General Park Information:
Crystal Peak Park is a 56-acre Washoe County park with a restroom.
Amenities Include:
Picnic area, interpretive trails, ponds, barbeque area, and tables/benches. Crystal Peak Park is a good place to bird watch or go fishing. Crystal Peak Park is not only home to diverse wildlife, but home to rich history as well. As you walk along the trails, you will find many interpretive signs that describe the history of Crystal Peak and the surrounding area.
View the slideshow to see some of this park's amenities!
Verdi Lumber Company:
During the 1860’s, this area was used by the Verdi Lumber Company for harvesting and processing timber collected from the surrounding mountainsides. The lumber produced was used for the construction of the mines in Virginia City as well as for railroad ties. Some of the timber was even shipped as far away as Arizona.
The area that is now Crystal Peak Park, hosted the Verdi Lumber Companies’ saw mill, barns for draft animals, dorms for lumber workers, engine rooms, and more. The ponds at Crystal Peak were then used as storage for the logs before being processed in the Verdi Sawmill that was located adjacent to the ponds.
The ponds were also used during this time for ice harvesting as well as for timber storage. The only remaining structure fully in-tact today, is small concrete building which was thought to be an icehouse storage shed during the time of the timber industry.
The Verdi Lumber Co. sawmill burnt down several times over the years until the last fire in 1926 after which time the sawmill was never rebuilt.
Crystal Peak Main Sign
Image by Daniel Hill
history
biodiversity
Submission Box for Personal Stories/Photos:
Do you have personal photographs or stories about this park and are willing to share your memories with your community? Stories and photos can be recent adventures in the park, old memories of what the park used to be like, or fond remembrances of what this park has meant to you in the past. Sharing your photographs and memories will help to build our shared history of these important public places. Click here to submit your stories and/or photos!
Typical Flora and Fauna:
The following are a few of our favorite highlights.
See the community submission section below to view additional wildlife sightings found at this park, and submit you own favorite naturalist sightings in the submission box below!
Flora:
Fauna:
community submissions
Biodiversity Submissions:
Community Stories and Photos:
Your Name
Crystal Peak
Tell us your stories about this park or share your photographs to add to the growing record of our shared park history!
Your Name
Crystal Peak
Tell us your stories about this park or share your photographs to add to the growing record of our shared park history!
Your Name
Crystal Peak
Tell us your stories about this park or share your photographs to add to the growing record of our shared park history!
volunteer highlights
Field Naturalists:
To volunteer, click here.
Brianna Raggio and Daniel Hill
Daniel Hill and Brianna Raggio are the Field Naturalists for this park. They have dedicated time to photograph and document the biodiversity and amenities of this park featured above.
Thank you Daniel and Brianna for your commitment to our parks and wildlife!
Rephotography Site Stewards:
To view this collection, click here.
Donna and Paul Erickson
Donna and Paul Erickson are the Site Stewards for Crystal Peak Park. They have been involved with The Parks Rephotography Project since 2014.
Thank you Donna and Paul for your dedication to the Parks Foundation!
resources/more info
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Vegas PBS “Outdoor Nevada” series found here.
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“Walk with the Ranger” featuring Crystal Peak Park found here.
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Verdi Historical Preservation Society gallery.
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Biodiversity List from Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation Spring BioBlitz.
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Crystal Peak FaceBook Page.
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Geology Information about Crystal Peak found here at mindat.org.
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Reno Gazette Journal Article: “Rich in history, Crystal Peak Park in Verdi opens Saturday.”