Nevada · Hiking

Fay-Luther

1.1 mi
round trip
725 ft
climb
5,336 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
best months

Fay-Luther is a short, easy out-and-back hike on Bureau of Land Management land in the Sierra Front Field Office, about a mile from the nearest town. The trail starts at roughly 4,980 feet and climbs to about 5,336 feet, with a total gain of 725 feet over its 2.2-mile length. The steepest part, a 14% grade, comes about three-quarters of the way in, so plan for a steady climb rather than a flat walk. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Minden, Nevada, put May highs around 73°F and September highs around 83°F, while July and August average near 90°F. The hike takes about an hour. Valley View Loop is just 0.3 miles away and Lonesome Trail is 0.4 miles away, so it's easy to pair with another short outing. Across the line in California, the West Fork Carson River offers canoeing about 4.6 miles off, and Hope Valley campground sits about 6.1 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct

    Best time to visit Fay-Luther

    Best months: April–June and September–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      47° / 19°

      6 wet · 3 snow

    2. Feb

      51° / 22°

      6 wet · 2 snow

    3. Mar

      58° / 27°

      5 wet · 2 snow

    4. Apr

      64° / 30°

      4 wet · 1 snow

    5. May

      73° / 38°

      3 wet

    6. Jun

      83° / 44°

      2 wet

    7. Jul

      91° / 49°

      2 wet

    8. Aug

      90° / 47°

      2 wet

    9. Sep

      83° / 40°

      2 wet

    10. Oct

      71° / 31°

      3 wet

    11. Nov

      57° / 23°

      4 wet · 1 snow

    12. Dec

      46° / 19°

      6 wet · 2 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Minden, NV, 6 mi away at 4,709 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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TRT: Spooner Summit to Kingsbury SouthPhoto: jfdervin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

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~11 min drive

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors