8 Parks in Carson City and Carson Valley Area

Carson City and Carson Valley offer quite a few family friendly parks. There are many in the area but I narrowed it down to 8 parks in Carson City and Carson Valley areas that are my favorites!

Each park offers something for everyone in the family. I have listed the pros and cons of each park listed as well.

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Parks in Carson City

Check out some of our favorite parks in Carson City! You can see a full list of parks on the city website here.

Schultz Ranch Park

Location: Race Track Rd and, Wheeler Peak Dr, Carson City, NV 89701

This is my favorite park in the Carson City area. It is situated inside a newer housing development so all the structures and facilities are new themselves. There is a clean bathroom and a water fountain that fills a water bottle. The play structure is perfect for toddlers and older children.

It has squishy rubber mats under the playground and features a really fun climbing structure. There is a large grassy area that is sunk below the playground making a perfect place to play catch or soccer. A fence blocks the playground from the road but doesn’t fully enclose it.

A sidewalk runs in a circle from the playground down to a basketball court and back around. It is laid out in a circle which allows you to see your kids if you choose to walk. The circle is just about a quarter (.25) mile long! This is also a great place for bikes and scooters.

Walking the neighborhood is fun as well. Crossing over Race Track Rd. There is a walking path that will take you behind the homes and to a fun butterfly garden.

Pros

• Clean bathrooms and water fountain
• Pavilion
• Shaded picnic tables
• Walking paths
• Grassy area
• Fence blocking the road

Cons

• Playground can get hot
• Grass is sometimes flooded and muddy
• People often let their dogs off leash here

John Mankins

Location: 1147 W College Pkwy, Carson City, NV 89703

This is a very active park with basketball and tennis courts. There is a large grassy area as well. A walking path walks around the whole park. The playground features two play structures.

One suitable for babies and toddlers and the other is a three story structure perfect for bigger kids with lots of fun climbing options!

There is a small fence running along the parking area. There are no bathrooms at this park and minimal shade on the playground. There are smaller trees in the grass that you can sit under with a blanket!

Pros:

• Two playgrounds
• Grassy area
• Basketball and tennis courts

Cons:

• No bathroom
• Minimal shade on playground

Ross Gold Park

Location: 280 Appion Way Carson City, NV 89701

This park was recently redone and it’s a fun firefighter theme. It is located right next to Carson City’s Volunteer Fire Department. So if your kiddos love firemen they may get the opportunity to see the trucks and hear the sirens!

The playground is more suitable for babies and toddlers, it is on the smaller side but still fun. There is a pond located to the back of the park that is filled with ducks and geese. This is always fun for the children, but please remember that feeding the ducks human food is never a good idea and will make them sick.

There are lots of picnic benches, a few horseshoe pits and clean bathrooms!

Pros

• Newer playground
• Firefighter themed
• Bathrooms
• Picnic benches
• Pond

Cons

• Lots of goose poop

Carriage Square Park

Location: 1939 Calash St Carson City, NV 89703

This park also has two different size playgrounds. One perfect for the littles and another for the bigger kids! There is a fun rock wall to climb and a few swings.

This park is situated inside a neighborhood so it is quiet. There are no fences around the park but the traffic is slow and the playground is far from the road. There is a paved walking path around the park that a stroller can be pushed on. There are many trees here to provide lots of shade but no bathrooms.

Pros:

• Two playgrounds
• Lots of shade and grass
• Paved walking path

Cons:

• No bathrooms

James Lee Park

Location: James Lee, Carson City, NV 89705

A large park situated in the Indian Hills neighborhood, this park has something for the whole family. A skate board park, baseball fields, disc golf, a beautiful walking path to a vista point and access to hiking and biking trails, as well as a dog park!

Like other parks there are two different size play structures, one perfect for the littles and another for larger children. The playground is cushioned with wood chips so be ready to empty out shoes before getting in the car!

There are also bathrooms, a pavilion and multiple picnic tables.

Pros:

• Multiple recreation options
• Two play structures
• Shaded tables

Cons:

• Public restrooms- but are often closed with no clear reason
• The park is very large and spread out, could be difficult to see kids in multiple locations

Parks in the Carson Valley

Check out some of my favorite parks in Carson Valley. You can learn more about Carson Valley here.

Ironwood Park

Location: 1780 Pinewood Dr, Minden, NV 89423

Ironwood Park has been a long standing park in Gardnerville but recently a new playground and a really cool swing has been added! The park is located behind the Ironwood Shopping Center and Movie Theater.

This beautiful playground features rubber mat under the play structures, large trees that shade a good portion of the play structure, a large grassy area, benches, clean bathrooms and picnic tables. They recently added a large pavilion which I imagine tables will be added as well! And I have heard that a splash pad is planned for the near future!

Pros:

• New play structure
• Multiple swing sizes
• Clean Bathrooms
• Grassy Area to spread out blankets and play catch or soccer
• Covered Pavilion
• Picnic tables

Cons

• No fences and close to road
• Not very accessible for toddler aged children
• Can get muddy

Minden Park

Location: 1601 Sixth St, Minden, NV 89423

This beautiful square shaped park hosts many events in Minden and Gardnerville, including concerts in the park and farmers markets. In the middle of the park there is a splash pad and a pavilion that is so much for the children to play in.

There are clean bathrooms and lots of grass to spread out blankets and chairs. There are large trees to provide shade on the parameter of the park but during the middle of the day it can get hot as the shade decreases some, bring an umbrella! The park is also just a short walk over to Schat’s Bakery for a delicious treat and cute shops!

Pros:

• Splash Pad
• Lots of grass to play
• Clean bathrooms
• Water fountain

Cons:

• Minimal shade
• No fences

Lampe Park

Location: 1324 Waterloo Ln, Gardnerville, NV 89410

Located towards the end of Gardnerville sits Lampe Park. It boasts multiple baseball fields, tennis courts and lots of open grassy fields! The playground is larger with wood chips underfoot. The playground is a bit older but well maintained and a lot of fun. The grounds are kept clean and any broken equipment is blocked off.

There are quite a few shaded picnic tables and bathrooms but they are a little bit of a walk from the playground.

There is a river running through the park that often has ducks and walking paths that take you around the entire park perfect for stroller walks! Lampe hosts the annual Carson Valley Days fair and this year they hosted the first annual Hot Air for Hope Balloon Festival.

Pros:

• Large Play structure
• Not close to the Road
• Walking paths
• River

Cons:

• Bathrooms are far from the playground
• Playground can get hot

Best Parks in Carson Valley or Parks in Carson City?

What are your favorite parks in Carson Valley or Parks in Carson City that your family enjoys? Let us know what if you visit any of these parks or if there’s one we missed that you love!