Nevada · Hiking

Fisticuffs

1.4 mi
round trip
850 ft
climb
5,416 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–Jun, Sep–Oct
best months

Fisticuffs is an easy out-and-back hike in the Carson Ranger District of Nevada's Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, about 1.4 miles long with a total elevation gain of 850 feet. The trail rises from a low point of about 5,031 feet to a high of about 5,416 feet, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.59 miles in, with a grade of about 14 percent. The route is accessible and allows bikes, and the surface is natural. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is open from June 1 to October 15. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Reno show May highs around 72°F and October highs around 68°F, while July and August average in the low 90s. Snow Terrace and the Poedunk Trail sit about 0.1 mile away, and the HIGH TRAIL is about 0.4 mile off. Climbers can find Keystone Boulder about 0.8 mile away.

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

    Best time to visit Fisticuffs

    Best months: March–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

      46° / 27°

      7 wet

    2. Feb

      50° / 29°

      6 wet

    3. Mar

      57° / 34°

      6 wet

    4. Apr

      63° / 38°

      5 wet

    5. May

      72° / 46°

      5 wet

    6. Jun

      83° / 54°

      3 wet

    7. Jul

      93° / 61°

      2 wet

    8. Aug

      91° / 60°

      2 wet

    9. Sep

      82° / 53°

      2 wet

    10. Oct

      68° / 43°

      3 wet

    11. Nov

      54° / 33°

      5 wet

    12. Dec

      45° / 27°

      7 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Reno Wfo, NV, 3.2 mi away at 4,987 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Snow TerracePhoto: Seth Tisue, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Snow Terrace

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Poedunk TrailPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

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HIGH TRAILPhoto: Seth Tisue, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Total Recall Trail

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Total Recall TrailPhoto: Seth Tisue, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

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StagecoachPhoto: Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Stagecoach

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UNR DH TrailPhoto: nonbinaryanalog, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

UNR DH Trail

~1 min drive

0.62-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 188 ft elevation gain.

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Keystone Canyon

~2 min drive

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BIKE TRAILPhoto: nonbinaryanalog, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

BIKE TRAIL

~1 min drive

1.04-mile out-and-back bike trail in Nevada with 212 ft elevation gain