It’s time for the third annual Carson City Trails Challenge – Quality of Life 30th Anniversary Edition! The Carson City Trails Challenge is a free program hosted by the Carson City Parks, Recreation & Open Space Department to encourage local individuals and families, of all ages and abilities, to explore the many Open Spaces and trails found right here in our own backyard.
Participants who register for the Trails Challenge receive a guidebook and a list of trails ranging from easy beginner trails to difficult backcountry trails, and they have until Nov. 1 to complete a minimum of five trails for a chance to win amazing prizes donated by local businesses.
Participants also have the chance to receive extra prize raffle tickets by submitting photos for a quarterly photo contest, attending Park Ranger-led hikes, posting their challenge on social media and more.
This free program was launched on June 1, 2024, in celebration of National Trails Day to get residents excited about their local trails. With almost 300 participants signed up to walk, run, hike, bike, and even paddle in the first year, this department was overjoyed by the amount of enthusiasm for this new program.
This year, the 2026 Trails Challenge is themed to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Carson City’s Quality of Life Initiative (QOL). In 1996, the residents of Carson City voted to implement a ¼-cent sales tax to provide dedicated funding for the acquisition of open space and the development and maintenance of new park and recreation facilities, including trails.
Since the inception of QOL, Carson City has acquired over 7,000 acres of Open Space to protect our floodplains, watershed, and wildlife habitat; preserve our amazing views; and provide abundant recreational opportunities. In each of our trail descriptions this year, we have included information about how the QOL Initiative has helped make Carson City such a great place to live, work, and play!
The 2026 Trails Challenge will begin on March 28 at Silver Saddle Ranch at 10:00 a.m., featuring a few special speakers and the opportunity to register for the program. This will be followed by an interpretive walk led by a Park Ranger and the Trails Coordinator, which can be counted as the first trail on a participant’s challenge.
Where: Silver Saddle Ranch
When: March 28, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
Trails Challenge Registration: https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/ccpr/activity/search/detail/10984?onlineSiteId=0&locale=en-US&from_original_cui=true
For additional information or questions regarding this program, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator at elarsen@carsoncity.gov or (775) 283-7126. For more information on this program or other parks and recreation programs, please visit Carsoncity.gov/parksandrec.
