(Blue Ribbon) Rancho San Rafael Park (city of Reno).A Reno showcase, beautifully landscaped Rancho San Rafael Park serves up several enticing canine hikes: a self-guided nature trail through the many plant zones of the Great Basin, a gravel footpath that circles the wide open spaces of the park, and access to the trails of Peavine Mountain. This park is a favorite for exercising your dog.

(#2) Virginia Lake (city of Reno).This quiet 21-acre park feels much as it must have when it was founded more than 60 years ago. Little has been altered around the edges of Virginia Lake. One thing that has changed - to the delight of dog owners - is a fenced-in, off-leash dogpark at the northern end of the park.(#3) Sparks Marina Park (city of Sparks).

The conversion of an abandoned quarry into a popular lake has earned the City of Sparks national recognition. A concrete walking path surrounds the Sparks marina and covers almost two miles. The trail system is lighted for evening walks with the dog. The dogpark is the only off-leash dogpark in the Reno area for dogs to play in the water.(#4) Mount Rose Wilderness (Lake Tahoe - North Shore).

Even if you decide not to complete the 6-mile, 2000-foot ascent to the summit of Mount Rose, there is plenty here to thrill canine hikers. More than 20 miles of designated trails are available through the canyons and ridges of the high country of the Carson Range. This is the closest wilderness area to Reno.

(#5) Prey Meadows/Skunk Harbor (Lake Tahoe - East Shore).One of the prettiest canine hikes in Lake Tahoe is the 1.5-mile trek to Prey Meadows and Skunk Harbor.

Stroll through thick pines to the meadow, stealing glimpses of the lake as you go. Skunk Harbor is a charming cove with a sandy beach. Beside the path lie remains of an old railroad built in the 1870s to haul timber from Lake Tahoe to Virginia City.(#6) Galena Creek Park (city of Reno).Any level of canine hiker can enjoy 440-acre Galena Creek Park, which once housed a fish hatchery supplying trout to Northern Nevada. An easy, self-guided Nature Trail navigates through the park's rich forests - pause to breathe in the rich vanilla fragrance of the Ponderosa pines.

More demanding trails climb into the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevadas.(#7) Caughlin Ranch (city of Reno).This planned residential communtiy maintains a 36-mile network of parks and trails the public is welcome to explore. Even though the hikes are often right along the road, the trails still feel like an escape into nature. Your dog can often sniff rabbits, ducks and other wildlife along these paved paths.(#8) Davis Creek Park (city of Carson City).

Davis Creek offers miles of hiking trails, including routes to Price Lake and the Tahoe Meadows on Mount Rose. Less ambitious canine hikers will enjoy the half-mile nature trail around a tiny pond. The Discovery Trail around the park perimeter is another paw-friendly trail. The spectacular pine trees in Davis Creek Park are some of the oldest in the Tahoe area, survivors of the clear-cutting of the 19th century because they were on private land.(#9) Hawley Grade National Recreation Trail (Lake Tahoe - East Shore).The old road connecting Echo Summit to the Upper Lake Valley was built by Asa Hawley in 1855.

It was the first wagon road into the Tahoe Basin. Today your dog can trot along the same path used by thousands of westward bound emigrants and the fabled riders of the Pony Express.(#10) Pyramid Lake (Sutcliffe).All the fun at Nevada's largest natural lake isn't on the water. There are sandy trails along the shoreline of the 30-mile lake and rocky paths on the eastern flank that lead to interesting tufa formations of blanched white rock. There isn't much shade around the water in the summer but Pyramid Lake makes a great canine swimming hole.

com tours, leading packs of dogs and humans on day and overnight trips. My lead dog is Katie, a German Shepherd-Border Collie mix, who has hiked in all of the Lower 48 states and is on a quest to swim in all the great waters of North America - http://web.mac.com/crudbay/iWeb/Katies%20Blog/Katies%20Quest.

html I am currently building a hikewithyourdog.com tours trailer to use on our expeditions and its progress can be viewed at http://web.mac.com/crudbay/iWeb/Teardrop%20Trailer/Building%20A%20Tour%20Trailer.

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By: Doug Gelbert