Visit Carson Valley

Carson Valley is greater than the sum of its parts, a destination as brilliant today as it was 150 years ago. To its east lie the bold, vast stretches of the Great Basin. To the west, 10,000-foot peaks take charge, the lures of Lake Tahoe unfolding just a short, scenic drive from the valley.

Here, history boasts its fair share of characters. Dating to 1851 as a trading post, Genoa reeled with adventure. It’s where a wild-eyed postman by the name of Snowshoe Thompson skied into town from California, a bag of letters and documents slung over his shoulder. Hank Monk, notoriously happy with his whip, would come crashing into town (always ahead of schedule) with a stage full of trail-dazed passengers in tow. It’s where courageous riders of the Pony Express would hop from their frothy-mouthed steed to a fresh mount before galloping off. The Genoa Bar—dating to 1853 and having served the likes of Mark Twain, Teddy Roosevelt, Clark Gable, and Johnny Cash—is as lively today as ever.

Carson Valley’s people are the welcoming kind and possess a love for celebration and an appreciation for nature. That blend explains why you’ll find Basque restaurants encouraging strangers to share the same table. It’s also why locals are quick to share the hottest fishing holes, the most exciting bike trails, the high desert ridges where wild horses gather, meadows where bald eagles converge, and those snow-sport runs that hold the finest powder.

The same glow that drew wranglers and writers long ago now welcomes weekend warriors, thirsty bikers, and travelers in search of an honest, raw, and anything-but-pretentious escape. It’s a metaphor for the valley itself—a place where you’re free to explore, where blue skies and warm attitudes create an experience that’s raw, real, authentic, and inspiring.