Hiking & Backpacking

With more than 300 named mountain ranges, millions of acres of rugged, untamed wilderness, and thousands of miles of trails, it’s safe to say the Silver State offers hikers and backpackers a lifetime of exploration. From celebrated Nevada state parks and national park wonders to crowd-free conservation areas and the 36-mile long, peak-hopping Ruby Crest National Recreation Trail, learn where to get some Nevada dirt on those boots.

Hiking in Reno and Backpacking the Tahoe Rim Trail
Quick Hiking Trips from the Strip
The Ruby Crest Trail and Jarbidge Wilderness Area

See All Nevada Trails

From easy ambles to alpine scrambles, all alluring to casual out-and-back day trippers and hardcore, toothbrush-chopping wilderness thru-hikers, and everyone in between, Nevada is a hiker’s paradise.

View and download up-to-date maps for, descriptions of, and directions to thousands of miles of Nevada trails — for hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, OHV riders, cross-country skiers, kayakers, and more at NVTrailFinder.com.

Hiking in Reno & Backpacking Lake Tahoe: Northern Nevada

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State of Nevada

Looking to get after some hiking in Reno? While the Biggest Little City is surrounded by amazing hikes, some great places to start are local faves like the Hunter Creek Trail and Galena Creek Trail. If you’re feeling a bit more ambitious, head for the Mount Rose Wilderness Area, located between Reno and North Lake Tahoe.

Named after the Carson Range’s highest peak, the Mount Rose Wilderness Area frames Lake Tahoe’s northeast rim. The 10,766-foot Mount Rose summit peaks every Tahoe hiker’s interest, thanks to en-route waterfalls, blazing midsummer wildflowers, and views of Lake Tahoe and Nevada’s sweeping desertscapes. You could spend up to two weeks backpacking Lake Tahoe Rim Trail’s 165-mile, lake-studded, peak-bagging alpine circuit, or simply enjoy a morning meadow stroll on any stretch of this iconic Sierra Nevada trail, where dozens of spur trails lead to mind-bending views surrounding Lake Tahoe—the largest and clearest alpine lake in the U.S.

Tahoe Rim Trail hiking — Tahoe Rim Trail, Lake Tahoe

Beckoning hikers across the border, just beyond South Lake Tahoe, are Mt. Tallac, Jobs Peak, and Freel Peak (three of Lake Tahoe’s tallest and most famous mountains), along with the jagged summits and countless backcountry lakes of the heavenly Desolation Wilderness—home to a fabled stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail, every thru-hiker’s fantasy.

Ready for some wilderness where you can count on having the trail to yourself? Head for the Toiyabe Crest Trail—75 miles of trail, mostly above the timberline, traversing the towering Toiyabe Range, with 100-mile views and access to 11,477’ Bunker Hill, and 11,781’ Arc Dome.

In love with the Silver State as much as we are? Learn what you can do to help us keep the places we cherish special—and open—for us and future generations.

Hiking Near Las Vegas: Southern Nevada Tips, Tricks & Trails

There is no shortage of hiking near Las Vegas, either. Just 45 minutes northwest of Vegas, Charleston Peak rises from the Spring Mountains Wilderness Area, scraping the Mojave Desert skies at nearly 12,000 feet, with mountainsides cloaked in one of the largest groves of ancient bristlecone pines in the West. The full round-trip trek to the top of southern Nevada’s most prominent peak is not for the faint of feet, but intrepid hikers are rewarded with big-sky views stretching into California and Arizona, along with vistas down to vibrant rock formations at Red Rock Canyon and the glimmering Las Vegas Strip.

Beyond hiking in Vegas, other gotta-experience-it trails await at Valley of Fire, barely an hour from Downtown. Beeline it for the White Domes Trail, Rainbow Vista, Petroglyph Canyon Trail to Mouse’s Tank, and Balancing Rock to get a full spectrum of the spectacular vibrancy found within Nevada’s first state park. Planning to visit Las Vegas during our hotter months? Escape the southern Nevada heat by navigating Cathedral Gorge’s otherworldly slot canyons—which always run a good 10 degrees cooler than the surrounding landscape.

Death Valley Hiking — Death Valley National Park

Nevada Backpacking & Hiking in the Places in Between

One of America’s most underrated national parks, Great Basin National Park offers gobsmacking views from its pleasantly uncrowded hiking trails. The 4.3-mile Bristlecone-Glacier Trail ascends past the gnarled bristlecone pines to a stark, rock-rimmed cirque cradling Nevada’s last active glacier. The Wheeler Peak Trail climbs to 13,064 feet and a vista stretching into Utah. For a gentler stroll, take the 2.7-mile Alpine Lakes Loop, which serves stunning vistas of ruggedly beautiful alpine lakes set against some of Nevada’s tallest peaks.

The Ruby Crest National Recreation Trail (RCT) follows the spine of one of Nevada’s most pristine, barely-touched locales: Elko County’s Ruby Mountains. Its sole paved access point—the drastic and picturesque Lamoille Canyon Road—sees its fair share of day-trippers and overnight visitors. But rugged terrain and lingering snow (many high lakes and the pass above Overland Lake remain frozen well into June or July) keep the furthest reaches of the range reserved for the hardy few who venture out on foot or horseback. Beginning at Harrison Pass, the RCT is often navigated from south to north, winding through 36 miles of alpine lakes, lush mountain meadows, and pristine wilderness.

Ready for the triple triple crown of northeastern Nevada adventure? Hike into the Jarbidge Wilderness Area, not only for some of the best hiking in Nevada, but also incredible fishing and stargazing, too. Just shy of the Idaho border, plan for 10,000-foot-peaks dressed in wildflowers and glacier-carved river canyons. More than 126 miles of hiking trails. Big-game hunting. Native trout-packed streams. Basque sheepherder-etched aspen arborglyphs. Cinematic campfire scenes. And even a dose of Wild West history at the site of the last stagecoach robbery in the American West. Sold? Yeah, we are too.

True Tales & Travel Tips

Get Some Dirt on Those Boots

Tackle Our Fave Trails

Tapping into outdoor adventure in Nevada is true guilty pleasure. With all our crowdless surprises, it feels like you’re getting away with something you shouldn’t. Whether you’re summiting one of our 300+ mountain ranges or navigating a people-free trail through an ancient bristlecone pine forest, Nevada hiking beckons your boots. All you gotta do is get out here, go for it, and never look back.

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