Submitted PhotoHikers walk along one of the network of trails in the hills behind Centennial Park.
Centennial Park: There are several walks you can take from Centennial Park. This one will focus on the trail that goes east toward Mound House.
Access is from Centennial Park off of Arrowhead Drive. Drive all the way to the back of the park opposite the baseball diamonds. From the parking area there is a trail that heads south and gently climbs the hill. Do be observant as you are heading toward the archery range, I've yet to see anyone there, but you never know.
The trail will curve to the left, east, and soon you will be in a large upper valley. This is a large open area, and you will find several trails and dirt tracks leading off in different directions.
For this particular walk I recommend staying on the trail with the most easterly direction. It may seem rather barren up here, the area burned a few years back and many of the small pines were killed off, but you will still see a few.
Also, look for the desert peach and the phlox, which might still be in flower.
Someone has spent quite a bit of time and effort building large mounds of rock alongside the trail, sometimes on both sides with a narrow path between. Or it could be that someone started it and others have added to the piles over time. Either way it adds interest to the walk.
The trail continues to head generally east toward a ridge. If you were to go all the way and climb the ridge you would find yourself looking down on Mound House and the new bridge for the V&T Railway.
Depending on how much time and energy you have, you can go all the way to the ridge until you find where the trail turns back and follows the north side of the valley.
If you haven't the time or are starting to tire, you can always turn back or do some cross country until you cut across the other trail.
If you decide to cut across country, be watchful. There are sudden washes, and it is getting warmer so the snakes are starting to come out.
Early morning and dusk are their favorite times to hunt, but I've come across them napping under a bush in the middle of the day.
If you come back on the northerly track, there is a very large interesting pile of wood.
It's made up of dead, bare branches interwoven and is at least 6 feet high and probably the same around.
It has a wonderful feel of both permanence and impermanence. After admiring it, head west and south looking for the path back to the parking lot.
As with each of these hidden little worlds within Carson City, come again and again, each season holds its own gifts.
If you are interested in joining some of our walks please feel free to contact me.
- Donna Inversin is walk leader for Muscle-Powered (www.mus
clepowered.wordpress.com) and co-chair for special events for We Can. She can be reached at 315-6763