Silver State Sights - Kershaw-Ryan State Park

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - When you make the turn to get inside, you’ll notice why it is an area of our state that has been preserved since the 19th century.

Whether you are looking for a place to camp, hike, or just enjoy a picnic with the family, the park is definitely one of Nevada’s most picturesque options.

“If you go to Kershaw-Ryan that’s a small park with grass and flowers, “said Rick Phillips of nearby Caliente, Nevada. “There is a waiting pool, horseshoes, overnight camping.”

Located just a few miles from Caliente, Nevada. It’s often the luscious scenery of Kershaw-Ryan state park that brings in tourists.

Scott Hammond stopped in on his trip to Nevada from the Pacific Northwest, and says it wasn’t what he expected.

“The panoramic view of the canyon is just beautiful,” he exclaimed.

The park may not be among the biggest of Nevada’s state parks but it is one of the oldest, established back in 1935.

“From what I understand the Ryan family purchased it and donated it to the state,” Hammond explained.

That donation came in 1926, after James Ryan purchased the park from the Kershaw family, who settled in rainbow canyon years earlier.

In 1984, a flash flood destroyed most of the park’s facilities, resulting in a 13 year closure before being redesigned and reopened in 1997.

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