From top to bottom, Peavine hikes for everyone by John Trent,Outpost contributor In this package Hikers find Peavine Mountain a peak experience The lowdown on how to prepare for your Peavine trek Peavine reveals its secrets grudgingly to hikers Volunteers work to keep Peavine open Sierra hiking has plenty of routes to choose from Read all about it: Good hiking books Mapping out your next hike For Beginners: Start out from Hilltop Park just off Kings Row in northwest Reno. To get there, turn right on Kings Row off McCarran Avenue, then turn left on Buckingham. Hilltop Park is on the right. Park your vehicle in the parking lot there. To start the hike, walk from Hilltop to get back on Kings Row until it dead ends to dirt, about a quarter mile in all. Then follow the second Forest Service Road 658 sign (the first is only about five yards away) to the west. Nearing the half-mile mark at a dumping ground, veer right and uphill. About a third of a mile later, take a left (there will be a 658 sign there also). At about one mile, you reach an intersection. Go straight and downhill. At the bottom of the hill, go past two signs, "No Motor Vehicles," going uphill. Keep following the trail as it winds around a large hill and near Road 649. The road will take you to some mine tailings. If you are a beginner, this is probably a good spot to turn around and head back. Total distance: 4 miles. The backside of Peavine Mountain offers views of unique sights such as this Native American work stone. Photo by John Trent. For Intermediates: If you are an intermediate hiker, take the service road up Peavine. To do this, drive in your car north on Virginia Street, past McCarran and Parr Boulevard. About 4 1/2 miles from downtown, turn left to stay on North Virginia Street. Four miles later, turn left on a wide gravel road. Head south, cross railroad tracks. You can park your vehicle nearby. On foot, follow the road and about one mile into the route, follow the power lines. At two miles, mine tailings will be on your right. Make a U-turn left. At three miles, turn left around the head of a canyon. Stay on the main road and at about four miles Peavine Peak and its assortment of TV and microwave towers will be visible. Stay on the main road to the top. Total distance: 10 miles. For advanced: If you are an advanced hiker, try the big hills on the front side of Peavine. Follow the instructions for beginners listed above until you reach the first "No Motor Vehicles" sign. Then, about 60 yards uphill, take a hard right down into a wash, follow the various ups and downs until you climb out at sign Road 649A. The road, about two miles, takes you straight up onto a hill with several large trees. Once you crest the first hill, go straight, keeping a barbed wire fence on your left. Soon you'll start another very steep and rocky hill. Stay straight at 2 1/2 miles as the road levels out. At about three miles, after a brief downhill, the barbed wire fence ends. Go to the right and uphill and shortly there will be a new fence on your right. Nearing 3 1/2 miles, the fence on the right ends with a wooden post. Turn right and downhill. The downhill goes left, and once it levels, take the first right (you'll see the trail leading up into the trees to the microwave above it). Once up through the trees, you'll find the service road. Turn left and uphill, and follow it to the peak. Total distance: 14 miles. Posted Dec. 16, 1997 Copyright 1997 Nevada Outpost TOP | PREVIOUS | NEXT Nevada Outpost is produced by students at the Reynolds School of Journalism, University of Nevada, Reno Copyright 1999 Nevada Outpost http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost