Sport Vacation Guide to Nevada

Nevada is a superb area for all sport vacations. Outdoor adventurers will find quite a bit to do in Nevada. There are over 26 mountain ranges making it a Mecca for climbers and hikers. Adventure junkies have can find summer adventure stimulating with such activities as canoeing, kayaking, water skiing, camping, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking. Winter adventures include skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, snow tubing and more.

Hiking

For the casual hiker, there are many leisurely walks and strolls throughout Nevada. However, if you are a serious hiker or trekker, then Nevada's trails offer thousands of miles of amazing surroundings and scenery as well as challenges. Hikers will find terrain from desert to lush meadows, mountains to valleys and rivers to lakes. The Tahoe Rim Trail is 165 miles of views and leads into other trails. Advances trails such as Mount Rose Summit Trail in the Mount Rose Wilderness area is a short drive from Reno in northern Nevada. The Great Basin National Park has over 60 miles of trails, including a Glacier trail for experienced trekkers. To the south, Nevada desert trails include the red sandstones of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation area.

Mountain Biking

There are thousands of miles of trails for the adventurous mountain biker. Nevada has mountain trails, valleys and backcountry trails, as country roads that are idea for mountain bike cyclist. The Tahoe Rim Trail around Lake Tahoe is ideal for the cyclist as well as the hiker. For a test of endurance, the Comstock Bicycle Trail in the Carson Valley provides the advance rider a trial of exciting challenges. Road cyclists are not forgotten in Nevada, there are bicycle tours in Virginia City that pass near old mines and historic buildings. The Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and the Logandale Trail System provides twist and turns through red sandstones plateaus and views of wild burros.

Climbing

Nevada has more than 300 mountain ranges for climbing and scaling rock walls. In northern Nevada, a climber can explore the granite formation of River Rock. Dinosaur Rock is a 140-foot crag that will challenge even experienced climbers. The Great Basin National Park hosts the Diamond Crag, and the Solomon's Arrow Crag, which offers climbers with three different routes to ascend. If climbing

White water adventures

Kayakers will want to paddle Lake Tahoe and the other lakes near Reno and Carson City. However, the Lahontan State Recreation Area and the Walker Lake State Recreation Areas also provide great open water paddling. For the whitewater enthusiasts, Nevada has the Truckee River for all levels and classes of kayaking and rafting. The Truckee River Whitewater Park provides a kayak slalom-racing course for the experienced paddler. In the southern part of the state, the Colorado River provides fantastic whitewater excitement.

Ranch Vacations

Ranch Vacation is an excellent sport vacation for the equestrian. Nevada has two exceptional working ranches that open their doors to guests. On the 71 Ranch, you will be work alongside the cowhands while horseback riding and moving cattle to pasture lands. You would also sort, gather, and brand the cattle on a cattle drive. In addition, you could be fixing fences, digging irrigation ditches and any other chore that comes with running a major ranch. The Cottonwood Ranch in Elko County is also a working ranch where you signup to help the ranch hands. On the Cottonwood, it is up to you as to how much work you want to do. There are cattle and horse round-ups, as well as in June a six-day horse drive. The ranch also provides hayrides, cookouts, and a campfire sing-along.

Ski Vacations

Skiing in Nevada is essential for any wintertime sports enthusiast. Lake Tahoe, the premier ski destination has 15 resorts to choose with many miles of trails. Elko's Ruby Mountains allows a skier to make his or her own trail with Heli-skiing expedition. Las Vegas isn't to be excluded, there are ski resorts just north of the strip for venturing casino goers.

Ghost Town and Theme Park Vacations

Nevada is a fantastic state to explore Ghost towns and silver mines. Death Valley National Park is full of ruins to hike around and discover a wild west different from in the movies. For a well-prepared backpacker, Death Valley is a Mecca of exploration. In addition to the ghost town ruins, a history buff can explore the historic mining ghost town of Ely. There is also an old Ghost Train to ride and explore Nevada Northern Railway Museum. At the Tonopah Mining Park, a vacationer can take a tour into an old mine. The Western studio and theme park of the Ponderosa Ranch, the filing location of the TV show Bonanza, is located near Lake Tahoe providing a vacationer with live western entertainment and shows.