Ten Easy Off-Road Trails in Reno, Nevada

0:00 Intro
0:26 Guidebooks and Maps
1:00 Peavine Peak Road
2:05 Dog Valley Road
3:26 Sunrise Pass Road
4:31 Toll Road
5:44 Virginia Peak Off-Road
6:50 Lousetown Road
8:14 Jumbo Grade Road
9:33 Ophir Grade Road
10:51 Rock Peak Off-Road
12:09 Hunter Lake Road
13:49 Conclusion

Reno is an amazing place to live if you love exploring dirt roads that provide access to public lands with amazing backcountry recreation, views and solitude. Here are ten easy off-road trails close to Reno, NV.

These trails are all well-traveled and easy to find, but if you want a little extra info, there are links below to writeups on allterrainfam.com and video guides on the All-Terrain Family YouTube Channel. For more info check out these books:


More Info: https://wp.me/p1CTh9-11G
Nevada Trails, Western Region: https://amzn.to/4a04dvV [PAID LINK]
High Sierra SUV trails: https://amzn.to/416dOgD [PAID LINK]
Nevada Gazetteer: https://amzn.to/3sZJSGe [PAID LINK]

It’s also handy to have something like Gaia GPS (https://www.gaiagps.com) or On X Off Road (https://www.onxmaps.com) on your phone or tablet.

Alright, let’s hit the trail.

1 Peavine Peak
You see it every day, but did you know it’s super easy to get to the top? Peavine is probably the easiest dirt road you can do in the Reno area that actually goes somewhere. It’s rough but not particularly steep. It’s wide, with plenty of room to pass or turn around.

2 Sunrise Pass
Sunrise Pass road is the second easiest trail in this list and traverses the Pine Nut mountain range from Carson Valley to Smith Valley. Sunrise Pass road can be done as an out-and-back of any length or as part of a scenic loop around the Pine Nuts encompassing Smith Valley and Topaz Lake.

3 Dog Valley Road
Dog Valley Road and Hennessy Pass Road connect Verdi with the North Valleys around the West side of Peavine Peak. The main attraction of this trail is the Verdi Peak Crystal Mine. This is a spot that was a source of Quartz Crystals used in radios during World War 2. Just about any SUV can make this trip, from Subarus and AWD minivans to 4Runners or Suburbans, though this is a bit rougher at the start as you climb out of Verdi.

4 Toll Road
Toll Road is in my backyard. Most of the videos on this channel were shot in some part there on Toll Road. This is a Historic route from Reno to Virginia City and is maintained by volunteers and enthusiasts and, at the very bottom and top, by landowners who have houses there.

5 Virginia Peak
Virginia Peak is the high point of the Pan Rah range, which is the northern extension of the Virginia Range north of the Truckee River corridor. This is another easy dirt road with options to make it a little harder and more adventurous here and there. There are radio towers at the top here, as well as stunning views back towards Spanish Springs, Reno, and the Sierra Nevadas. The real treat is the views East down to Pyramid Lake, and Central Nevada on a clear day.

6 Lousetown Road
Lousetown Road is another historic road that provides access to some remote areas of the Virginia Range. This road is the hardest so far and might require a more capable vehicle than average or a high sense of adventure or offroad driving skill. Some attractions on this trail are the many Virginia Range Mustangs you’re sure to see, mining ruins, and the Lagomarsino petroglyphs.

07 Jumbo Grade
Jumbo Grade Road is a special trail for us because it’s the first off-road trip we made as a family in our old 4Runner and the first video we made for this channel. At the time, we thought it was pretty extreme in our stock SUV, but it seems pretty tame to us now.

08 Ophir Grade Road
Ophir Grade Road is a harder variation of Jumbo Grade Road and starts from the intersection of Carson Reno Highway and East Lake BLVD. This road is rougher and has more rock obstacles than Jumbo, but it’s more fun and less traveled.

09 Rocky Peak
Rocky Peak is a tough, rocky, steep 4x4 track that heads up a remote part of the Virginia Range to a spot where you can hike the cool, craggy, and aptly named Rocky Peak. This one will be a challenge in a stock 4x4, but I believe it could be done if you know what you’re doing.

Prison Hill
Prison Hill is an off-road recreation area in Carson City. This has everything from easy dirt roads to extreme rock crawling and ATV trails. The basic trail here is short, but gets you up high for great views of the Carson Valley and Sierra Nevada range.

Hunter Lake Road
Hunter Lake Road is the hardest trail I’ve featured here and if we’re being precise, the only one that starts actually in Reno. This one can be done in a stock SUV, but it’s longer and more consistently challenging than the others featured here. It can be done as a LONG loop that will take most of the day or a shorter half-day out and back.