The Galena Creek Trail follows along lower Galena Creek from a parking area off of south Reno's Callahan Ranch Road and climbs about 500 feet to another parking area along Joy Lake Road.
Over the course of the trail's 1.8-mile climb, the path crosses several bridges and has several small spurs to parallel the creek itself or to climb granite-lined forested bluffs. The terrain and relatively wide paths make the trail popular for equestrians and mountain bikers, and it's location in a community of upscale developments makes it a popular for locals to walk their dogs, especially on weekends.
The trail is a great meandering walk for most ability levels. One downside, however, is that at several points along the trail, Galena Creek is sandwiched in by the luxury homes and the Montreaux luxury development, so visitors are never too far away from seeing the large homes or golfing greens jutting out of the surrounding trees.
One great aspects of the trail is that in the carotenoid-parched landscape of Nevada's high desert region. Galena Creek provides a source of water that fosters the thick growth of wild rose, quaking aspen, black willow, cottonwood and dogwood trees that explode in color during the cooling Autumn transition months. So while finding autumn color hikes may be few and far between in the Reno metro area, the Galena Creek Trail is a great place to see those colorful leaves surrounding your walk and bordering the creek.
The Jeffrey pine and Douglas fir trees that line the creek also give the air a fragrant quality and add a refreshing feel to the city air that lies just up the road from these canyons at the base of the Eastern Sierra.
On the return hike, a fork allows walkers to pass through Callahan Park on their way back to their cars, or this fork can be used to make a short loop walk for families with young children.
An outhouse and trash are available at the trailhead.
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