Ballardini Ranch Figure 8 Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Views

This is a beautiful loop for hiking or running with great views of Reno and the valley. Like most trails in the area, parts of the trail are rocky and uneven. The hike is exposed with no shade so be prepared for extreme heat in summer and strong winds in the winter/spring.

Start at the Ballardini Ranch Trailhead, which has a large parking lot, pit toilets, and small picnic area. Heading northwest out of the lot, you'll travel up a short ridge to a split in the trail.

Stay left to traverse west across the ridge, with a small willow-filled creek below on your left. You'll cross the creek and continue up the ridge. When you meet the dirt road, cross the road and continue straight along the trail down towards a shallow ravine. You'll pass under several large cottonwood trees and a small creek on your left.

Shortly after you start heading back up the ravine, you'll hit a split in the trail; to continue on the "figure eight" stay right and travel up a switchback until you get back up to the dirt road.

Cross the road again to stay on the trail, and you'll cross a short bridge and then hike up some more switchbacks to the top of the ridge. You'll pass the short Lookout Loop on the right before heading back down towards the original split in the trail. To finish the "figure eight" stay left and loop around the bottom of the field until you end up back at the parking lot where you started.