Along the banks of the Truckee River sits the Truckee River Trail, which is a part of the Tahoe Pyramid Trail that starts from Lake Tahoe and ends at Pyramid Lake. The trail is full of runners, as it’s extremely helpful in preparing for both 5k races and longer events such as half marathons, while simultaneously having a great view of the Truckee River. However, several problems with the design of the trail lurk underneath.
I’m one of the runners along the trail. During my time in college, I’ve taken up running not only as a hobby, but as a stress reliever that allows me to leave behind the hectic life I live on campus. I always run on one section of the trail, which starts at Mayberry Park and ends at the start of downtown Reno.
Last year, in my sophomore year of college, I would usually get up at around 7:00 or 8:00 in the morning and drive over to the route. I would put on my On Cloud running shoes, holding my phone instead of using a running watch, trying to break my record for amount for miles in one session. I would do this three to four times a week and usually ran upwards of 20-25 miles per week.
For me, the best aspects of the trail have always been its quietness and view of nature. While there are runners and people walking their pets, the trail still manages to be quiet and allows runners to focus on their training.
Tthe views of nature may be the most appealing aspect. Hearing the roars of the Truckee Rivers as you’re passing by is one of the best feelings. Complementing the river is the vegetation surrounding it, especially in autumn, as runners are able to observe the red, orange, and yellow trees, which are a staple of Reno this time of year.
I give lots of credit to these two aspects of the trail. Since I discovered it last year, it’s truly acted as an escape for me, allowing me to temporarily focus on looking at the scenery around me and trying to run for as long as possible.
Conversely, I’ve had my negative experiences with the trail, especially with the signs. The emergency sign behind Mayberry Park was my first confusing experience. In particular, the sign discourages people from going any further along the trail westward, despite the fact it’s the only way to continue. Therefore, when I first started to run on the trail, I had to turn around after about a minute of running.
To compound with that, I also believe there’s a lack of sign placements in between the section of the trail between Dorokstar and Crissie Caughlin park. During that section, there’s almost a mile with no signs, leaving runners unsure of where to go. When a sign does show up, there’s only one present at the bike lane, which is on the other side of the road, meaning that there’s no guide for pedestrians walking or runners. This aspect of the trail makes it extremely confusing, as one can easily get lost.
Discarding the signs, I’ve also had a few problems with the design of the trail, which mainly concerns how unfriendly the trail is for runners. This problem is highlighted on a road next to Crissie Caughlin Park, where runners are directed to.
Even though runners are directed here, the road is actually meant for cars. There’s also no bike or pedestrian lane, which means that runners have to run on an open road, which runs the risk of a car not paying attention.
This section is my least favorite part of the trail, as it’s not only unfriendly to runners, but there’s very little view of the Truckee River and instead you’re looking at houses.
A little after this section, there’s another road present within the trail, which is situated in front of the Riverfront Condos. While I like the view present on the road, as it’s located right next to the Truckee River, a bump in the trail makes it easier for runners to suffer injuries if they take a wrong step.
A bridge at the start of downtown Reno on Arlington Avenue. I always stop running at this section of the trail and turn around back toward Mayberry.
I always make sure to stop at Arlington Avenue when running on the trail. Personally, I feel unsafe if I run any further. The problem doesn’t just involve downtown Reno, but it more has to do with the problem that I have with most American cities, which is that I don’t feel like they’re designed with pedestrians in mind.
In particular, I feel like roads are designed with the prioritizing of cars, which makes these same roads more unsafe for pedestrians, hence why I always choose to turn around once I hit downtown Reno, as there’s more traffic in that area.
If roads in Reno were designed with more thinking for pedestrians, then I most likely would run longer on the trail. I think the section of the trail covering Idlewild Park shows a perfect example of what that could be like.
Giving pedestrians and runners their own clear places to do activities, with a shield from cars and other traffic is the best way forward and is more safe for both parties.
Despite all of these problems I have with the trail, I’m always going to be grateful for the relief it has granted me and will be running there in the future, albeit cautiously.
Citizen’s Forum Contribution by Cameron Perkins