Home › California › Truckee › Martis Creek Wildlife Area
Martis Creek Wildlife Area
4.7 ★★★★★ 75 Google reviews · Running trail in Truckee, California · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Boardwalk
- Loop distance
- 4.5 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Martis Creek Wildlife Area's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Kid-friendly and dog-friendly hiking trail with a meadow, forest, and creek near Martis Dam Road.
What runners say about Martis Creek Wildlife Area
“5 mile snowshoe loop with stunning views of distant snow covered mountains and glistening meadows.”
“You'll almost always come across fellow hikers with their pups or kids in tow, so it's perfect for all ages and abilities.”
“Good for kids, dogs, running, walks.”
Winter: 4.5 mile snowshoe loop with stunning views of distant snow covered mountains and glistening meadows. Trail isn’t groomed, so if you are the first after fresh snow, you will be making fresh tracks. We headed out at 8 am, and didn’t see a soul! Dog friendly!
If you like dogs, a great place to take the pooch for a walk; though too much dog use has taken its toll. Clean up after your pet!
Now that they have finished the trail path connecting all the way to Northstar, the Martis Valley Loop is one of my favorite mellow hikes to do in the Fall. It's a strolling loop with just enough variety from an open meadow with a plank walkway to a pine cone forest floor that crosses over a creek.
Was here for a late fall hike. Very dry as there was no snow. Nice trails and looks like they are adding more trails for bikes and hikers. You can do a loop or an out-and-ack hike here depending on how ar you wish to hike. Some of the trails stay in the meadow and others go up into the mountains.
Trail conditions & character
“5 mile snowshoe loop with stunning views of distant snow covered mountains and glistening meadows.”
“If you like dogs, a great place to take the pooch for a walk; though too much dog use has taken its toll.”
“Now that they have finished the trail path connecting all the way to Northstar, the Martis Valley Loop is one of my favorite mellow hikes to do in the Fall.”
“There were no restrooms, despite the map saying that there were restrooms.”
“Great walking trail for nice flat terrain, but nice views”
Plan your run at Martis Creek Wildlife Area
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceBoardwalk — flat and scenic, and slick when wet, so watch your footing
- Loop distance4.5 mi back to where you parked
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
Hours
| Monday | 6 am–6 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 am–6 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 am–6 pm |
| Thursday | 6 am–6 pm |
| Friday | 6 am–6 pm |
| Saturday | 6 am–6 pm |
| Sunday | 6 am–6 pm |
Running trails near Truckee
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Waddle Ranch-Elizabethtown Meadows Trailhead
4.4 ★★★★☆ 5 reviews
Riverview Sports Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 166 reviews
Green space with a unique playground, BMX track, bocce ball court & multi-use athletic fields.
Truckee River Regional Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 904 reviews
Charming riverside park featuring a children's playground, hiking paths & a disc-golf course.
Sawtooth Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 88 reviews
Outdoor recreation spot featuring mountain biking and hiking trails, with some suitable for beginners.
