Douglas County approves trails plan

What might be two of the most ambitious trails projects in modern history were included in a plan approved by Douglas County commissioners on Thursday.

The new Douglas County Trails Plan lists two trails that require crossing the Carson River.

Estimated to cost around $6 million, a trail linking Gardnerville with the Gardnerville Ranchos, Douglas County’s single largest community, would have to cross the East Fork.

But by far the larger proposal is the trail connecting Carson City and Minden following the former right of way of the storied short line.

That project would require crossing the Carson River where the old V&T did a short distance east of Cradlebaugh, according to Historic Virginia & Truckee Trail President Donna Inversin.

The bridge no longer exists, with a few abutments visible alongside the river where it was taken down.

She said that NV Energy has agreed to allow their easement between Carson City and Minden for the trail and that the group has applied for funding from a Conserve Nevada Grant on a feasibility plan to build the bridge over the river.

“That’s just the first step to have that bridge to get us from Carson City down to Minden,” she said. “The old railroad bed is still there and that’s where we would like to cross the river again.”

That section of trail would connect to the 43 miles already completed from south Carson City to City Plaza in Reno, according to Inversin.

Assistant County Manager Scott Morgan said that if he had to rank the top five or six priorities in the county’s trails plan, it would be the trail from the Gardnerville Ranchos.

“Douglas County doesn’t put a lot of cash toward trails funding,” he said, saying funding opportunities will determine what projects are first in line.

County Commissioner Sharla Hales praised the contribution of the Carson Valley Trails Association, which has constructed most of the trails into the mountains.

“I can’t say enough good about the Carson Valley Trails Association,” she said. “I use the trails, I use the Web site, I use the maps. I don’t know of any other organization that has set out to do something so big with just a dedicated group of volunteers.”

Hotelier and Economic Vitality Champion Debra Lang said that the demand for trail maps was substantial.

She argued that while the Ranchos to Gardnerville trail is important, north Valley children don’t have any way of getting to Minden without getting into a car.

“We have to get them down here, too,” she said. “The V&T Trail is exactly what we need.”

Work on updating the 20-year old trails plan began in 2023.