck from a soaking standpoint. Grover used to be open until 8pm, then it was 7pm, and now it's 5pm. Grover used to be a great place to stop for a soak after skiing, but now that's no longer possible because of the 5pm closing. Soaking in the summer is even worse. Who wants to soak in a hot spring mid-day in July? No one. In the summer you want an evening soak, when the sun has dipped behind the mountains, but nope! They're closed at 5. Stupid. Opening hours on Yelp are incorrect as well. I've submitted a correction. Per the State Park website, Grover is now only open Friday-Sunday. Of course no one who works for the park bothers to update this information. This place is so poorly run., On a positive note, the staff is always very nice and it's a beautiful spot.

We were looking for a place to camp on New Year's Eve and happened upon this location. The main…read morecampground is closed for winter, but the day use area was available. Ranger was very nice and helpful. Area has enclosed restroom facilities available near campsites. We found a great spot near the water and ended up being the only campers there. The hot springs facility was closed until the weekend, but looked great. We had a peaceful start to the new year and can't wait to go back to this location to hike and fish in the summer.

Wilson Canyon is a recreational area located roughly 12 or so miles outside of the city of…read moreYerington followed by Smith Valley on the other side. Walker River has cut through the canyon over many, many years resulting in the natural beauty we have now. The coolest part about it, to me anyway, is the fact that once you're on the trail and you go up, over, and down, you're standing in what used to be an ancient lake from millions of years ago. It's interesting to just stand there in between the mountains and see the geologic history that surrounds you. The main trail here is a 3.2 mile loop that begins at the trailhead in the parking lot and goes along the river before taking you up to a lookout where you can see a vast chunk of the Valley below you. It really is a spectacular site to see. There are other side trails as well. One of which will apparently take you to a petrified forest, but I can't personally vouch for this as I've never done it or found it. Do keep in mind that this particular area of Wilson Canyon is closed off to anything motorized. This trail is strictly for hiking, equestrians, etc. If you want to use your dirt bike or quad here, go to the other side of the road where you'll find sand hills abound. Please respect this area. I've seen people ignoring this rule way too many times. Remember to leave no trace, take nothing but photographs, don't feed or harass the wildlife, and stay on the established trails.

This was one of our most memorable camping trips with our kids when they were younger. We last…read moreminute joined a few of our friends from work and their families. Another family sold us their spot for this week. If you've ever been here to Fallen leaf you know the breath taking views this lake and it's grounds has to offer. Our campsite was the largest and no one was behind us. Our kids played in a creek nearby. We hiked and ventured to a few waterfalls in Angora while here. It was so sad to see where the fires burned through this area. None of our photos taken here do the grounds any justice. Everything was pristine. I look forward to returning some day. I'm due for some grounding and getting lost in nature.

Gorgeous hike from the main road, easy for kids and a great scenic view of the lake. If the…read morecampground is open it's an even shorter hike. We enjoyed looking for mushrooms and wildlife!

We had not been here in years and honestly, this was not my first choice for camping, but instead…read moreof heading to a campground and hoping to score a site, we decided instead to come to Pyramid Lake for a 2-night/3-day stay. Our previous camping experience many years ago was not the best, but we did come during the 4th of July weekend, so it was crowded, loud and all around not a good experience. This time however, it was wonderful!! We set-up camp where we wanted and had the area practically to ourselves, serious boondocking. The weather was also perfect, hot during the day and cool during the night. We also got to witness one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. My only gripe would be the mosquitos and even they weren't terrible. Although we didn't leave our campsite this time, we have previously visited many other parts of the lake as well as the Marina. The lake is huge and although not all of it is accessible, there are still many beaches and areas to visit and explore. I also like to stop at the Marina for ice cream. Another must stop is the Museum and Visitor Center, well worth the stop to learn more about the mysterious and rich history of the lake and the Paiute Tribe.

I live close to Pyramid Lake. It's a STUNNING oasis in the middle of the high desert. Hardly anyone…read moregoes there, it seems, so it's easy to find a quiet spot all to yourself. The boat launch ramp area is super easy to work with and plenty of room for several boats being dropped at the same time. The biggest benefit is the superior fishing. You cannot go wrong with a trip to Pyramid Lake! Your eyes will thank you, as it's some intense eye-candy out there! Bring your camera!!

**As with all my hot spring reviews, I'm starting this out with a plea/admonition: I get a lot of…read moreguff from hot springs regulars for my "irresponsible" compulsion to share hot springs info with the world -- I guess the old-timers are afraid that the more people know about these places, the worse condition they will end up in. I steadfastly maintain that sharing is caring, and that to hoard these locations is greedy and selfish...so I'm sharing this info here with the request that, if you visit these springs, PLEASE be respectful and PACK OUT YOUR TRASH!!! I've see so many hot springs strewn with gross litter (including human and pet waste) that it really turns my stomach.** Spectacularly gorgeous, ultra remote little warm spring, sort of near the ghost town of Bodie, about 37 miles outside Hawthorne, NV in the eastern Sierra. I used the directions at this site to find it: http://www.communitywalk.com/location/walker_hot_springs/info/15719. The roads in are pretty burly, so even with 4WD my sis and I ended up parking and hiking down the last 3 miles into the canyon. If you have a Jeep or other hardcore rig with a short wheel base, you might could make it all the way down. Otherwise, just hike -- it's easy. Pass the old mine and the rusted out schoolbus, then follow the river to the left a ways, and the spring is off to the left. I'm docking a star because the water wasn't warm enough to soak in at the time of my visit, in late February. The source water was piping hot, but by the time it filled the pool (which is small and made of stone -- would fit maybe 5 people max) it wasn't warm enough to soak in comfortably. This is probably an amazing place in summertime -- I'll have to come back. The area is probably AMAZINGLY gorgeous then!

Sarah. You are pet waste. Stay away from hot springs bro, nobody likes people like you.read more

I've been exploring this park lately and I can't say enough about how much I like it. It's a great…read moreopen space to come explore, walk the dogs and do various types of recreation. You'll be happy to know there is also a bathroom on site. There are various hiking trails you can explore, but most of it is not shaded. The Perimeter Loop Trail was fun with scenic views of downtown and the currently snow-capped mountain range to the West. I also did the Hidden Valley Backcountry Loop. It has a 1,033 Elevation gain and approximately 3.7 miles to complete the loop. It's a bit slippery going up, but I took my time and had no issues. As you can imagine, the views and the landscape only got more beautiful.

Wear your hiking shoes, dress appropriately and bring water!…read more This was a hard graded trail and yes it was. It got really step the higher we hiked up. It was also very windy in December. So happy we didn't get any rain and was able to go for a hike! We hiked for a good hour. Loved the nature and view of the city from the top. There was a lot of gravel towards the top and a few of us did slip going down hill, even with hiking shoes. Even a trail runner said he fell and slipped a few times. There's a few trails so do some research to see which trail meets your needs. Lots of parking and the bathroom is next to the tennis and pickle ball courts. Lucky I had my pickle ball set in the trunk and even got in a few games. Location was only about 15 minutes from downtown Reno, very close! I'd come back next time to hike another trail!

this place is absolutely breathtaking but the hike to the springs literally took my breath. the…read morehike was so hot and difficult and i was the idiot that wore flip flops to go hiking... also, none of us in the group expected the hike to be this difficult so only a few of us brought water. what a bad idea. towards the middle of the hike, we had to ration our water out, sort of like those movies where people are stranded in the desert. but once getting to the springs, it's really beautiful. there's a small cliff where people can jump off of. but be careful because the edge is really rocky and the rocks are sharp and someone can really hurt themselves.

One of the most secluded yet still fairly easy to access places in the Basin…read more Don't get me wrong - the hike can be brutal, especially if you decide to go in the summer (my suggestion? Go in late spring after the snow is mostly melted or mid fall before the snow starts). The trail / fire road is wide, but not at all paved. It generally consists of baseball size rocks, and oh, did I mention it generally runs at a forty-five degree angle? Yeah, that flat stretch at the beginning of the trail is deceiving. This isn't a "one hour, sure you can wear flip flops and bring the stroller" type hike. This is a HIKE. Wear sneakers. Bring plenty of water and snacks. Stop often to enjoy the waterfalls along the way. And when you've conquered the trail and arrive at the springs bask in the glory of knowing you made it in one piece (and the knowledge that the walk home is all down hill!)

What a shame...Walker Lake used to be such a full and beautiful lake. I can recall driving by it as…read morea kid on numerous occasions heading to my rodeos and 4H competitions in Reno, Nevada This most recent drive by I was shocked by how much it has shrunk through the years. Since it has been receiving little to no water from Walker River since 2011, the fish and the fishing has become obsolete. Walker Lake is a natural lake in the Great Basin. It is 11 miles in length and only 5 miles wide. At its deepest, it is 68 feet. History tells us many years ago that the Northern Paiutes ancestors inhabited the area around the lake and depended on the fish and birds it provided to live. Through the Walker Basin Restoration Program they were able to deliver water to the lake in 2019 for the first time and they aim to restore Walker Lake to a state where it can house fish and birds again. I hope this comes true. We enjoyed our lunch stop overlooking this beauty.

My week I spent in Hawthorne; I had some down time hanging by Walker Lake. I'm a water baby and…read morebodies of water calm me; my happy place. It was a huge plus that the weather was perfect and probably the last warm one this year. Learning the history and chatting it up with the locals here was good time. I hope Mineral county is able to sustain Walker lake and preserve it for years to come. I look forward to my next hangout passing through the Alt-95 or next time I'm in Hawthorne.