Nevada · Hiking

Lower Loop

Lower LoopPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.6 mi
round trip
253 ft
climb
4,899 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov
best months

Is Lower Loop open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Carson Ranger District. It doesn't name Lower Loop, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Carson Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Lower Loop is a short, easy hike on county land in the Carson Ranger District of Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada, about 0.55 miles from the Ballardini area. It's an out-and-back with a total length of about 1.1 miles, and the climb from start to finish is a gentle 253 feet. The trail starts at roughly 4,886 feet, peaks near 4,899 feet, and the steepest stretch comes around 0.42 miles in, where the grade reaches about 8 percent. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from the Reno Tahoe airport weather station, about 3.7 miles away, show May highs near 74°F and September highs near 84°F, while July and August average in the low 90s. Upper Loop and Overlook Loop sit about 0.4 miles away, and Ballardini Ranch Trail is about 0.6 miles off. For climbing, Galena High Boulders is about 4.5 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

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

    Best time to visit Lower Loop

    Best months: April–June and September–November. 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

      48° / 26°

      7 wet · 3 snow

    2. Feb

      52° / 29°

      7 wet · 3 snow

    3. Mar

      59° / 34°

      6 wet · 2 snow

    4. Apr

      65° / 39°

      5 wet · 1 snow

    5. May

      74° / 47°

      4 wet

    6. Jun

      85° / 54°

      3 wet

    7. Jul

      94° / 60°

      2 wet

    8. Aug

      92° / 58°

      2 wet

    9. Sep

      84° / 50°

      2 wet

    10. Oct

      70° / 40°

      3 wet

    11. Nov

      57° / 31°

      4 wet · 1 snow

    12. Dec

      47° / 26°

      6 wet · 3 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Reno Tahoe Intl Ap, NV, 3.7 mi away at 4,410 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Upper LoopPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Upper Loop

Next door

1.59-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 357 ft elevation gain.

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

Steamboat Ditch Trail

~4 min drive

24.12-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 89 ft of elevation gain.

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

Steamboat Ditch Trail

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3.11-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 805 ft elevation gain.

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

Ballardini Ranch Trail

Next door

1.97-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 919 ft elevation gain.

Hunter CreekPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Hunter Creek

~8 min drive

6.08-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 1,133 ft elevation gain.

Upper Thomas Creek TrailPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Upper Thomas Creek Trail

~7 min drive

2.40-mile out-and-back hike in Nevada with 1,035 ft elevation gain.

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

Steamboat Ditch Trail

~6 min drive

0.74-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada following a ditch path.

Brown's Creek TrailPhoto: Ryan Finnie, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Brown's Creek Trail

~12 min drive

6.78-mile out-and-back hike in Nevada with 2,541 ft elevation gain and loss.

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

Dry Pond

~8 min drive

4.20-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 471 ft gain.

Lower Thomas Creek TrailPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Lower Thomas Creek Trail

~6 min drive

4.14-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 656 ft elevation gain.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors