Among the many parks in Reno, Idlewild Park stands out as the very best. The park plays host to James D. Hoff Peace Officers Memorial, a Kiwanis Club sponsored play area, the historic California Building, and many recreational opportunities. The Truckee River flows through Idlewild Park, adding to the recreational and visual appeal of the park. In the fall, trees along the river and throughout the park put on a beautiful fall color show as the leaves change from green to red to gold.
Memorials and Tributes
In October of 1988 the James D. Hoff Peace Officers Memorial was dedicated in Reno’s Idlewild Park. The structure memorializes all the peace officers of Nevada that have been killed in the line of duty. The memorial’s namesake was a Reno police officer who was killed while conducting an undercover narcotics investigation.
Just down the park road from the peace officers memorial is large Native American statue. This statue is one of many statues called Whispering Giants. Each state has a Whispering Giant statue. The statue was the 53rd such statue, carved by Peter Wolf Tooth using a chain saw. The statue is a tribute to the Washoe, Paiute, and Shoshone Native Americans that were among the first people to live in the area that became Nevada.
The California Building, near the Whispering Giant statue, was built in 1927 for the exposition that commemorated the completion of the Transcontinental Highway that was routed through Reno, Nevada. The building was given to the City of Reno by the American Legion in 1938.
Idlewild Park also plays host to Reno’s Municipal Rose Garden. The garden is maintained by a host of volunteers from the community. The rose garden displays a variety of roses from the common to the rare and beautiful blue rose.
Truckee River Path
The Truckee River path through Idlewild Park is paved and marked with quarter mile marks. Along the path near the east end of the park, exercise equipment provided by Saint Mary’s hospital is available. Trees and shrubs grow near the river and provide needed shade in the summer and beautiful colors in the fall. The paved Truckee River path extends west out of Idlewild Park about one mile to Ivan Sack Park. The section of the path that follows the Truckee River through Idlewild Park is part of much larger trail effort called the Tahoe to Pyramid Bikeway. The Tahoe to Pyramid Bikeway is a multi-use path that is being developed by several public agencies and private interests.
General Information
The park is open all year from dawn to dusk. The Idlewild Pool is open from about June to September, depending on weather. Idlewild Park is located at 1900 Idlewild Drive in Reno, Nevada. For more information and facility rentals call (775) 334-2260.
Carl Hoffman - Carl has a Bachelor's degree in Public Administration and is retired from the Nevada National Guard.
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