Spooner Lake & Backcountry State Park
Managed by Nevada State Parks
2,631 acres17.3 mi of trail
Marlette Lake TrailTahoe Rim TrailMarlette Creek TrailNorth Canyon Rim Trail Connector+1
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Carson City
Carson City has 511 miles of mapped trails, 3.5 for every square mile of land
22% of Carson City’s land is conserved, about 20,305 acres. 4,476 acres are parks and preserves, 77 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Spooner Lake & Backcountry State Park (17.3 mi), Silver Saddle Ranch (9.4 mi), Riverview Park (1.4 mi).
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns · #1 of 42 in Nevada. What drives it
Conserved land
22%
20,305 acres · of 144.5 sq mi of land
Trails
511 mi
3.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
4,476 ac
77 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
86%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
47 mi
29 mi lanes · 18 mi paths
Highest peak
9,196 ft
Snow Valley Peak
Lakes & rivers
5
8 beaches · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Carson City?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Carson City have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Carson City is ahead of 97% of U.S. towns, #1 of 42 in Nevada. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Carson City’s overall grade.
Conserved land22% of the land · typical NV town 5% · U.S. 4%ATrails3.5 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (511 mi) · NV 2.0 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land77 acres of park per 1,000 residents (4,476 acres) · NV 6 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home86% of residents within a half mile of a park · NV 74% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 97%
LessMore
Nevada towns of 2,500+ (42)#1 of 42
Water is 8% of Carson City’s area (13 of 157 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 20%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Spooner Lake & Backcountry State Park, with 17.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Silver Saddle Ranch
Park
807 acres9.4 mi of trail
Prison Hill TrailMexican Dam TrailPrison Hill Recreation AccessDesert Peach+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Riverview Park
Park
108 acres1.4 mi of trail
Riverview Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Capitol Complex
Park
20 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Legislature Building Parking Garage
Fuji Park & Fairgrounds
Managed by Carson City
22 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the parking lot
All 27 parks & preserves
Spooner Lake & Backcountry State Park2,631 acres · 17.3 mi of trail · Nevada State Parks
Silver Saddle Ranch807 acres · 9.4 mi of trail
DirectionsRiverview Park108 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsCarson River Park46 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsCapitol Complex20 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsMills Park44 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsFuji Park & Fairgrounds22 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Carson City
DirectionsRoss Gold Park8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLong Ranch Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Carson City Parks & Recreation
Pete Livermore Sports Complex46 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTreadway Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Carson City parks & recreation
DirectionsMonte Vista Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Carson City Parks & Recreation
Fulstone Family Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Carson City Parks & Recreation
Centennial Park27 acres
DirectionsGovernors Field24 acres · Carson City Parks, Recreation, & Open Space Department
DirectionsGreenbelt Park5 acres · Carson City
DirectionsPark Terrace Park5 acres · Carson City Parks & Recreation
Ronald D. Wilson Memorial Park4 acres · Carson City Parks & Recreation
DirectionsSonoma Park4 acres · Carson City
John Mankins Park4 acres · Carson City Parks & Recreation
DirectionsSchulz Ranch Park4 acres · Carson City
DirectionsCarriage Square Park3 acres · Carson City
Blackwell's Pond Park3 acres · Carson City Parks & Recreation
Steinheimer Park1 acres · Carson City Parks & Recreation
Morgan Mill River Access Park1 acres
DirectionsSunset Park1 acres
Riley Circle Park1 acres · Carson City Parks & Recreation
Who protects it
20,305 conserved acres
22% of Carson City’s land. Water is left out: Carson City has 144.5 square miles of land and 12.6 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Carson City’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Forest Service15,250 ac
Town or city3,427 ac
State natural resources1,351 ac
Bureau of Land Management113 ac
State land board87 ac
State parks75 ac
Other state land6 ac
National Forest · 15,250 acLocal Recreation Area · 2,962 acState Other or Unknown · 1,351 acLocal Park · 465 acFederal Other or Unknown · 113 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1 acre is a conservation easement, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 3 of 44 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toiyabe National Forest National Forest | U.S. Forest Service | 15,250 | Open |
| Nevada State Medium Security Prison State Other or Unknown | State natural resources | 1,137 | Closed |
| Lands Bill (Usfs Exchange) Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 893 | Open |
| Bently Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 485 | Open |
| Serpa Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 423 | Open |
| Jarrard Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 383 | Open |
| Horsecreek Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 370 | Open |
| Park State Other or Unknown | Other state land | 244 | Open |
| Nevada State Maximum Security Prison State Other or Unknown | State natural resources | 214 | Closed |
| Wilson Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 112 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
63 places to go in Carson City
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Carson City
Plus 4 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Carson City
Playgrounds in Carson City
Blackwell
DirectionsCarriage Square Park PlaygroundIn Carriage Square Park
DirectionsGovernor's Field PlaygroundIn Governors Field
DirectionsJohn Makins Park PlaygroundIn John Mankins Park
DirectionsMonte Vista PlaygroundIn Monte Vista Park
DirectionsRiley Circle Park PlaygroundIn Riley Circle Park
DirectionsRonald D. Wilson Park PlaygroundIn Ronald D. Wilson Memorial Park
DirectionsSonoma Park PlaygroundIn Sonoma Park
DirectionsPlus 14 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks in Carson City
Dog Park
DirectionsSonoma ParkIn Sonoma Park
DirectionsPlus 2 dog parks without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Carson City
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Waterfalls in Carson City
Lower King's Canyon Waterfall
DirectionsScenic views in Carson City
Carson Valley Viewpoint
DirectionsMarlette Lake Overlook
DirectionsPlus 1 scenic view without a name on the map.
Peaks in Carson City
Snow Valley Peak9,196 ft elevation
DirectionsMcTarnahan Hill6,857 ft elevation
DirectionsSugarloaf5,925 ft elevation
DirectionsC Hill5,761 ft elevation
DirectionsPrison Hill5,722 ft elevation
DirectionsCentennial Peak5,404 ft elevation
DirectionsIndian Mountain5,400 ft elevation
DirectionsSkinny Ridge Hill5,210 ft elevation
Directions4 more peaks
Rifle Range Hill5,125 ft elevation
DirectionsSkinny Ridge Bump4,921 ft elevation
DirectionsCrack'in Lake Overlook
DirectionsSedge Overlook
DirectionsPicnic areas in Carson City
6 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Carson City
Carson City Community Garden
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 5 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 99.9 miHorses · 60.6 miUnpaved · 279.3 mi
Capital to Tahoe Trail7.1 mi
Ash Canyon to Kings Canyon Trail7.0 mi
National Forest Development Road 0396.1 mi
Tahoe Rim Trail5.4 mi
Marlette Creek Trail3.9 mi
Marlette Lake Trail3.7 mi
Unknown2.8 mi
Prison Hill Trail - West2.5 mi
Prison Hill Trail2.5 mi
Centennial Loop2.4 mi
15 more trails
Lincoln Bypass Trail
2.3 miMexican Dam Trail
2.0 miHwy 50 Frontage Trail
1.9 miGolf Course Outer Trail
1.8 miLongview Trail
1.7 miRocky Trail
1.7 miDesert Peach
1.6 miNorth Canyon Rim Trail Connector
1.3 miJack Rabbit
1.3 miVicee Canyon
1.3 miEZ Trail
1.2 miCreek Trail
1.2 miRiver Trail
1.1 miRiverview Trail
1.1 miC Hill Foothill Trail
1.0 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
47 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
29 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
18 mi
off-road bike paths
Tahoe Rim TrailBike route
4.2 miCourts & fields
23Baseball
22Tennis
17Soccer
8Pickleball
5Basketball
2Volleyball
2Skate park
2Tracks
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →43 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 8 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Virginia and Truckee RR. Engines No. 18, The Dayton; and No. 22, The InyoStructure · listed 1973
About itGov. James W. Nye MansionBuilding · listed 1975
About itNevada State CapitolBuilding · listed 1975
About itU.S. MintBuilding · listed 1975
About itRinckel MansionBuilding · listed 1975
About itRaycraft RanchBuilding · listed 1976
About itGovernor's MansionBuilding · listed 1976
About itForeman-Roberts, HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itSt. Peter's Episcopal ChurchBuilding · listed 1978
About itLakeview HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itNevada State Printing OfficeBuilding · listed 1978
About it31 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Carson City: April to June
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.7 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.3 | 14.9 | 14.7 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.0 | 9.4 |
| High (°F) | 46 | 51 | 57 | 63 | 72 | 82 | 90 | 89 | 82 | 69 | 55 | 45 |
| Rain (in) | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.8 |
July is the driest month (0.2 in) and the warmest (highs of 90 °F). 1.9 inches fall in January, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 90 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Carson City →
Next door
Carson City and its neighbors
Carson City has the most mapped trails of the 3 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carson City | 22% | 3.5 | 77 | 86% | A+ |
| Johnson Lane | 5% | 4.6 | 7 | 56% | B+ |
| Indian Hills | 43% | 4.0 | 17 | 79% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Carson City
Where can I hike in Carson City?
The longest trail networks: Spooner Lake & Backcountry State Park, 17.3 miles; Silver Saddle Ranch, 9.4 miles; Riverview Park, 1.4 miles; Carson River Park, 0.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Carson City is conserved land?
22% of its land, against a typical 5% for a Nevada town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Carson City’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Fuji Park & Fairgrounds. For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Carson City?
47 miles of bike routes are on the map: 29 of painted or protected lanes and 18 of off-road paths. Named routes: Tahoe Rim Trail.
Is there public land near Carson City?
330,182 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Carson City or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 55,574 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Carson City have?
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #1 of 42 in Nevada. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Carson City neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →