Carson City Trails Challenge 2026

Register today and join us at the 2026 Trails Challenge Launch event on Saturday March 28th at Silver Saddle Ranch from 10:00am-12:00pm for a Park Ranger-Led Hike, which will count as your first hike on your Challenge! 

 [Above Photos Submitted by Trails Challenge Participants Neva Mellow (Left) and Christy Chamberlain (Right)]

Introduction 

Carson City is home to many beautiful Parks, Open Spaces and trails. With views of the Carson River, the mountains, the vast amounts of wildlife and more, there is so much of the great outdoors to explore right here in Carson. The Carson City Parks, Recreation & Open Space Department wanted to encourage local individuals and families of all ages and abilities to explore the many trails and open spaces by introducing Carson City's first Trails Challenge! This free program was launched on June 1st 2024, in celebration of National Trails Day and immediately grabbed the community's attention. With almost 300 participants signed up in the first year to walk, run, hike, bike and paddle the local trails, the Carson City Parks, Recreation & Open Space Department was overjoyed by the amount of enthusiasm for this new program and are excited to continue it in 2026! 

2026 - Quality of Life Initiative 30th Anniversary Edition!

This year, the 2026 Trails Challenge is themed to celebrate the 30-Year Anniversary of Carson City's Quality of Life Initiative (QOL). In 1996, the residents of Carson City voted to implement a 1/4 cent sales tax to provide dedicated funding to acquire open space land and develop and maintain new park and recreation facilities, including trails. Since the inception of the QOL, Carson City has acquired over 7,000 acres of Open Space to protect our floodplains, watershed, and wildlife habitat; preserve our amazing views; and provide abundant recreational opportunities. See the 'QOL Connection' in every trail description to learn how the Quality of Life Initiative has helped to make Carson City such a great place to live, work and play! Also, watch for QOL-related events and programs throughout the year, including a celebration at Silver Saddle Ranch in October! 

How to Complete the Challenge

Click here to register!

2. Download and carefully read through the Trails Challenge Guidebook. This Guidebook contains helpful tips & tricks for out on the trail, the 2026 Trails List, and a Trails Log. 

3. Hit the trails! Pick trails from the carefully curated Trails List to complete at your leisure over the next few months. You only need to complete 5 trails off of the list by November 1st to be entered into the prize raffle. We recommend trying something new! 

4. Get extra raffle tickets! See "Win Prizes" section below for more information on how to get extra raffle tickets throughout your Challenge.                                                                                                                                                         

5. Log your miles. Be sure to fill out your Trails Log as you complete your trails. You will need this to submit at the end of your Challenge.

6. Turn in your Trails Log. Once you have completed a minimum of 5 trails from the Trails List, submit your log before November 1st to be entered into the prize raffle!

Win Prizes!

For a chance to win a prize in the Trails Challenge participants must complete a minimum of 5 trails off of the Trails List to earn a raffle ticket, however there are a couple of ways participants can earn extra raffle tickets throughout their Challenge!

• Show off your Challenge! Post a picture that you took while out on your Challenge, tag us and use the hashtag #CCTrailsChallenge. When you complete your Challenge, show us that you shared a post and participants will receive one extra raffle ticket.
• Show off your photography skills! Take pictures while out on the trails and submit them via email to elarsen@carsoncity.gov to be entered into a quarterly photo contest. Winners will be selected by a team of CCPROS Staff and will receive one extra raffle ticket. There will be one winner per quarter (spring, summer and fall). Photos must have been taken during that quarter of the Trails Challenge and cannot be old photos. [Photo Submission Dates: Friday May 8th, July 17th, and October 9th]
• NEW - Hike with the Park Rangers! The Carson City Park Rangers host 1-2 interpretive programs per month. During your Challenge join the Park Rangers for one of their programs and send picture proof via email to elarsen@carsoncity.gov for one extra raffle ticket. 
• NEW - Learn more while you hike! Carson City trails have a lot of great interpretive signage about local history, geology, flora and fauna, and more! Our Trails List this year highlights where some of these signs are currently located. Take a picture of you or with your hiking group next to one of these indicated signs to receive one extra raffle ticket. 

Participants must also complete the Trails Challenge in order to receive an extra raffle ticket for any of the above categories. Participants in the Trails Challenge whose names are pulled during the Prize Raffle will be allowed only one prize.