Efforts are underway to complete the final miles of the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail. In 2003, Janet Phillips set out on the 114-mile dream. The avid cyclist was spurred by her love for the Truckee River and a quest to connect people to its nature, history, and communities, whether in hiking shoes or, of course, on pedals.

The 1844 Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party, 10 California-bound families from Iowa, pioneered the first wagon route from the Humboldt River and through the Sierra Nevada. They drove their covered wagons up this section of the rugged Upper Truckee River Canyon.

Once fully developed, this trail will extend 114 miles, connecting Lake Tahoe to Pyramid Lake following the Truckee River. Depending on what part of the trail you’re on, you may find a mix of pavement, fire road, and singletrack. The section in downtown Reno is paved, and a popular starting point is Idlewild Park (parking lot and public restrooms). Find the downtown Reno section map here and the full trail map here.