Sun Valley Regional Park
5905 Sidehill Drive, Sun Valley, NV 89433 (Click here to view a map)
North on Sun Valley Blvd.; left on 7th Ave.; right on Sidehill to park entrance.
Park Ranger Office: (775) 424-1866
This 343-acre park serves as a gateway to hundred of acres of public open space widely known for its abundant wildlife, unusual rock outcroppings and unforgettable views of the Truckee Meadows. The park was acquired from the Bureau of Land Management at no cost to the County through a Recreation and Public Purpose Lease. The park includes a Disc Golf Course, trails for hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing, and equestrian use, as well as interpretive information, restrooms and picnic areas.
For plant & animal species found here, check out Sun Valley Regional Park on iNaturalist.
Trails
The multi-use Sun Valley Regional Park trails are featured in the Truckee Meadows Trails Guide which can be downloaded here. Look on pages 42 & 43.
Media
Park History
Several farmers came to the area in the early 1900’s to raise hogs, goats, chicken and sheep for the growing population of the Truckee Meadows. Sun Valley was owned by just a couple families who did fairly well on their farms. The trail into the Sun Valley area came up from Wedekind Road, an old flume path before it became a dirt road and then a paved road years later. A couple small narrow gauge railroad lines traversed this area as well, connecting with the Northern Pacific tracks that meandered through the northern valleys to the main Central Pacific roundhouse at the end of Valley Road.
Reno started growing from the building of military installations during World War II. Lemmon Valley (once the town of Peavine) was the housing overflow of maintenance workers at Stead AFB. Traffic increased and pavement was laid along Military Road to old highway 395 (North Virginia Street).
When the war ended, the men and families of the armed forces housed in the region remained and started to look for homes and civilian jobs to start a new life in the Truckee Meadows. Within ten years, from 1946 to 1956, the City of Reno doubled in size. For many years, folks would regularly go to Sun Valley to hunt Sage Hen, Chucker, Quail and Cottontail. Before long, Sun Valley became extremely busy with the placement of a new type of house called the mobile home. Within ten years, Sun Valley was the largest congregation of mobile homes in the country.
Activities: Bird Watching, Hiking/Walking/Equestrian Trails, Junior Ranger Program, Picnic Areas, Playgrounds, Disc Golf, Photography