Wintertime in Reno can be unpredictable. The days are usually crisp, clear and pleasant, but inversions, snow and deep freezes can make time outside unappealing. No worries! Whatever the forecast brings, you have indoor and outdoor options at Rancho San Rafael Park and the adjoining Wilbur D. May Museum. You can walk around the park’s many trails and gardens or go inside the museum. And when spring comes, Rancho San Rafael will be in bloom.
Photo: Views from Rancho San Rafael Regional Park
Wilbur D. Who?
Wilbur D. May was like a cross between Teddy Roosevelt and an English colonialist. Born into wealth, he ventured around the world, collecting artifacts from nearly every continent. He hunted big game and brought back stuffed trophies of his exploits. He owned ranch land around Reno, donated heavily to charity and worked on his own art while collecting the works of local artists.The Wilbur D. May Museum, inside Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, contains many artifacts from his travels. One of the signature pieces is an actual shrunken human head from South America. The rest of the collection is not quite as nightmarish. There is a koi pond and items from different parts of the world, with lots of taxidermy and wood carvings from Africa; pottery, opium pipes and visual art from Asia; silverware, paintings and firearms from Europe; and even more taxidermy from Australia and South America.
Photo: The Bigfoot Mannequin inside the Wilbur D. May Museum
Seasonal Exhibits at the Museum and Park
The Wilbur D. May Museum is a great place in its own right, but what really adds to it are the seasonal exhibits, which usually take place in the winter and spring. In previous years, reptiles (dinosaurs, dragons) have featured heavily, and I’ve enjoyed taking my kids to the museum on winter days to run and hide from enormous reptiles that move and growl. I can still see the cheerful smiles on their faces as they pop their heads into a T-Rex’s mouth for a picture.
Photo: The Dragon exhibit in the Wilbur D. May Museum
The 2026 exhibit, running from January 11 to April 26, ups the ante even further. TOYTOPIA is an homage to the history of toys and toymaking. From the vintage and heirloom to today’s 3D-printed toys, TOYTOPIA promises a bit of everything, from oversized battleships to a life-size Barbie dreamhouse.
One of the great things about the museum is that there is no additional entry fee for the exhibits, so when you’re done viewing TOYTOPIA you can still check out the regular Wilbur D. May museum. The TOYTOPIA exhibit is open for entry anytime during normal business hours.
Photo: The Reno Dragon Lights Festival in Rancho San Rafael Park
In addition to the exhibits within the museum, Rancho San Rafael periodically hosts major shows such as the Dragon Lights Festival, an epic light show centered around the Chinese New Year, described as an “odyssey of waves and woods” with illuminated animals all throughout the park. The 2025 show was a blast, taking up the whole length of the arboretum with its vast array of light displays. The light show promises to return in late September 2026 and is sure to be another hit!
Rancho San Rafael Park
Rancho San Rafael Park offers a lot more. This is the site of the Great Reno Balloon Race, which every Renoite has to experience. Peavine Picnic Pavilion and the Chinese Pagoda are the site of the race, which is a nice walking area when it’s not overrun by Canada geese.
Right next to the Wilbur D. May Museum is the Discovery Room, another museum full of historical items and toys for kids to play with. Continuing from there are farm animals and a petting zoo as well as a pollinator garden, both favorites during the spring. There are periodic “open to the public” days when anyone is welcome to come play with the animals, and the park turns into a town event full of people from all around the area. On those days, the farm aroma is unmistakable, as are the bees and the spring sunshine, all the hallmarks of life coming to be.
Rancho San Rafael’s Hiking Trails
If you mention San Rafael to nature lovers and hikers, you’ll probably get a different perception than the Wilbur D. May and the balloon race area. North of McCarran, Rancho San Rafael continues into the hills, and hiking trails curve through it, crisscrossing and making loops. This is great terrain for mountain biking, birdwatching and hiking.
Photo: A Great Horned Owl roosting in Rancho San Rafael Park
You can walk under McCarran via a tunnel and approach the nature trail. While this part of north Reno tends to have brutal sun in summer, on this hike there is enough tree cover if you stay along the stream. While you’re there, look out for the Great Horned Owl that likes to rest in the oak and cottonwood trees.
Photo: The Basque Monument in Rancho San Rafael Park
If you park at the Evans Canyon Trailhead rather than walking under McCarran, you will pass the Basque Monument on your way down to the stream. An ode to Basque shepherds, this monument lists the settlements of the Basque people throughout the United States, the majority of which were in Nevada.
Rancho San Rafael continues onward and upward and is a great place for mountain biking and hiking to take in expansive views of Reno. It gets drier and rougher the farther up you go, though, so come prepared. If you feel up to the task, you can even hike all the way up to the Nevada “N” that marks the hillside in a show of Nevada pride; this is an important rite of passage for every UNR student.
Without a doubt, Rancho San Rafael is one of Reno’s largest and most iconic parks, showcasing Reno’s educational culture and outdoor spirit.
All photos courtesy of Dan Bablinskas
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. 
