Support Great Basin Institute in Serving Public Lands in the West
Welcome to the Galena Creek Recreation Area. We invite you to explore the park where the high desert ends and the forest lands begin. You will find yourself at the base of Mt. Rose nestled in mixed conifer forest, mountain streams, and rocky canyons of the Eastern Sierra Nevada. Explore! Hiking and biking trails wind through the forested hills, several leading to scenic ridges that provide panoramic views of the valleys below. The Center also offers outdoor educational programs for children and teens (residential and day), guided nature hikes, and presentations on a variety of Galena Creek related topics most weekends throughout the year.
The Great Basin Naturalists at Galena Creek are excited to announce the return of day and overnight STEAM camps, for children ages 8 – 15. Registration is open to all, however fully paid scholarships are avialable for students who attend a Washoe County Title I school. To learn more about camp offerings and to reserve online, check out our summer camp portal below!
The Galena Creek Visitor Center aims to increase public understanding, appreciation and wise enjoyment of the many natural, cultural, historical, and recreational resources of the Galena Canyon area and the Mount Rose Scenic Byway.
Summer Visitor Center Hours
TUESDAY-SUNDAY • 9am-5pm
Winter Visitor Center Hours
FRIDAY-SUNDAY • 9am-4pm
Summer Park Hours • 8am-7pm
Winter Park Hours • 8am-5pm
PHONE: 775-849-4948
ADDRESS:
18250 Mt Rose Hwy, Reno, NV 89511
SOCIAL MEDIA
The Galena Creek Visitor Center is managed by Washoe County Regional Parks & Open Space under a special use permit from the US Forest Service. Great Basin Institute is the interpretive association that operates the Visitor Center, providing staff and volunteers who greet the public, provide travel information, and offer a wide variety of nature-based programming for all ages.
Volunteers are a vital part of the sustainability of the Galena Creek Visitor Center and the programs offered for the community. Without you, the visitor center would not be able to continue connecting our community with nature.
Greeting local community members and tourists starts with a friendly welcome. Your own experience, supported with local area maps, trail maps, and a retail store, provides the public with information that guides their outdoor experience.
Volunteer Naturalists provide leadership on guided community hikes, sharing knowledge in one or more of the following local categories: trees/plants, geology, history, culture.
Submit a volunteer inquiry below, and we will contact you!
Washoe County Regional Parks and Open Space
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
The Galena Creek Visitor Center is uniquely situated in Galena Creek Recreation Area, which adjoins Galena Creek Regional Park, surrounded on three sides by the Humbolt-Toiyabe National Forest. Located at the juncture of two ecosystems, high desert and alpine, the location provides opportunity for recreation for all levels in both desert and mountain habitats. Whether you are looking for a stroll through the aspens, a challenging day hike, or a snowshoe adventure through pristine forests, you will find all possibilities here in Galena!
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Website designed by The Factory
The Galena Creek Recreation Area and Visitor Center was cooperatively funded by the US Forest Service, Washoe County, the US Department of Transportation – Federal Highway Administration and the citizens of Washoe County. Funding was made available through these programs:
Anonymous; Armstrong Family; Arnone, Lynn; Blomquist, Cari; Burnham, Mary; Calderon-Saldana, Juan; Capello, Michael & Trisha; Ceniceroz, David; Clays, Kelly; De Kay, Jody; DelPapa, Frankie-Sue; Duncan, Christine; Durrer, Laura & Daniel; Eberle, Rachael & Tom; Forster, Courtney & Shane; Garaventa, Ryan; Gunderson, Lucinda & Mark; Gunderson, Norma; Gunther, Richard & Suzanne; Hanlon, Kate; Hiller, Bob; Juhl, Greg; Keillor, Richard; Kladney, Debbie & Dave; Lasko, Katrina; Lerud, Alicia; Lipscomb, Christine; Longoria-Howard, Diane; Marsh, Jack & Becky; McAndrew, Trish; Molt, Dotty; Moltzen-Wade, Linda; Morris, David & Caren; Noneman, Kathleen; Oest, Marianne; Pappas, Christy; Schmidt, Casey; Sullivan, Tom & Chris; Toscana, Vickie
Alpine Insurance; Carson Tahoe Health; Coldwell Banker – Mt. Rose Hwy; Dolan Auto Group; Great Basin Institute; Gunderson Law Firm; J.S. Redpath; Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe RideFox; Silver Sage Sports and Fitness Lab; St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center
Environmental Protection Agency; Neil J. Redfield Foundation; Pennington Foundation; Truckee River Foundation; United Way of Northern Nevada
Griger, Carol; Ramsdell, Dorothy; Mason, Sandy; Shepherd, Scott; Voegel, George; Washoe County; UPS at Wedge Parkway; U.S. Forest Service