With this winter being one of the warmest in living memory, this is prime time for hiking. Hunter Creek Falls, which is usually a great March and April hike after the snow has begun to melt, is ideal in February this year. So it's time to head to the mountains for some waterfall viewing.
Photo: A view of the Hunter Falls Mountains in the winter.
Hunter Falls Hike Overview
At 5.8 miles long, with a 1,200-foot elevation gain, this out-and-back hike is within the city limits and allows you to venture from high desert to mountain clime, with a good-sized waterfall and its lush surroundings at the top, in only a couple of hours.
The Hunter Creek Trailhead sits near Mayberry Park in West Reno. The parking lot has ample parking spots (and an overflow parking lot) as well as bathrooms. From the lot, getting to the hike is simple. Just head southwest into the mountains. You’ll cross a wooden footbridge and be on your merry way.
You will have to cross a few streams passable only by makeshift bridges of toppled trees at times. This, coupled with several tight rocky sections, make the trail at least an intermediate to advanced hike with limited accessibility.
Photo: Hunter Falls’ rocky sections in the winter.
The Hike Experience
Hunter Falls starts with a steady ascent along the ravine that Hunter Creek runs through. From the start, it is arid and bare, a place where rattlesnakes are a concern during the height of summer. There are rocky sections to pass through, and the ascent gradually increases as you wind your way farther up the valley. These sections can also be icy in winter.
About halfway up the hike, trees become more common, and rocky crags surround you on all sides. Eventually, you enter a grove of pines. Now you are approaching the waterfall and walking through the areas watered by its runoff and protected from the heat by the high elevation.
Photo: The view at Hunter Falls in the summer.
Depending on season, the tree-rich area can be either snowy or a shady respite from the summer sun. If hiking in winter – even in this dry winter – be prepared for chilly conditions and potential mud and snow.
At this point, you will cross the aforementioned streams via toppled tree bridges. Bear scat is a common sighting in these upper regions, so be forewarned. In the deepest and darkest sections, the crackling of sticks, shifting of sun behind the tree trunks, even a bird’s song, may have you wondering if you should continue on . . . but keep persevering. The grove will open up again to a clearing, and you will face the waterfall, now gushing forth audibly.
Photo: A View of Hunter Lake Falls.
You must come close to the pool of water to peer into it. A giant felled tree stands cockeyed in the middle of the water’s flow – there for how many years now? Somebody must know.
You’re unlikely to hear any unnatural sound here, thanks to the waterfall’s rumble and gurgle. It shouldn’t be a luxury, but to sit there and enjoy a snack, far away from the sounds of the city, is a true treat.
As an out-and-back hike, the path down is predictable. And with it all being descent, you don’t have to expend much energy in returning to your car. One bonus is the views. On the way up, you get the mountains. On the way down, you get glimpses of Reno in the distance and the surrounding desert and mountains far off to the north.
Want to go?
Trail length: 5.8 miles
Elevation gain: 1,200 feet
Estimated time: 3 to 3.5 hours
Out & back
About the Author Dan Bablinskas
Dan Bablinskas is a relentlessly curious person with a passion for travel, foreign languages, affordable food and lodgings, well-fashioned cappuccinos and refreshing craft brews. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in creative writing, he traveled through Europe and South America while working as an English teacher and travel blogger. After trying a number of different careers, he settled into technical and content writing for his day job. In his spare time, he enjoys exploring the Reno-Tahoe area by foot, car, bike and ski. He lives in Reno with his wife and two kids. 
