Verdi's Next Trailhead Sits on Land the County Bought in 1997

"The reality is that people are using this area anyway, and we're looking to provide some structure around it." That is how Washoe County parks superintendent Stephanie D'Arcy described the Canepa Ranch Trailhead to News 4 in August. The trailhead sits between Verdi and Mogul on the south side of the Truckee River. Today, visitors there park in an informal dirt lot or along the road.

The county is not opening up new ground here. Most of the site has been public land for close to three decades. The $1.05 million project gives an existing riverbank the parking, restroom and signs that people have gone without. So the real change for Verdi this fall is how this stretch of river gets reached, and how many people reach it.

Twenty-Nine Years of Owning a Riverbank

Canepa Ranch came into public hands in pieces, according to the News 4 report:

1. 1997. Washoe County and the Nevada Department of Wildlife jointly bought about 42 acres for $50,000. The two agencies still co-own that parcel.
2. 2002. The county bought about 121 more acres of the former ranch, along with water rights, in two deals totaling nearly $2.2 million. Regional Parks, Open Space and Trails bond funds paid for them.
3. 2009. The county sold about 111 acres to the U.S. Forest Service for $1.53 million and kept the water rights.
4. Today. The county holds about 53 acres of the original ranch.

The 2009 sale explains why Forest Service land matters so much in this story. Much of the old ranch is now federal land. The trailhead is meant to serve as an organized way into it, connecting visitors to the river and to nearby U.S. Forest Service land. A 2022 Forest Service letter supporting the plan says its backcountry connections would reach Forest Service land and the future Belli Front Trail System. The letter also says the agency prefers a bridge linking county and federal property.

What Gets Built, and What It Costs

The plan itself is modest. The trailhead will have 19 parking spaces, two of them accessible, plus a permanent restroom building, wayfinding signs and room for horse trailers. D'Arcy's case is that permanent facilities steer behavior. "When you have permanent restroom buildings, it helps encourage appropriate use. When we have specific parking spots, it helps encourage appropriate use as well."

The money comes from two main sources. In August 2024, county commissioners accepted a $748,497 grant from Nevada's Conservation and Recreation Program. The grant required a $187,125 county match, made up of $172,125 in cash and $15,000 in staff time. In June 2026, commissioners awarded Pokrajac Corporation an $845,957.29 construction contract and approved a separate $35,000 contingency.

The county is spending this much on a small lot because demand keeps climbing. D'Arcy told News 4 that "park attendance has increased 65% over the last 10 years." A dirt pullout can handle a handful of anglers. It can't handle a county that is 65% busier outdoors than it was a decade ago.

Where It Is, and the Street That Leads There

The county's June 23 commission summary lists the site address as 3550 Mario Road, Reno. The 2022 access-plan presentation puts vehicle access at the end of Dori Bell Lane.

That approach road is the part of the project that worries some neighbors. A nearby resident told News 4 that visitors will use the quiet street to reach the trailhead. "We just hope that when they put all this in, they keep an eye on the traffic," the resident said. "You know, it's just so nice and quiet now."

The concern came up in the public process too. Before the Regional Parks and Open Space Commission approved the Carcione and Canepa Ranch Recreation Access Plan in June 2022, people raised worries about traffic, trash and possible effects on the surrounding ecosystem. More than 75% of survey respondents supported the Canepa concept, mostly for better access to trails, the river and public land. County parks officials say signs will encourage responsible use and that marked parking will ease some problems that come with informal access.

The Plan Goes Further Than the Parking Lot

The 19 spaces are the first phase of a bigger plan. The 2022 plan describes frontcountry day-use and loop trails, plus nonmotorized backcountry connections for hikers, runners, bicyclists and equestrians. It also includes ADA river access, informal fishing access, and put-in and take-out spots for nonmotorized watercraft.

A second property in the same plan, Carcione, would get its own access off the Mogul exit. That would require a crossing agreement with Union Pacific Railroad. As of News 4's August report, no date had been set for the Carcione trailhead.

The Timeline, and the Gap in It

News 4 reported in August that construction was expected to finish this fall and that the county hoped to open the trailhead to the public in November. The county's capital projects page lists a construction window of July through October 2026. That page was last updated June 23 and still calls the job pre-construction, so it lags behind what News 4 reported. As of early October, no newer public update has confirmed or changed the November target. Check Washoe County Parks before driving out to Mario Road expecting a finished lot.

Until Then, Crystal Peak Is the Built Option

For now, the developed river access on the Verdi end is Crystal Peak Park at 561 Crystal Park Road. Washoe County lists it as a 56-acre park with paved parking, direct Truckee River access, an interpretive loop trail, picnic areas, restrooms, and fishing in both the river and Verdi Pond. Crystal Peak already has what Canepa is still waiting on, which makes it a useful baseline:

Fall is a good time to use it. The Nevada Department of Wildlife's 2026 Truckee River angler guide lists fall among the seasons when fishing is typically best, along with spring and winter. NDOW's September 1, 2026 report rated Truckee fishing as good, with early mornings best while river temperatures stayed high. NDOW stocked 5,000 eight-inch cutthroat trout at Crystal Peak Park on April 16, 2026. Its most recent 2026 main-stem stocking on record is 4,998 cutthroat on May 19. NDOW's June 29 Verdi Pond report expected another U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service planting of Lahontan cutthroat this fall but didn't give a date.

NDOW's 2026 Truckee River angler guide says the river is open year-round except for a 1,000-foot closure below Derby Dam. Limits and tackle rules vary by location, so read the guide for the section you plan to fish.

The Same Idea at Garson Road

Canepa isn't the only place where public agencies are adding formal access around Verdi. NDOT is replacing I-80 bridges between exits 4 and 7, from Mae Anne Avenue to Boomtown. The work started April 6, 2026 and runs through spring 2028, with two lanes open each direction during the day, overnight lane reductions and 55-mph work zones. At the Garson Road overpass, NDOT says it will add a barrier-separated shared-use path that could connect to future local pathways. Lane schedules can shift, so check NDOT's current notices before a weekend drive toward the river.

The Rest of October on the Calendar

• Through Friday, October 9. The Verdi Community Library is closed for school fall break.
• Tuesday, October 13, midnight. Presale activity tickets close for the Pumpkin Patch Festival.
• Sunday, October 18, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Verdi Elementary PFA Pumpkin Patch Festival runs at 250 Bridge Street with free entry. It advertises 500-plus pumpkins, a student-run Haunted Hut, a costume contest, food trucks, a silent auction, bounce houses and carnival games.
• November. This is the county's hoped-for opening month for the Canepa Ranch Trailhead, pending confirmation from Washoe County Parks.

An October morning at Crystal Peak, the Pumpkin Patch on Bridge Street, and then a check on Canepa's opening date make a full fall in Verdi without leaving the river corridor.

Sonja Leonard has followed the Truckee corridor west of Reno for more than two decades, including how changes like a new trailhead show up in the neighborhoods around it. If you live near Mario Road or Dori Bell Lane and wonder what better river access means for your home's value, Reno Tahoe Luxury Properties can walk you through it. Request Your Home Valuation.