Published as part of the Best of Northern Nevada 2024: Staff Picks for Reno News & Review. I nominated Deadman’s Creek as “Best Hike for When You Just Need to Scream.”
Boss, sister, husband, ever-increasing bills, lifted white truck that cut you off on the freeway? It doesn’t matter what you need a release from—the Deadman’s Creek Trail at Washoe Lake State Park is the place to go to shout out all frustrations.
This hike is short (about 1.2 miles out and back) but gains a pretty little nugget of elevation, about 300 feet in six-tenths of a mile. The trek to the top gives you just enough time to ruminate on your righteousness between belabored breaths. At the peak, a lovely gazebo stands like an altar for your laments. Best of all, the incessant Washoe winds overpower all other noises, giving you a welcome shelter from judgement as you scream to your heart’s content.
Once you’ve had your fill, enjoy the absolute beauty of Slide Mountain reflected in the calm waters below. Zigzag your way down from the peak, enjoying the wildflowers growing along the water during early spring, or the contrast between dusty sagebrush and iron-rich rock any time of the year. If that didn’t quell your bad day, contemplate the trail’s name—and be glad you are not the dead man in question.
Read more at Reno News & Review, including best places to dine, drink, and play in Northern Nevada.