Speaking of timing, our high desert flowers begin blooming in early April and peak in May, before it gets hot and things dry out. Spring in the Sierra Nevada waits until June, or even July if the snowpack is deep.
Huffaker Hills in South Reno
Washoe County Parks and the Truckee Meadows Trails Association have jointly developed a trail system in these volcanic hills. The trailhead parking lot is about a mile up Mira Loma Road (not to be confused with Mira Loma Drive) from S. McCarran Blvd. You can only get on Mira Loma Rd. by turning right off McCarran, so you must approach it traveling east. You will see the tallest Huffaker of them all, Rattlesnake Mountain, in front of you. Look for a small Huffaker Hills Trailhead sign at the intersection, just after crossing Longley Ln. Turn right on Mira Loma Rd. and go up the hill behind the Longley Town Centre. There is a big brown water tank just before the parking area, which is also on the right.
There is an information kiosk at the trailhead with a map of the trails. The loop to Twin Peaks and the one to the reservoir offer the best wildflower viewing opportunities. Plants you might see include buckwheat, paintbrush, larkspur, Hooker's and arrowleaf balsamroot, and Beckwith's violet.
Washoe Lake State Park
Reach this park by driving south about 12 miles on U.S. 395 toward Carson City. After passing Washoe Lake, look for the Washoe Lake State Park sign and exit at Eastlake Blvd. Turn left toward the lake and go a couple of miles to the Deadmans Creek trailhead, which is on the right. You will see a big dead cottonwood tree at the parking area. If the spaces are taken, you can park along the road or in the fee lot next to the lake.
There is a trailhead sign and usually some brochures describing plants and other features in the area. The hike starts up a draw with Deadmans Creek on your right, then comes to a fork. If you go right, it takes you to the gazebo you probably noticed on the hill above the parking area. If you bear left, you go up the side of a hill to a dirt road, which can be followed for miles if you like. You can turn it into a loop by going uphill on the road for a mile or so and following obvious trails off to the right that lead to the gazebo, then back to your car.
Either trail will take you to abundant wildflowers if conditions are right (see disclaimer above). It helps that Deadmans Creek is spring-fed and therefore has water most of the year. Look for phlox, paintbrush, fiddlehead, yellow monkey flowers, and tidy tips, among others.
Carson Pass on Highway 88
Carson Pass is not close to Reno, but it is handy from south Lake Tahoe. I include it here because I've frequented the area for years and know from whence I speak. From Reno, go south on U.S. 395, pass through Carson City, and keep going. At the north edge of Minden, bear right at the light onto Hwy. 88, headed to Woodfords. Keep going; you will cross into California and climb through West Carson Canyon, leveling out in Hope Valley. Pass the intersection with Hwy. 89 (which goes over Luther Pass to U.S. 50 and Lake Tahoe), continue climbing until topping out at Carson Pass. There is a parking area and visitor center on the left, and another parking area about half a mile further on the right. This is a popular spot and parking is sometimes an issue. And don't forget to pay the parking fee ($5 last time I was there). It's around 75 miles from Reno.
Hiking on the south side of 88, toward Winnemucca Lake, takes you through meadows of thigh-high lupine, shooting star, and other mountain flowers. To the north, climb up to Meiss Pass, along slopes covered with mule's ears, then descend to Meiss Meadow for an expansive display of color. Either way, you will be rewarded with some of the best and most accessible wildflowers the Sierra Nevada has to offer within striking distance of Reno, Sparks, and Lake Tahoe.
