Nevada’s newest state park doesn’t have a name yet — and you get to help pick one.
The park, Nevada’s first since 2018, protects 4.5 miles of the Carson River east of Dayton, about 6 ½ hours northwest of Las Vegas, “where cottonwood riparian forests, wetlands, and oxbow ponds contrast with surrounding sagebrush uplands.”
The creation of the park ensures that cultural resources from the 1800s — portions of the California and Pony Express trails — remain protected. In 1844, John C. Frémont’s second expedition crossed the canyon, and by the 1870s, the land transitioned to agricultural and ranching use, according to the Nevada Division of State Parks.
Part of the property acted as a divorce ranch in the 1940s. Back in those days, Nevada was known for its lenient laws that led to quick divorces. “Break-A-Heart Ranch” was owned by Richard Conklin, who, according to local lore, operated a true ranch while offering divorces after a six-week residency.
Wildlife on the Great Basin property includes mule deer, bobcat, waterfowl, mountain lions, migratory songbirds, raptors, reptiles and bats. The river is home to five fish, including bass and catfish. The land is part of the traditional homelands of the Numu (Northern Paiute) and Wá∙šiw (Washoe) peoples.
By fall, the property will be available to the public for hiking, biking, fishing, equestrian use and picnicking.
And the park needs a name.
Starting Wednesday, the public can submit name suggestions through an online survey. A committee will narrow down the entries, then the public will have an opportunity to vote on the finalists in August. There is no limit on entries, which will be accepted through July 15.
“By protecting this remarkable landscape and expanding public access, we are ensuring that future generations of Nevadans and visitors alike can experience, explore, and appreciate this special place for years to come,” Gov. Joe Lombardo said in a media statement.
Nelson Mathews, president of Western Rivers Conservancy, added the park’s creation demonstrates recreation and conservation “can go hand in hand.”
Western Rivers Conservancy partnered with the state to buy the land. The nonprofit buys and conveys land along rivers around the West for fish, people and other wildlife. Nelson Mathews, the group’s president, said the park’s creation demonstrates recreation and conservation “can go hand in hand.”
The addition brings Nevada’s state park system to 17 parks, six state recreation sites and five historic places. Near Las Vegas, adventurers can visit Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort, Valley of Fire — the state’s first park, established in 1934 — Ice Age Fossils and Spring Mountain Ranch. The latest addition, Walker River State Recreation Area, opened in 2018.
Contact Kristen Di Chiara at [email protected].