Hike the Upper Strawberry Trail

You start in open sagebrush meadows along Strawberry Creek, where the trail lulls you into thinking this is a casual stroll. Enjoy that feeling — it won't last. After the first half mile, the path begins climbing steadily through aspen groves and mixed conifers, gaining roughly the height of a 100-story building before reaching a mountain saddle with views across the Snake Range. The creek accompanies you for much of the route, providing a soundtrack and reliable water source that's rare in this corner of Nevada. Fall transforms the aspens into a corridor of gold that rivals anything in Colorado, minus the crowds. The descent loops you back through those initial meadows, completing a satisfying circuit. This trail rewards hikers who want more than a flat walk but aren't chasing a death march — the kind of moderate-to-strenuous effort that leaves you pleasantly tired rather than wrecked.