At the beginning of Summer, as I may have mentioned before, I purchased a book describing most of the hiking trails throughout the Reno/Tahoe area. I've been using it as a guide since my first hike of the season, "the dreaded Church's Pond episode"! I learned very quickly what the term "This hike is classified as strenuous" means. It's a combination of altitude, narrowness of trail, how many feet the actual climb is (such as you gain 2000 ft). I also have my gauges. I look for forested or shady trails. I like to go the distance rather than start climbing right out of the chute. I prefer to be near a water source; I'm not into desert hiking AT ALL!
So, with that in mind, the Sagehen Creek trail was almost perfect except it didn't have much uphill climbing. It was a serene walk in the park. The trail was mostly narrow, single file even, nicely shaded and scenic. Only one part comes to mind that could have been a negative. A clearing of dry grass looking a bit like the Serengeti. But, after you trudged past this sparsely treed area the view opened up to the distant Stampede reservoir.
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| Looks like swampland |
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| Serengeti |
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| Stampede reservoir in the distance |
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| Beautiful meadows |
The trailhead has limited parking off highway 89 (North). As you leave Truckee, California go about 7 miles or so to reach it. It may be worth mentioning that I probably wouldn't hike it in Spring or early Summer. Mosquitoes and an assortment of other bugs could be a real problem. This trail was an easy jaunt, just under 5 miles.
I would do this again without hesitation, maybe packing a picnic lunch, a blanket and a book!
