Pinyon Trail (Douglas County, Nevada)

Prior to leading the wine group that I run through this month's Carson City Wine Walk, I wanted to get in a few extra trail miles. I recently learned of a short trail just outside of Gardnerville. It seemed perfect for today. I ended up passing the turnoff accidentally and had to back track a couple of miles, but eventually found my way to Pinenut Road and the trailhead for the Pinyon Trail.

The skies are angry this morning and a winter storm is moving in, but the snow and/or rain isn't expected to start until later this afternoon. I should have plenty of time for a quick hike and then the wine walk. It's fairly desolate out here at the start of the trail. From the map I had reviewed, the trail simply wanders around a small hill here in the Carson Valley. Framed by the Sierra Nevada to the west and the Carson Range to the East, the views from the trail are outstanding. It's the perfect time of year with snow-covering the taller peaks.

The trail itself is well marked and well groomed. My compliments to whomever maintains this area, as this truly is one of the nicest trails I've ever hiked. After winding around the western side of the hill, the trail splits at a sign clearly labeled 'loop'. Since my intention is to hike the entirety of the trail, it doesn't really matter which fork I choose, but I decide to go left, meaning I will return on the right. 

All in all, this trail is pretty flat with only a couple of hundred feet of elevation gain across the entire length of the trail. As I return to the fork and head back down towards my jeep, I notice a couple of large tracks. I don't see any claw marks and I suspect this it was made by a mountain lion, but luckily, it's a few days old. Finally reaching the jeep, I quickly change clothes and shoes in preparation for some wine-drinking. The trail was about 5.2 miles long and while not including anything particularly note-worthy, it does offer some nice views of the mountain ranges and a good workout.