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    Washoe Lake State Park

    4.1 (38 reviews)

    Washoe Lake State Park Photos

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    Best place to hike w/ your dogs in Northern Nevada. Leash up in the developed read but let them run once we get away from the crowds ( very few). South Lannding has great beach, nice path associated w/ the golf frisbee and unbelievable views of the Sierras. North Beach has great dune area and unique seasonal habitat open Aug -Feb in what appears to be old ranch. Little Washoe has great access just as you turn on East Lake Blvd from 395. Watch out for mustangs, especially early mornings . This area can be windy. Definitely a hike any time.

    Stairs to the beach
    Michael T.

    Mud hole Memorial Day baby! This is strictly a review of the Little Washoe Lake day use area. Memorial Day weekend and the fam has the beach in the brain, but with a toddler and infant in tow, going the distance to find a place by Lake Tahoe or further to one of the alpine lakes just wasn't an option, so we thought we'd try here. I think Washoe Valley is beautiful, especially in early summer. Snow capped mountains with the greening of the hill sides and pastures is just breathtaking. You can see a lot of that from Little Washoe and the lake is pretty from a distance too, so it seems like it could be a good place to sit for a spell until you actually get down to the shores. We're in a low water year so the lake has receded a lot. The shores are extremely muddy and there are a lot of little water bugs flitting about. Due to the depth, the water is super warm, it's also very muddy, and since it doesn't get a lot of flow from anywhere, it's also pretty stagnant, making it a bad choice for swimming and Eve wading. The beach is covered in soft sand, which is pretty nice. Nice that is until you realize that it's mixed in with horse poop from the wild herd that roams the valley, inevitably using the lake and shores as their toilet. So in short, this is a part of the park that's good from far but far from good. If you're a toddler though, you won't care and you'll have a blast! On the whole I'd rate Washoe Lake State Park a solid 4 stars. More on that in the next review.

    View from my front door
    Shelly B.

    It is beautiful and quite. Clean restrooms etc... Wild horses all around Dump station was closed the entire 2 weeks we were there otherwise I would have given 5 stars

    Joyce T.

    Pass by this flat looking on the highway so many times. Didn't know it had hiking, beaches , campgrounds, bird wetland sanctuary, picnic areas and clean bathrooms. Depending where you park and do, it's $5 to park in the southern beach area. Put $5 in brown envelope, keep tab and place it on car dashboard. Beautiful scenery. Pretty well kept signs and placards. Lots of dogs, though some wetland areas the dogs need to be leashed. No swimming or boating.

    Marciel B.

    Correction on the annual passes: I will say that this "little" place is one of my neighborhood blessings. $5 for daily use, $100 for your yearly state park pass for day use, (unless you are a disabled veteran or a senior, then it is $30 for theball access!) All access pass includes camping and boat launching is $250. This will get you into ALL OF THE NEVADA STATE PARKS. They have picnic benches on the beach as well as covered benches in the parking lot areas. They also have vaulted toilets near the boat launch side with running water. It is no Lake Tahoe and the water levels are WAY down, but if you have Littles, life jacket them up and come on over to splash around, enjoy the scenery and the decent water temperature .

    Hang gliding landing area ~ you can sit on nearby park benches to watch.
    Lynda B.

    On our Sunday Funday we had decided to venture out for another hiking adventure, on this particular early May day why not check out Washoe Lake...yep the one we have all driven by over and over as we venture to and from Reno to Carson for umpteen years. We laughed as both of us had done just that for far too long...so off on another hiking adventure we went, first pulling up the website: http://parks.nv.gov/parks/washoe-lake finding several hikes within Washoe Lake that we were totally unaware plus excited to explore: Beach Stroll = 2.7 miles Dune Trek = 2.4 miles South Loop = 2.5 miles Day Use Pathway = 0.4 miles East Loop = 3.8 miles Deadman's Creek Trail = 0.6 miles (this is the most popular) North Loop = 3.4 miles Wetlands Loop = 1.1 miles (with lookouts to see various foul) Paved Bicycle Path = 2.7 miles (ummm - this is on our next bicycling adventure) Upon arriving on this sunny yet windy May day, we entered the State Park on the east side paying our day use fee of only $5 - what a deal!! Then we drove around the park a bit to check things out, seeing the boat launch being utilized by locals, covered picnic table with BBQ areas with nearby restroom facilities, equestrian area for horse enthusiasts and the many different hiking trails throughout the park. We decided with our dogs in tow we would venture for the Beach Stroll that runs along the East Shore for 2.7 miles. The beach was exposed to the elements with sand dunes close by with some sporadic tree coverings along with a few locals enjoying paddle boarding, fishing, having a picnic and the beautiful surrounding area. We enjoyed our stroll along the lake, through the dunes and over along the South loop, we even went to have a look over in the Wetlands area to find currently they have signage up stating nesting was happening and that dogs were NOT allowed at this time - no biggie. Overall the views are scenic with easy flat hiking trails that are in the heart of Washoe Valley can get a wee bit warmer than I would like during the late Spring and Summer however it's close by for an early morning stretch the legs or a practice on your SUP, relax under the picnic area to have a BBQ, bird and hang glide watch and I have seen friends ice skate in the winter, heck I bet you could get a great workout snowshoeing around in here. Get out to explore would LOVE to see what trek or hike you find in and around Washoe Lake - I know they post Guided Hikes and Star Parties with the State Park Rangers throughout the year so be sure to check those out here: http://parks.nv.gov/events?child:park=1218 ENJOY everyone and #moveyourbody

    Mary G.

    We came out to Washoe Lake today with the kids and the kayaks as an alternative to Tahoe. It's not Tahoe (but what other lake is, and we definitely weren't expecting it to be!), but it does offer beach area and the water is much warmer! We happened to be out at a windy time, and the waves were definitely kicking up. So much so that they pushed us to shore and made it difficult to get back out. Just added to our adventure! If you're like me and get weirded out by your feet touching things in water, definitely wear your water shoes. You can for sure feel grass on the bottom for a ways out! Many others were out today enjoying wind surfing, jet skis, kayaks, swimming. Everyone we met was friendly. Picnic tables and restrooms were available. We were only there for day use, so not sure what the camping set ups look like. Gorgeous scenery!

    Allie A.

    If you love emptiness and solitude, you'll love Washoe Lake State Park. It's so empty that half the time the park isn't staffed to pay your $5 makes you wanna holler entrance fee. The camping spots were barely filled - maybe 4 spots taken. Not sure why people camp overnight here except for the fact that there is much emptiness and solitude and I would probably camp here, but not when it's 110 degrees. It would be like a Poor Man's Burning Man without the tutus or art. When my sister stopped to use a bathroom, an unkempt man driving a brand new Honda Civic asked her if she knew where he could find Howard Hughes or Michael Jackson and if she could help him find his parents. As of August 2015, we could not find the lake to dip our toes into. The funniest sign is one that says "Trail To Beach" which just leads to sage brush and sand.

    TwoAirheads Airstream, Washoe
    Roger M.

    A "fav" campground--on a picturesque lake with sand dunes surrounded by mountians in high desert. Spacious sites, no electric hook up, RV/trailer/tent, with aromatic mint sage, sun cabana / picnic tables and fire pit. Occasional howling coyotes singing in the night. Stellar sun sets as the daylight sinks behind the mountains. Don't like the standard issue crummy state park push and hold shower heads and sink faucets in the bathrooms. Between Carson City (closer to) and Reno. Hiking trails ok, but I'll head to South Tahoe Lake for some great mountain biking and hiking.

    What a wonderful way to spend the first day of the New Year!
    Sarah A.

    This park is wonderful! It's fun seeing the small wild horses grazing and walking by the equestrians riding their horses. Our dogs stay on the leash, and are loving walking here!

    Our rig (in March!) with Slide Mtn, in the background.
    Tom M.

    Well, unlike my friend Kara, we LOVE this park. Mostly because of the reasons she gives for NOT liking it. Not a lot of people visit the park, I think because of the obvious lack of shade trees. You bring your own shade, or use the picnic bench affairs under the shade structures. We come here with our travel trailer from our house in Carson City, and it's maybe 20 minutes away. It FEELS like we're hundreds of miles away - and that's why we go here. We never have to worry about finding a spot because it's rarely over 1/2 full. There are no hookups, water, or sewer at the sites, though they provide a dump site for use on your way out. There's water spigots in various spots around the park in the two distinct camping areas. The Loop "A" camping area has the larger RV accommodating sites, with some actually being pull-throughs. The Loop "B" area is more attuned to tent campers, though you can do either in either area. There's an area specially set aside for 'horse people', with horse watering and feeding accommodations. A horse path leads directly to the lake area from here. Nice if you are a horse aficionado (which I am NOT!). There are also rest rooms provided, with running hot and cold water, and, there are also showers! Hang gliders jump off McClellan, glide over Eastlake Blvd, and land in the park, in what's also a designated landing zone. Fliers of MASSIVE kites come here from all around (including the Bay Area) and launch their huge, colorful kites on windy days (which, as Kara mentioned, is almost EVERY day). There's a day use area, a group picnic area, and a boat launch. So basically, this state park has just about everything (except shade - ha) you could want or use. But, virtually nobody goes there. And that's the big draw for us. Now that I have my senior state park pass ($30/yr), and have spent two nights at the park, all other visits are free, including any and all OTHER state parks. What a deal!!!

    Mudcrack Jigsaw Puzzle
    Joe R.

    After three consecutive dry winters, northern Nevada has developed a mighty thirst. To view some bizarre effects of the drought, we drove 15 miles south of Reno to Washoe Lake State Park, and trekked the east shore of the shrinking lake. Like walking on a giant jigsaw puzzle, we crossed a massive interlocking network of polygonal mud cracks on the drying lake bed. We had to watch our step; however, to avoid the thousands of large dead fish, casualties of the declining water level. Centuries of persistent westerly winds blowing across the shallow lake bed have assembled a long ridge of sand dunes along the lake shore. Careful not to damage the dune structures and vegetation, we hiked a portion of the Dune Trek trail through the soft rippled sand. Our visit to the east shore of Washoe Lake reminded us of an ocean beach at extreme low tide. Only accessible during a drought, the exposed lake bed revealed strange features that will endure until northern Nevada can quench its mighty thirst.

    Old boat ramp

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    4 years ago

    Lots of fun and relaxing. Water is low and has lots of pollen in it. People in camp area are nice

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    6 years ago

    Great views from the campground and plenty to do - fishing, boating, jet skiing. There's also a frisbee golf area and a group picnic area.

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    12 years ago

    Went here for the first time ever today. I was born and raised in Carson city, so I know it seems strange. Very pleasant park.

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    10 years ago

    Little Washoe Lake is a treasure. Thank you for cleaning it up recently.

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    Review Highlights - Washoe Lake State Park

    We were only there for day use, so not sure what the camping set ups look like.

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    Marlette lake trail

    Marlette lake trail

    5.0
    (6 reviews)
    9.0 mi

    We hiked the Marlette Lake Trail from Spooner Lake to Marlette Lake as a backpacking trip for my…read morefriend's bachelorette party! We added some extra distance at the end by hiking to the Marlette Peak Campground to stay for the night. From the parking lot to the campground was about 7 miles each way. The trail itself was well-maintained, moderate difficulty, and had everything you'd want in a good hike! Solid trail conditions. Beautiful mountain and lake views. Some sections of wildflowers. A good amount of sun but also some shaded parts. Gradual incline that never felt super steep, so the elevation gain felt manageable. We saw people hiking as well as mountain biking on this trail. There are several sections of aspen trees along this hike, so it's a great one to come back and do in the fall once the leaves turn yellow. The trailhead area has great facilities, the bathrooms were clean and there is ample parking. The park rangers I spoke to were friendly and helpful. There is a $10/car entry into this area but it's totally worth it, especially when you see how well they take care of it. I loved this hike and will continue to come back to Spooner for hikes in the future!

    There are a few ways to reach Marlette Lake, all of them totally worth it, especially this time of…read moreyear. This trail takes you around Spooner Lake and up to Marlette. It's a 9 mile out and back with fairly gradual elevation gain, up through the trees, until you reach the lake. A great little workout. Marlette sits along the Flume Trail, so you're likely to see a lot of mountain bikers. Fun fact: The Flume Trail got its name because Marlette and the tributaries that feed it were part of a log flume system to carry logs used to build our region all the way down from as far as Virginia City! Marlette has a short fishing season, but people say it's grand if you make the trip. Of course you need to hike in to have that experience. This is definitely a trail worth checking out in our area!

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    Marlette lake trail
    Marlette lake trail
    Marlette lake trail

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    Spooner Lake

    Spooner Lake

    4.4
    (18 reviews)
    9.4 mi

    Spooner Lake State Park is easily accessible off NV 28 (on the way to Incline Village), but does…read morecharge for parking. I had previously purchased an annual pass through Nevada Parks for $30 (Senior Rate). The parking area, visitor's center, picnic areas, and large greenbelt are all well maintained, pretty, and with a great view of the Lake. I was most recently here for a well-executed and family/dog friendly Day 2 Rosh Hashana service led by Temple Bat Yam (Stateline). That included a interactive and leafy 2.1 walk around the lake on a almost perfect day. Spirituality experienced outside is a special thing, and meeting a few new friends along the way was a welcome bonus. Note: Yelp also has a Spooner Lake Trailhead listing, which overlaps with this one.

    Mom and I got lucky when we visited Spooner Lake on a Tuesday in August. Hardly anyone there so…read morekeeping our distance was easy. We only passed 1 couple on the trail. I wasn't really sure where the trail for Spooner Lake loop was so I parked and we wandered a bit til we saw the map and a little sign. Followed it down to the water... and then from there the trail was clear. We did the lake loop trail... I think it's about 2.5 miles... with all our walking around we did 3. It's a great trail! Lots of shade with a little bit of elevation change.... not too much tho. There was 1 big hill but that's it. So, a really nice easy trail around the lake. If I lived in the area, I would get an annual pass and come here regularly to do this loop and explore the other trails that connect to this one. It's a state park so $10 fee... we wanted to buy an Annual Pass good for all state parks but they were sold out.

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    Spooner Lake
    Restrooms
    Restrooms
    Benches throughout the loop around the lake.  This is one of them.

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    Benches throughout the loop around the lake. This is one of them.

    Washoe Lake State Park - lakes - Updated June 2026

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