Rancho San Rafael Park

Take time out from the hustle and bustle of Reno’s busy attractions and spend the day at the wonderful Rancho San Rafael Park. A quick hop from the city centre, this former working cattle ranch is a 240-hectare oasis of greenery bursting with hiking trails, wetlands, a museum, arboretum, formal botanical gardens, picnic areas, a Great Basin adventure playground and even an off-leash area for man’s best friend!

With so much to see, make life easy and head straight for the visitor centre at the ranger’s house. Arm yourself with information on the park’s looped and one-way trails, wetland trekking tours and other attractions and you’ll be ready to start exploring.

Start off at the world-class Wilbur D. May Centre, which is home to the May Museum and the May Arboretum and Botanical Garden. As well as detailing the local history of the area, the excellent museum is also packed with exotic global artifacts collected by the rancher and philanthropist, Wilbur D. May. Head next door to take a stroll through the peaceful arboretum and botanical garden and learn how native plants survive the harsh desert climate. Drink in over 4,000 colourful and sweet-smelling plant species as you wander around this gorgeous five-hectare garden.

Next, grab your trail map and make your way to the scenic Peavine Peak in the north end of the park. Hike, bike or amble your way through a magnificent network of trails that teem with a variety of native plants and shrubbery – perfect for nature lovers and adventurers alike.

This is a wonderful place to visit at any time of the year, but if you time your visit for the month of September you are in for a real treat. Not only do the grounds of San Rafael Park look particularly beautiful in their autumnal-red hues, but this is also when the Great Reno Balloon Race takes place. This is one of the liveliest, most exciting events on the Reno calendar and is not something you'll want to miss!