Northwest Reno
Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, the launch field for the Great Reno Balloon Race, and the residential edge where the city meets Peavine Peak.
Mostly residential, and on the list for one reason: Rancho San Rafael Regional Park is where the Great Reno Balloon Race launches, and being in that park before dawn in September is the single best morning of the Reno year.
It is also where the city runs out. Peavine Peak rises straight off the northern edge, and the trailheads are a few minutes from suburban streets.
Good for
- The Great Reno Balloon Race
- Rancho San Rafael and the Wilbur D. May Center
- Trailheads on Peavine
Should you stay here?
There is essentially no visitor lodging here, and no need for any. It is a residential edge you visit for one morning a year.
What it costs you
- Nothing here is open late, and there is little to do outside the park.
- Balloon Race mornings put the whole area under heavy pressure before dawn.
Do you need a car?
Required. This is a drive from anywhere you would be staying, and on Balloon Race mornings you want to arrive earlier than feels sensible.
When it is at its best
Early morning, overwhelmingly. The Balloon Race launches before dawn, and Peavine's trailheads are best before the afternoon wind and heat.