After spending four days riding in areas around Reno, Nevada I am left wondering why I live in California. Of course, now that I am home and my short vacation is over I realize that I have to go back to my day job, which explains why I live in California. Or is it that I live in California and play in Nevada? Now that's more like it!!

The easiest whoop section that you will ever find. This uphill is the perfect place to learn how to ride whoops.

In the weeks before heading for Reno I spent many hours doing an exhaustive web search looking for places to ride. Unfortunately there is very little information on the web regarding riding opportunities in Nevada. Once I got to Reno and started poking around I found out why. Nevada is a lot like California was twenty years ago in that the BLM has been slowly making changes to the type of activity allowed but has not yet built a web presence for Nevada that makes this information easy to access.

The "Moon Rocks" dominate the lower staging area.

So even though it looks like you could ride just about anywhere, it doesn't mean that it is legal to do so. This doesn't seem to stop the locals, which has led to some issues between dirt bikes and local residents.

There have been some attempts to legislate OHV rules on a county level in Northern Nevada, but because of the small population in the state it seems that OHV use has not been a major problem, therefore has not attracted enough negative attention to end up being legislated to death. Although the writing is on the wall that OHV use could become a major point of contention.

One of the main riding areas close to Reno is an area that the locals call Moon Rocks. This is BLM land and the BLM name for the area is Hungry Valley. Hungry Valley - Moon Rocks is currently considered an open area, but it is surrounded by Limited Use Areas. When riding this area be sure to pay close attention to the signs and follow BLM rules if entering an adjoining Limited Use Area. Basically, this means to stay on trails posted as Open. If a trail in a Limited Use Area is not specifically posted by BLM with Open signs, then it is to be considered closed and off limits.

This also means that it is a good rule of thumb to stay on existing trails even in designated open areas. Doing this will help to preserve access for the future and will help to minimize the impact of OHV use.

Another way to find current information on this area is to call the local BLM office at Carson City and ask questions. It is always better to be informed before loading up the bikes and gear. The BLM Carson City office can be reached at 775-885-6000, Monday through Friday during regular business hours.

Front trail running parallel to Winnemucca Ranch Road.

Moon Rocks has more than enough trails to keep riders of all levels satisfied. From large flat areas where the kids can ride in circles all day, to gnarly, rock-infested hill climbs that seem to go on forever, there is something for everyone.

The centerpiece of the Moon Rocks area are the "moon rocks" themselves. Next to the lower staging area is a large rock outcropping from which the area gets its name. There are trails running all over these rocks, most of which are rideable by an average rider on an average bike. Of course, the right way to do this would be with a trials bike, but since most of don't have trials bikes the moon rocks give us the opportunity to pretend that we have trials bikes. Before you try this just think about how hard those rocks really are and whether you have spare levers with you in case you miscalculate and drop your bike on the rocks.

The average rider can navigate most of the trails at Moon Rocks, although it really helps if you have some sand-riding experience. The odd thing about this area is that the depth of the sand is not at all consistent and the terrain is such that it is really hard to read. One minute you are riding on slightly whooped hardpack, the next minute you are in deep sand whoops. Most of the longer trails go back and forth between sand and hardpack.

Nasty rock section preceded by off camber uphill and followed by vertical ledges.

There were several sections of sand wash that I encountered that were unlike anything that I have ever seen before. The hills in the area contain sections of gray soil that wash down into the sand washes and end up firm like concrete. What looks like a fresh sand wash with the typical crust that comes apart when you ride over it, ends up being hard and slippery. The difficult part about this is that the area has both types of sand floes, so depending on how bright of a day it is you never really know which type of sand you are going to encounter until you are in it.

Speaking of sand wash, you need to be a little bit careful in the Moon Rocks area because you will occasionally encounter washouts that are very difficult to cross. I found several fresh washes that had two to four foot vertical walls. Often these trails could be ridden in one direction only because of the vertical banks caused by recent water flows. It was obvious in these locations that the trails continued into loop trails because there was evidence of travel in one direction only.

Another of the benefits to be had in the Moon Rocks area is the uphill whoop sections. As anyone who has ever climbed a hill knows, it is much easier to be aggressive on uphill sections. Right next to the lower staging area is a nice sandy hill full of whoops. If you are looking to improve your whoop riding skills, this is the place to do it. I had an incredible amount of fun powering up the whooped out hill in fourth and fifth gear. If nothing else it is a great place to work on your whoop riding skills.

When riding this area it is also important to be aware of the cattle grazing that is going on in adjacent areas. If you follow the main road up past the upper staging area, you will eventually come to a cattle guard. You will also notice that there is a fence running across the area at this location. Ranchers are running cattle in this area and as a good off road citizen it is your responsibility to steer clear of the cattle and leave them in peace. The reason that I mention this is that some of the best trails in the area begin right at the cattle guard. There are trails on both sides of the fence that lead up into the ridges.

To reach the Hungry Valley-Moon Rocks area, take Hwy. 80 to Reno and then take Pyramid Highway north (Hwy. 445). From Pyramid Highway take a left on Winnemucca Ranch Road. At about five miles on Winnemucca Ranch Road the pavement ends. Go another two miles on the dirt road and you will see the Hungry Valley sigh on your left. Turn left and follow the dirt road for about ? mile to the lower staging area. You can't miss the "Moon Rocks" at the staging area. If you continue on for another ? mile you will end up at the upper staging area, which is where most of the overnight campers set up camp.

Hardpack sand wash. Some of the soil washed out of the hills sets up like concrete.

There are great beginner level trails that run parallel to Winnemucca Ranch Road. To access the more expert trails you will want to head into the hills above the "Moon Rocks" or to the north of the upper staging area. In the flat plateaus accessible from the main road you will find several areas that are suitable to family riding, whether that be in the form of large flat areas, mild hill climbs, or relatively flat GP type courses.

Dodging through the rocks with painted desert in the background. This is paradise.

Just be sure to remember that this area is surrounded by Limited Use Areas, so follow BLM rules when entering these adjoining areas. And when planning a trip to an area like this it is always advisable to call the BLM district office to get the latest, most up-to-date information about the type of access allowed in the area and the limitations currently in place. Tread Lightly to preserve our access for future generations.

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