WE CAN – WALK CARSON CITY
Governor’s Field/Linear Park Walk – This is a nice walk for family adventures and accessible even in winter. Each season will offer opportunities to spot wildlife and holds its own beauty.
In one walk last winter I flushed some quail, spotted a lot of birds in the rushes, probably Wrens, and saw a hawk, could have been a Cooper’s. In the water, Mallard ducks and Canada Geese seem to be quite at home in the frigid water.
Governor’s Field Park is at the corner of South Roop Street and Evalyn Drive. Start at the parking lot, walk north along the playground, following the access road until you reach the gate by the handicapped parking spaces.
Pass through the gate to access the paved bike trail, turning right follow the trail east to Saliman Road. Along the way, watch for the interpretive signs, the kids will enjoy the ‘treasure hunt’. Each of the signs offers up a different set of facts, history, and pictures of the animals and birds that live in this little ecosystem.
When you reach Saliman, cross with care. On the opposite side you’ll cross the bridge over the drainage to continue on until the end. Again you will find interpretive signs along the way.
The total round trip mileage is 1.9 miles and should take 30 to 45 minutes depending on how much time you spend discussing the information found on the signs. When you reach the gate at the end enjoy the view. If you’re lucky the cattle will be in the field and in the early spring you may be able to spot some new calves. You can go another .1 miles beyond the gate, be sure to close it behind you, but that ends at a barbed wire fence.
If you’re just getting started, or have little ones with short legs along, there are 2 alternatives to doing the entire route. You can do just the first half turning around at Saliman Road for a total of 1 mile. The second half can be done by parking at Freemont Elementary school for a total of .9 miles. Doing it this way eliminates crossing Saliman Road. If you can only do one or the other the second half has more interpretative signs and is more likely to have birds and the cattle for the young one’s to discover.
But don’t do this just once. Come often and watch the changes that come over the plants and animals as the season’s progress.