General Park Information:
Wingfield Park is a 3-acre Reno park without a restroom.
Amenities Include:
Walking paths, grass field, whitewater rafting park, and amphitheater. Wingfield Park is located alongside the Truckee River.
View the slideshow to see some of this park's amenities!
Glenn Little Amphitheater
Photo by Jay Kolbet-Clausell
history
Lewis E. Hinkley:
The small natural island that is now known as Wingfield Park was purchased sometime in 1909 by attorney Lewis E. Hinkley. Hinkley then transformed the area by building walkways from natural foliage such as wild rose bushes, willows, cottonwoods and poplars. He named his island “Belle Isle,” French for beautiful island, because of its beauty.
The park officially opened in 1911 with Hinkley promoting it as a pleasure resort. This resort featured a dance hall, small boat rentals, and a 700-seat open air theatre where guests enjoyed the latest motion pictures with live orchestras. Starting in July of 1911, famed aviation pioneer Eugene Ely took off from and landed from a section of the park that had been converted into a runway.
Belle Isle Map. Source: Mary B. Ansari Map Library, University of Nevada, Reno Libraries.
biodiversity
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 through iNaturalist!
Fauna:
community submissions
Submission Box for Biodiversity Sightings:
Click here to document your own biodiversity observations from this park on iNaturalist.
Any observations noted along the Truckee River, please share with the
Truckee River Guide here.
Biodiversity Submissions:
Community Stories and Photos:
Your Name
Wingfield Park
Tell us your stories about this park or share your photographs to add to the growing record of our shared park history!
Your Name
Wingfield Park
Tell us your stories about this park or share your photographs to add to the growing record of our shared park history!
Your Name
Wingfield Park
Tell us your stories about this park or share your photographs to add to the growing record of our shared park history!
Submit Your Park Stories and 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 upload your photos and/or stories!
volunteer highlights
Wingfield Park History Researchers
Patti Poston and Kim Cruz
Patti Poston and Kim Cruz are the History Researchers for this park. They have dedicated time to research and document the history of Wingfield Park. Thank you Patti and Kim for your commitment to our parks and historic preservation!
Doggie Ambassadors Project:
Taylor James and Jeff & Eileen Bidwell are the volunteer Doggie Waste Ambassadors for this park. Thank you for helping to keep Wingfield Park free from dog waste!
To learn more on how you can become a volunteer Doggie Waste Ambassador, click here.
resources/more info
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City of Reno: Wingfield Park
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Reno Historical : http://renohistorical.org/items/show/39
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“Reno’s Riverwalk District” by Courtney Rhiana and Christopher Ryan Meredith
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Wingfield Park: NewtoReno.com
