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How many times have you driven from the Bay Area into the Sierra and missed stopping in Carson Valley?
I was one of the many people who often passed through, but didn’t stop. Last week, I worked out very quickly that we’d been missing out when my husband, three-year-old daughter and I finally made Carson Valley our destination.
We dropped down into the valley via SR 88, met by sprawling ranches and wetlands, against a backdrop of the majestic mountain ranges. Snowshoe Thompson, legendary mailman of the Sierra, came this way on his famous first 90-mile journey, carrying the mail from Placerville to Carson Valley in 1856.
By car, we virtually sniffed our way to our first stop at Minden Meat and Deli for lunch. Foodie and craft beer lover heaven. With delicious sandwiches, a wide selection of beverages and a stocked deli, my husband’s comment was “Why haven’t we stopped here before?” Thompson’s treks probably would’ve felt a little less arduous if he’d had one of these sandwiches.
Next was Genoa, the northernmost township of Carson Valley and Nevada’s oldest settlement. The Courthouse Museum revealed tales of Snowshoe Thompson and other settlers of the area (it turns out he was a very honorable man who probably would have given up his sandwich for someone else). We found the meticulously restored Pink House, a cheese and charcuterie shop stocked with goudas, salamis and more, and discovered the town’s pioneering spirit, which was palpable in the people we met. The tours left a thirst in our mouths, so we stopped for a quick drink at Genoa Bar, Nevada’s oldest saloon.
There’s an interesting tradition at this bar—we found a safe full of lingerie donated by patrons, and a single bra hanging from antlers on the wall. The story goes that actress Raquel Welch visited and agreed to donate her bra on the condition that the others already hanging up were taken down. Into the safe they went—you can take a peek, but be warned, it’s customary to leave a donation.
Carson Valley Inn was our accommodation stop, a family-friendly hotel resort and casino that also included a large RV resort and several dining options. What caught my attention the most was the construction of Bently Heritage, a distillery in the century-old Minden Flour Mill just down the block. Their sustainably produced liquors made from locally grown grains will be available in early 2018 (yep, that’s on the list to go back to and we can sense the approval of those early settlers already).
After a swim in the hotel pool, we chose J.T. Basque for dinner, a thriving Gardnerville restaurant for more than 50 years. Housed inside a restored Victorian building and serving cuisine from Spain’s Basque region, we didn’t know what to expect, so everything was a pleasant surprise. In their entrance room, dollar bills hung from all over the ceiling. How many? We lost count. Once we ordered, the food just kept appearing as we went through multiple courses served family-style, which worked well for us grown-ups and our young daughter.
What were we to do next after eating our way up and down the valley? It was time to burn some calories and hit the hiking trails. The next morning, we chose the Genoa Canyon Trail. The trail gains elevation significantly, revealing breathtaking views across the valley. We found the trail’s difficulty level to be moderate at most, as we meandered up the mountain rather than following steeper routes. Our three-year-old made it with barely any whining, and was rewarded with sightings of lizards and birds.
Our afternoon adventure was a special treat. We had called ahead to reserve a tour of the Dangberg Home Ranch outside of Minden, and I’m very glad we thought ahead. Mark, the curator we met, wove tales of the Dangberg family and local history with zeal, telling us about four generations of the family who lived there (the founders of the town of Minden). The tragedies, triumphs, scandals and successes painted a fascinating portrait of the lives of those pioneering people. As we toured around, I couldn’t help but stop to take in the homestead’s expansive views, from the vast ranchland to the slopes of Jobs Peak. I could just imagine family gatherings in this picturesque setting, going from the early days of hard labor to prosperous times of high society and high fashion.
We left reluctantly for home, but vowed to be back with family and friends. There’s still Topaz Lake to explore to the south of the valley, soaring in Minden and more food, oh the food….
Those Thompsons, Dangbergs and other early settlers certainly knew they were onto a good thing.
My family left with a sense of wonder, as we discovered a destination that was more than a stop on the way to somewhere else. It’s a vacation spot in its own right with options for varying interests. My Instagram account was full of beautiful pictures of laidback storefronts and views only the West can provide. Bring your hiking shoes, adventurous spirit and appetite—you’ll be surprised by how much you find. We might even see you there.