Oxbow Nature Preserve

The Biggest Little City in the World brims with unfenced wildlife in unblemished nature scenes, and you don’t even have to leave downtown Reno to find it. Nestled along historic Fourth Street a quick one mile from downtown Reno, discover one of the most successful Urban Nature Centers in the country at Oxbow Nature Preserve. Recognized as one of the most successful wildlife and aquatic education models by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, discover wildlife all year long at this immersive, free nature study area.

Managed through a partnership between the Nevada Department of Wildlife and the City of Reno Parks Department, the Oxbow Nature Preserve is situated off Dickerson Road, right along the banks of the mighty Truckee River. Whether you’ve got 10 minutes or two hours, one of the best ways of spending time is discovering the one-mile-long Nature Trail, that transports you from an urban environment and into nature within minutes. Starting at the pond, the trail carries you through cottonwoods and willows, past grasslands, and alongside the Truckee River. Don’t forget your binoculars, sketchbook and camera for a chance to spot incredible wildlife that lives in and around the area, like Black-crowned night herons, red-shouldered hawks, mule deer, beaver, rainbow trout and beyond.