Downtown Reno

This park has done wonders for downtown Reno, and some say started the redevelopment renaissance. Sure, there was a Riverwalk down there already and Wingfield Park, but the kayak park brought excitement to the river, combined with opening up the river banks for public access.

Now nearly every summer day there are crowds of people enjoying the river, either by wading in it, rafting in it, kayaing or even swimming on a hot day.

Whitewater Park Attributes:
Only whitewater park in the United States that offers all of the following attributes:

• Located in the heart of a downtown resort area, walking distance from 24-hour hotel/casinos
• Open year-round
• Constant flow of clean, fresh water
• Large size -11 drop-pools; total of 2,600 feet in length, or one-half mile
• Great variety of whitewater activities for different skill levels
• Easy public and spectator access
• Favorable year-round climate
• Designed to accommodate low water flows to ensure usability during dry spells
• Situated in mountain adventure area that also offers skiing, golf, mountain biking and more
• Easy to reach: close to Reno/Tahoe International Airport and Interstate 80

Special Features:

• Easily accessible from all directions
• Five drop pools in the north channel; six in the south channel. Drop pools are round pools for kayaking maneuvers that decrease slightly in elevation with each successive pool, to keep them supplied with fresh water
• 7,000 tons of smooth flat-top rocks and boulders installed along the river banks and in-stream for easy public access, spectators, and kayaking maneuvers
• Deep pools with continual fresh water provide good habitat for fish, particularly Lahontan cutthroat trout
• Surrounds grassy park with amphitheater and facilities for concerts, festivals, picnics, outdoor sports and recreation
• Whitewater park removed dangerous dam and created recreation attraction in downtown Reno. 
• Kayakers can start anywhere upstream and enjoy a great experience
• Pedestrian walkway beneath Arlington Avenue for convenient mobility between east and west ends of terrestrial park
• It takes 2 to 2 1/2 minutes to "run" the new whitewater park straight through, but some kayakers take hours, enjoying maneuvers in each pool
• Water temperature ranges between 50 and 70 degrees. It doesn't freeze
• All users need to wear helmets and flotation jackets for protection and safety
• Kayakers, at all levels, including beginners, can enjoy the whitewater park.

Technical Details:
Length: 2,600 feet, including 1,400 feet in the north channel and 1,200 feet in the south channel or one-half mile. Note: The north and south channels are created by Wingfield Park, an island in the river that divides the flow and has been a city park for years.
Class 2 to 3 course. (on a scale of 1 to 6; one being a lake, six being a waterfall)
Users: kayaks, canoes and rafts, inner tubes
Maneuvers: freestyle including front and side surfing, cartwheeling, throwing ends, blunt moves, spoofing and splatting, flat spinning, loops, front flips, slalom racing. Random boulders in channels.

The Future
So what lies ahead for our downtown River Kayak park? Rumor has it that the remaining 'River Pakrs' (I.E. Idlewild, Ambrose, Mayberry Parks, plus the Hilton) will be renovating the river to be raftable from Verdi all the way to Sparks, with numerous kayak parks and ponds along the route. Nice!

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