Carson City Park Ranger-led Programs

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Photo of Park Ranger Danielle and Ranger Badge

The Carson City Park Rangers offer a variety of free activities all year long for you and your family: enjoy adventures under the full moons, learn the history of your favorite areas, walk with the wildlife, become a sworn Junior Park Ranger, and much more! There are activities for all age groups and skill levels. Choose a program below to get started!

Upcoming Programs

Schools and Organizations

Do you have a class, scout troop or organization that would like a Park Ranger to lead your next adventure? Contact the Park Ranger Office for more information: Email.

Natural World Walks, Talks, and Bike Rides

Below is a list of natural world themed programs listed from A-Z. Learn all about the inhabitants of our Open Space, the stars in our galaxy, and the Carson River. All programs are based on Park Ranger availability. If a program is cancelled or postponed, registered participants will be notified.

Bird Walk

Bear Walk

Bear Walk Logo

Description

Join a Park Ranger for an educational walk all about the bears! While enjoying a walk through the foothills of the Carson Range, you will get to learn everything about bears from identification to their habits and culture. If you have been afraid of bears while hiking in this area, this is the walk for you!

Difficulty

Rated as "Easy" According to the IMBA

Recurrence

Often held two times a year in the spring and in the fall.

Carson River Bike Tour

Description

Join a Park Ranger for an exciting tour of the Carson River riparian zones. The Carson River have been integral in the history of Carson City and remains an important natural resource to us and our wildlife friends! This tour will take you from Morgan Mill River Access to the Mexican Dam 5 miles South along the Carson River and back (10 miles total).

Difficulty

Rated as "Easy" Accoring to the IMBA

Recurrance

Annually in the Summer

Coyote Walk

Description

Join a Park Ranger for an educational walk all about the coyotes! While enjoying a walk along the Carson River, you will get to learn everything about coyotes from identification to their habits and culture. If you have been afraid of coyotes while hiking in this area, this is the walk for you!

Difficulty

Rated as "Easy" According to the IMBA

Recurrance

Often held two times a year in the spring and in the fall.

Creatures of the Night

Fall Colors Hike

Galaxy Talk

Description

Join the Carson City Park Rangers and Dr. Thomas Herring, Professor of Physics at WNC, for a star gazing event at Silver Saddle Ranch. Telescopes will be set up around the Red House area and staff will be around to instruct on our solar system, the Milky Way Galaxy and much more!

NOTE: These programs are weather dependent. Programs can be cancelled or postponed up until the day of the event. Check back here for the most up-to-date information.

Difficulty

N/A

Recurrance

Bi-Annually

Geology Excursion

Reptile Rendezvous

Scorpion Search

Description

Grab your friends/family, create a team, and join the Carson City Park Rangers for an exciting Scorpion Hunting competition. You and your team will be given a black light and a data collection sheet and will be set free on the Wild Horse Trail to find all the scorpions you can find. They glow under the black light which makes this activity unlike anything you've done before.

Difficulty

More Difficult

Recurrance

Annually in Summer

Historical Tours

Below is a list of Historical Tours listed from A-Z. All programs are based on Park Ranger availability. If a program is cancelled or postponed, registered participants will be notified.

Cemetery Tours

Description

Join the Carson City Park Rangers for some historical fun at Lone Mountain Cemetery. We will make our way around the cemetery stopping at famous historical figure burial sites and learning about their lives. Expect visits from Henry Marvin Yerington, P.H. Clayton, Hank Monk, and more!

Difficulty

Rated as "Easy" Accoring to the IMBA

Recurrance

Regular Tours are coming soon, After Dark tours held every year in October

Mexican Ditch Historical Bike Tour

Description

Join the Carson City Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department for an exciting historical tour of the Mexican Ditch Trail and Dam. From mining to ranching to outdoor recreation, the Mexican Ditch and the Carson River have been integral parts of Carson City's history, and remain important to this day. This tour will take you from Morgan Mill River Access (once apart of the historical Empire City) to the Dam 5 miles South along the Carson River and back (10 miles total).

Difficulty

Rated as "Easy" Accoring to the IMBA

Recurrance

Annually in Spring

Silver Saddle Ranch Historical Tour

Description

Join the Carson City Parks Department and the Friends of Silver Saddle Ranch for a historical tour of Silver Saddle Ranch! From mining to ranching to outdoor recreation, Silver Saddle Ranch and the Carson River have been integral parts of Carson City's history, and remain important to this day. This tour will take you around the property and dive deep into the historical roots of the area.

Difficulty

Rated as "Easy" Accoring to the IMBA

Recurrance

Quarterly or by request

Ranger Adventures

Join a Park Ranger on a family fun adventure on one of Carson City's many trails. Choose your adventure below listed from A-Z. All programs are based on Park Ranger availability. If a program is cancelled or postponed, registered participants will be notified.

End to End Prison Hill Patrol

Description

Join the Carson City Park Rangers for an end-to-end Prison Hill Patrol. We all know that the best Park Ranger patrol is by foot, and in Carson City, the best place to foot patrol is Prison Hill. This exciting 6 mile adventure takes you from the 5th Street Trailhead all the way to Golden Eagle Lane at the South end. Experience Pinyon-Juniper forests, rocky single-track trails, and the red canyons of the OHV area.

Difficulty

Rated as "More Difficult" Accoring to the IMBA

Recurrance

Annually in Spring

Full Moon Hikes

Geocache Adventure

Junior Park Ranger Activities

Description

Grab your Adventure Guides and join a Park Ranger for a Junior Park Ranger activity! This short activities focus on specific pages within the guide to help JR. Rangers finish and get sworn in.

Adventure Guides are free and are available from the Park Rangers upon check-in. You can find more informaiton on the Junior Park Ranger program, here.

Difficulty

Varies depending on Program

Recurrance

Quartly

Holiday Hike

Description

Lace up your hiking boots and get ready to join the Carson City Park Rangers for a festive holiday hike! This holly jolly hike encourages participants to wear their ugliest holiday sweater. We will be walking from Riverview Park to the Carson River while discovering the secrets of how wildlife prepares for the colder months ahead.

Difficulty

Rated as "Easy" According to the IMBA

Recurrence

Annually in December

Winter Wonderland Patrol