V & T Trail

V & T Trail south of its junction with the Foothill Trail

The V & T trail follows the historic Virginia and Truckee Railroad track between Lakeview and Combs Canyon Road in Carson City, Nevada. Along the trail, you will find four historical markers—interpretive signs placed in loving memory of Dr. Mary Ansari, a historian, author, philanthropist, and walks-far woman. The signs refresh our memory of the Comstock time: reminding us of the complex infrastructure needed in support of successful mining operations and how life in the Reno-Tahoe area was during the days of Western pioneers. Traveling south from Lakeview to Combs Canyon Rd, you will find signs with the following headlines:

• Lakeview
• Lakeview Tunnel
• Moving Through Time
• Historic Virginia and Truckee Trail

The V & T Trail is open year-round for hiking, running, mountain biking and horseback riding. Dogs are welcome. It's a popular trail. If you go at the right time, you can still enjoy enjoy solitude and also amazing views of the Carson City area and the Pine Nut Mountain Range. 

A split rock next to the V & T Trail

The V & T Railroad had six tunnels when it was fully completed. The distance from the trailhead to the former site of the Lakeview Tunnel is about 2000 ft. Nearby is the Foothill Trail junction, connecting the V & T Trail with the Foothill Garden & Pollinator Kiosk and the Medical Parkway.

Continuing south, you will pass the split rock site and a few trail sections with fallen rocks. There is no need to travel through those narrow canyons, as they are flanked by side-paths.

Looking below and eastward, you now sea a golf course and Carson City neighborhoods. Once, a large village of the Washoe People was located there.

Fallen rocks next to and on the V & T Trail 

Getting to the Lakeview V & T trailhead

Lakeview V & T trailhead

Driving south on Fwy-395 from Reno toward Carson City, leave the freeway at the East Lake Blvd exit and continue south for half a mile on Route 428 (Bowers Mansion Rd)—running parallel to the freeway and leading up the Lakeview Summit. Turn right onto Hobart Road. Find the trailhead on your left. 

The historic marker at the trailhead introduces you to the Comstock story of railroads, mills, mining, water—as well as the hunt for and disappearance of timber.

Map of the V & T Trail

The two-mile long V & T Trail between Lakeview and Combs Canyon Rd.

References and further reading

V & T Trail: https://www.carson.org/government/departments-g-z/parks-recreation-open-space/parks-and-places/trails/capital-corridor-area.

Tunnel #2: https://aroundcarson.com/2005/10/09/tunnel_2/.

James Lee Loops and beyond

Carson Range seen from the James Lee Loops area south of Jacks Valley Elementary School

The James Lee Loops are located between Jacks Valley Elementary School and Indian Hills in Douglas County, Nevada. The loop trails are part of the Clear Creek Trail System that stretches from Indian Hills to Spooner Summit [1]; including Jacks Valley Loop and Clear Creek Trail [2-5].

The James-Lee-Loops system has three loops—each one with a perimeter length of about two miles or less. They partially overlap. The eastside loop includes the James Lee Park Trailhead and a 0.9-mile-long section, which is the beginning of the Clear Creek Trail. This section connects the trailhead with the Jacks Valley Loop. 

The color coding in the Map of the Clear-Creek-Trail-System makes it easy to keep track:

• Green: James Lee Loops (4.1 miles, total of multiple loops)
• Red: Jacks Valley Loop (6.5 miles, perimeter)
• Blue: Clear Creek Trail (21.7 miles, one way)
• Black: School-to-road connector (0.4 miles)

A map is worth a thousand words. Focusing on the James Lee Loops and integrating sections of the other trails, the map should make it easy for you to design your personal round trip of almost any length between two and  nine miles. Have fun!

Getting to the Jacks Valley School Trailhead

On U.S. Route 395 south of Carson City, turn west onto Jacks Valley Road. After one mile, turn left at the Jacks Valley School Trailhead sign. Find trailhead parking by driving south across the lot between the school fence and the recycling drop-off containers. 

Note: There also is the Jacks Valley Road Trailhead 0.3 miles further west. This trailhead (the westside point of the school-to road connector) provides access to both the loop system and the uphill Clear Creek Trail towards Knob Point and Spooner Summit.

References and further reading

[1] Map of the Clear Creek Trail System. PDF: https://bcms-files.s3.amazonaws.com/mVq57ky5p9-1707/docs/trails/map/2023-04-18-Clear-Creek-Trail-System-Map-39x23.pdf.

[2] Clear Creek Trail System Information. PDF:  https://carsonvalleytrails.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-Clear-Creek-Trail-Overview.pdf.

[3] Hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding near Carson City. Trailing Ahead: https://trailingahead.blogspot.com/2015/04/hiking-mountain-biking-and-horseback.html.

[4] Clear Creek Trail's lower section: wide open views of sagebrush/bitterbrush steppe, the Genoa fault surface and the Carson Range. Trailing Ahead: https://trailingahead.blogspot.com/2015/04/clear-creek-trails-lower-section-wide.html.

[5] Jacks Valley Loop. Trailing Ahead: https://trailingahead.blogspot.com/2023/04/jacks-valley-loop.html.

Trail section of the James Lee Loops