Washoe Lake State Park
Encyclopedia
Washoe Lake State Park is a state park
of Nevada
, USA, on Washoe Lake
. It is between the cities of Carson City
and Reno
near U.S. Route 395
and just east of Lake Tahoe
. It is in the Western Nevada Region of Nevada State Parks. The park is open for year-round recreation including, hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping. The area around the park is known for its high winds making Washoe Lake a popular destination for windsurfers
.
. Prior to contact with Europeans, the territory of the Washoe people was roughly bounded by Honey Lake
to the north, the west fork of the Walker River to the south, the Sierra Nevada crest to the west, and the first range east of the Sierra Nevada to the east. The Washoe would generally spend the summer in the lowlands of the Sierra Nevada and the winter in the valleys and on the shores of Lake Tahoe
. Pinyon pine
nuts gathered in the fall provided much of the food eaten in the winter. Roots, seeds, berries and game provided much of the food eaten in the rest of the year. The Washoe used cattails and willow
s from the shores of Washoe Lake to make baskets.
White settlers arrived on a permanent basis in the area soon after the discovery of silver
in the Comstock Lode
near Virginia City
in 1859. The find brought thousands of traders, loggers, and miners to the Washoe Valley. Franktown, west of Washoe Lake, was established by Mormon
pioneers in the same year. Two silver processing mills were built near the lake. Ophir Mill was built on Washoe Lake's western shore and the New York Mill was built beside Little Washoe Lake. The remnants of both mills can be seen today.
The Virginia and Truckee Railroad
was built through the valley in 1872. It connected Reno
with Carson City
. This railroad remained in operation until 1950. The mining boom was over by the end of the 1870s and many of the early settlers left the area. Those that remained began ranching and farming the land. The Washoe people were not fully displaced from their traditional lands until the farms and ranches took hold in the Washoe Valley.
Washoe Lake State Park was opened on the southern and eastern shores of the lake in 1977. It was established to preserve the scenic beauty of the area for future generations. The cities of Reno and Carson City are encroaching on the lands of Washoe Lake State Park, but its protected status ensures that the park will remain in its natural state for years to come.
. The lake reaches a maximum depth of just 12 feet (3.7 m). The shallowness and the high winds make the lake very turbid. Extensive drought
s in the past have caused the lake to dry up entirely, most recently in 1992, 1994, and 2004.
Washoe Lake is fed by several small streams which issue from the Virginia Range
to the east and the Carson Range
to the west. It drains into Steamboat Creek, which runs north to the Truckee River
, although much of the water is diverted for irrigation use. Washoe Lake is a warm water fishery and is provides a habitat for Sacramento perch
, white bass
, channel catfish
, bullhead
and carp
. The lake has been stocked
by the Nevada Division of Wildlife since 2004 when Washoe Lake last dried up. Two boats launches are on the eastern shore of the lake within Washoe Lake State Park.
The lake provided habitat for a variety of birds. There are hundreds of migratory and resident species in Washoe Lake State Park. Pelican
s, night
and great blue heron
s can be found on the waters of the lake.
area near the main entrance and near the north boat ramp. Washoe Lake State Park has a large pavilion for group use with a beach volleyball
pit and horseshoe pit
nearby. Several miles of trails are open to foot, horse and ATV traffic. The most commonly seen wildlife of Washoe Lake State Park are mule deer
, hawk
, coyote
s, and eagle
s. The park is open to hunting during the designated hunting seasons.
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
of Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, USA, on Washoe Lake
Washoe Lake
Washoe Lake is a lake located in the Washoe Valley of Washoe County, Nevada. It is between Reno and Carson City . It is a very shallow lake, and the surface area can vary greatly from year to year.-Watershed:...
. It is between the cities of Carson City
Carson City, Nevada
The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the state of Nevada. The words Consolidated Municipality refer to a series of changes in 1969 which abolished Ormsby County and merged all the settlements contained within its borders into Carson City. Since that time Carson City has...
and Reno
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
near U.S. Route 395
U.S. Route 395
U.S. Route 395 is a U.S. Route in the western United States. The southern terminus of the route is in the Mojave Desert at Interstate 15 near Hesperia. The northern terminus is at the Canadian border near Laurier, where the road becomes Highway 395 upon entering British Columbia. At one time, the...
and just east of Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
. It is in the Western Nevada Region of Nevada State Parks. The park is open for year-round recreation including, hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping. The area around the park is known for its high winds making Washoe Lake a popular destination for windsurfers
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
.
History
The first known inhabitants of the area in and surrounding Washoe State Park were the Washoe peopleWashoe people
The Washoe are a Great Basin tribe of Native Americans, living in California and Nevada. The name "Washoe" is derived from the autonym waashiw meaning "people from here" in the Washo language .-Territory:Washoe people have lived in the Great Basin for at least the last 6000 years...
. Prior to contact with Europeans, the territory of the Washoe people was roughly bounded by Honey Lake
Honey Lake
Honey Lake is an endorheic sink within the Honey Lake Valley located in northeastern California, near the Nevada border. Summer evaporation reduces the lake to a lower level of 12 km² and creates an alkali flat....
to the north, the west fork of the Walker River to the south, the Sierra Nevada crest to the west, and the first range east of the Sierra Nevada to the east. The Washoe would generally spend the summer in the lowlands of the Sierra Nevada and the winter in the valleys and on the shores of Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
. Pinyon pine
Pinyon pine
The pinyon pine group grows in the southwestern United States and in Mexico. The trees yield edible pinyon nuts, which were a staple of the Native Americans, and are still widely eaten...
nuts gathered in the fall provided much of the food eaten in the winter. Roots, seeds, berries and game provided much of the food eaten in the rest of the year. The Washoe used cattails and willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
s from the shores of Washoe Lake to make baskets.
White settlers arrived on a permanent basis in the area soon after the discovery of silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
in the Comstock Lode
Comstock Lode
The Comstock Lode was the first major U.S. discovery of silver ore, located under what is now Virginia City, Nevada, on the eastern slope of Mount Davidson, a peak in the Virginia Range. After the discovery was made public in 1859, prospectors rushed to the area and scrambled to stake their claims...
near Virginia City
Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City is a census-designated place that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 855 at the 2010 Census.- History :...
in 1859. The find brought thousands of traders, loggers, and miners to the Washoe Valley. Franktown, west of Washoe Lake, was established by Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
pioneers in the same year. Two silver processing mills were built near the lake. Ophir Mill was built on Washoe Lake's western shore and the New York Mill was built beside Little Washoe Lake. The remnants of both mills can be seen today.
The Virginia and Truckee Railroad
Virginia and Truckee Railroad
The Virginia and Truckee Railroad was built to serve the Comstock Lode mining communities of northwestern Nevada. At its height, the railroad's route ran from Reno south to Carson City, Nevada. In Carson City, the...
was built through the valley in 1872. It connected Reno
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
with Carson City
Carson City, Nevada
The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the state of Nevada. The words Consolidated Municipality refer to a series of changes in 1969 which abolished Ormsby County and merged all the settlements contained within its borders into Carson City. Since that time Carson City has...
. This railroad remained in operation until 1950. The mining boom was over by the end of the 1870s and many of the early settlers left the area. Those that remained began ranching and farming the land. The Washoe people were not fully displaced from their traditional lands until the farms and ranches took hold in the Washoe Valley.
Washoe Lake State Park was opened on the southern and eastern shores of the lake in 1977. It was established to preserve the scenic beauty of the area for future generations. The cities of Reno and Carson City are encroaching on the lands of Washoe Lake State Park, but its protected status ensures that the park will remain in its natural state for years to come.
Washoe Lake
The park is named for Washoe Lake, which is a eutrophic, shallow lake between Reno and Carson City and just east of the much larger Lake Tahoe. It is actually made up of two lakes that are connected by a marshMarsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
. The lake reaches a maximum depth of just 12 feet (3.7 m). The shallowness and the high winds make the lake very turbid. Extensive drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
s in the past have caused the lake to dry up entirely, most recently in 1992, 1994, and 2004.
Washoe Lake is fed by several small streams which issue from the Virginia Range
Virginia Range
The Virginia Range is a mountain range nearly entirely in Storey County, Nevada, that is a portion of the drainage divide between the Truckee River and the Carson River . Truckee Meadows and the Washoe Valley are to the west and the Lahontan Valley is east...
to the east and the Carson Range
Carson Range
The Carson Range is a spur of the Sierra Nevada in eastern California and western Nevada that starts at Luther Pass and West Carson Canyon and goes to the Truckee River...
to the west. It drains into Steamboat Creek, which runs north to the Truckee River
Truckee River
The Truckee River is a stream in the U.S. states of California and Nevada. The river is about long. Its endorheic drainage basin is about , of which about are in Nevada. The Truckee is the sole outlet of Lake Tahoe and drains part of the high Sierra Nevada, emptying into Pyramid Lake in the Great...
, although much of the water is diverted for irrigation use. Washoe Lake is a warm water fishery and is provides a habitat for Sacramento perch
Sacramento perch
The Sacramento perch is a sunfish native to the Sacramento–San Joaquin, Pajaro, and Salinas River areas in California but widely introduced throughout the western United States....
, white bass
White bass
The white bass or sand bass The white bass or sand bass The white bass or sand bass (MoroneIt is the state fish of Oklahoma.- Range :White bass are distributed widely across the United States, particularly in the midwest. They are very abundant in Pennsylvania and the area around Lake Erie...
, channel catfish
Channel catfish
Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States they are the most fished catfish species with approximately 8...
, bullhead
Bullhead
-Fishes:* Certain sculpins, including:** European bullhead, Cottus gobio** Siberian bullhead, Cottus poecilopus** Norway bullhead, Taurulus Liljeborgi* Catfish of the genus Ameiurus, including:** Black bullhead, Ameiurus melas...
and carp
Carp
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
. The lake has been stocked
Fish stocking
Fish stocking is the practice of raising fish in a hatchery and releasing them into a river, lake, or the ocean to supplement existing populations, or to create a population where none exists...
by the Nevada Division of Wildlife since 2004 when Washoe Lake last dried up. Two boats launches are on the eastern shore of the lake within Washoe Lake State Park.
The lake provided habitat for a variety of birds. There are hundreds of migratory and resident species in Washoe Lake State Park. Pelican
Pelican
A pelican, derived from the Greek word πελεκυς pelekys is a large water bird with a large throat pouch, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae....
s, night
Night heron
The night herons are medium-sized herons in the genera Nycticorax, Nyctanassa and Gorsachius. The genus name Nycticorax derives from the Greek for “night raven” and refers to the largely nocturnal feeding habits of this group of birds, and the croaking crow-like call of the best known species, the...
and great blue heron
Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
s can be found on the waters of the lake.
Recreation
Washoe Lake State Park is open for year-round recreation. There are picnic areas throughout the park with lawns, shade trees and sandy beaches on the lake. There are 49 campsites at the park. Each comes with a table, grill and fire ring. They are open all year and are available on a first come first served basis. Visitors with horses are permitted at the park. There is a large equestrianEquestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
area near the main entrance and near the north boat ramp. Washoe Lake State Park has a large pavilion for group use with a beach volleyball
Beach volleyball
Beach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....
pit and horseshoe pit
Horseshoes
Horseshoes is an outdoor game played between two people using four horseshoes and two throwing targets set in a sandbox area. The game is played by the players alternating turns tossing horseshoes at stakes in the ground, which are traditionally placed 40 feet apart...
nearby. Several miles of trails are open to foot, horse and ATV traffic. The most commonly seen wildlife of Washoe Lake State Park are mule deer
Mule Deer
The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer...
, hawk
Hawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
, coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
s, and eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
s. The park is open to hunting during the designated hunting seasons.