Reno gambles on its river

Heads up, Las Vegas. Sure you have art museums, giant resort-casinos, hot dance clubs and risque shows. But do you have a white-water river park running through it?

Reno does.

The Biggest Little City in the World has revamped a half-mile stretch of the Truckee River, which runs right under its Virginia Street casino strip, into a year-round course for kayakers. So now you can get a quickie divorce, play the slots and take your chances on Class 2 and 3 rapids, all without leaving downtown.

The $1.5-million project, which officially opened Nov. 4, is the latest attempt by the other longtime gambling mecca in Nevada to reinvent itself as a multi-stop destination for culture vultures and outdoor enthusiasts, not just gamblers. In May, the $16-million Nevada Museum of Art made its debut just a few blocks from the casino district.

Architect Gary Lacy, owner of Recreation Engineering and Planning Inc. in Boulder, Colo., designed this park, the company’s first in Nevada but one of about 30 such projects he has done elsewhere, mostly in Colorado.

For the Truckee project, the river was dammed and drained in two sections, one 1,400 feet long and the other 1,200 feet long; the city’s island Wingfield Park is between them. The riverbed was reconstructed, creating 11 pools on different elevations, adding boulders for kayaking maneuvers and sculpting a slalom racing course.

The result is known as the Truckee River Park at Wingfield.

“We tried to re-naturalize it,” Lacy said, noting that the river had been previously denuded and straightened.

Kayakers can run the course in about two minutes, but some take hours, performing maneuvers, said Chris Chrystal, spokeswoman for the Nevada Commission on Tourism.

Although Reno air temperatures in winter typically drop below freezing at night, the daytime highs are in the 40s. Water temperatures range from 50 to 70 degrees, Chrystal said.

Using the white-water park is free; you can put in anywhere along its length. It’s unsupervised, so you use it at your own risk, Chrystal said. You can rent or bring your own kayak and gear.

The nearest outfitter is Sierra Adventures Inc., 254 W. 1st St., along the river. Inflatable kayaks rent for $5 to $10 an hour, kayaks $15 and up, depending on the model. Rentals include paddle jackets, paddles, life vests and helmets; wetsuits are $5 to $10 extra. (866) 323-8928, www.wildsierra.com.

There are long-term plans for improvements along 24 miles of the Truckee in the region. The current project was financed by state bonds that voters approved last year.

For more information, visit www.cityofreno.com/com_service/parks and click on “Kayak Course.”