Canyon Commute
Up Evans Canyon and back down Miners Trail, with a lap of the Evans Creek Trail at the bottom. Rancho San Rafael's mellow side, close to campus.
Your timesno timed runs yet
Ride mode times every run on its own: the clock starts when you roll out of the start and stops at the finish, with splits at each marked spot. Leave Ride mode on between laps and it re-arms when you're back at the start. Times stay on this phone.
Right now at the trailhead
Get the GPS file
Scan with a friend's phone, or tap below. Then open it in your ride app.
- iPhone: tap Download, open it from the Downloads bar, then Share → Trailforks, Strava or Garmin.
- Android: tap Download, then open the file and pick your app.
- Garmin: or drag it into Garmin Connect → Courses → Import on a computer.
https://bsqrd-designs.com/dirt/canyon-commute/
Getting there
Park at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, west lot
San Rafael Dr off Putnam Dr, Reno, NV 89503
- Washoe County regional park lot at the west end of the park, south of North McCarran Blvd. The trail ducks under McCarran to reach Evans Canyon.
- Start and finish are the same spot. Follow the cue sheet and the arrows on the map.
Cue sheet
| 0.0 | Streetpavement | 0.2 mi |
| 0.2 | Dirt roaddirt road | 0.5 mi |
| 0.7 | Evans Canyon Trailsingletrack via Top of Evans Canyon, turn onto Miners Trail | 1.6 mi |
| 2.3 | Miners Trailsingletrack | 1.4 mi |
| 3.7 | Basque Monument Traildirt road | 0.3 mi |
| 4.0 | Evans Creek Trailsingletrack | 0.8 mi |
| 4.8 | Dirt roaddirt road | 0.5 mi |
| 5.2 | Back at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, west lot |
Know before you go
- A gentle climb up Evans Canyon and a smooth roll back down Miners Trail. Expect a few narrow, rocky spots in the canyon; walking them is fine.
- The west lot is under 1 mile from the University of Nevada, Reno campus (straight-line distance measured on the map), so it is an easy ride over from campus.
- Washoe County trails are multi-use and multi-directional. Hikers, runners and dogs are common here, so slow down at blind corners and say hi.
- Stay on Evans Canyon, Miners and Evans Creek. Keystone Canyon and the rest of the Peavine trails to the west sit inside the Hawk Fire closure on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (order 04-17-26-01-06, through Oct 31, 2026 unless lifted).
Ride smart
- Water: plan on about 1 L for this ride. There's none on the trail.
- Signal is spotty. Tell someone your route and your time back.
- Emergency: call 911 and say "Canyon Commute ride, parked at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, west lot, Reno, Nevada", plus the coordinates from Locate me.
- Wildlife: give horses, burros and anything with horns room, and never feed them.
- Stay on trail. Desert crust and mountain soil take decades to heal.
Report a problem or share a photo
Washout, closure, new fence or a missing sign? Got a great shot of a junction? Send it. It goes straight to Ryan; photos he approves show up on this page with your credit.
End ride?
Turn calls, the timer and your recording stop when the ride ends.