Incline Village Recreation Center & Park is a large park offering a variety of walking trails, sporting courses, and activities. It is located in Incline Village Nevada, and a large portion of the park is completely free to use. If you’re in the north Tahoe area and are looking for a spot to exercise, play a game, or just enjoy some nice walking trails you should definitely pay it a visit.
Where is the Incline Village Recreation Center?
The Incline Village Recreation Center is located in the town of Incline Village at the Northeastern end of Lake Tahoe, Nevada. The Rec Centre and surrounding park are on Incline Way, heading southeast from Southwood Blvd, before Country Club Dr. It’s just west of the University of Nevada, Reno.
Incline Village Fitness Course Park and Village Green
Across from the Incline Village Recreation Center on the other side of Incline Way is the Fitness Course, and Village Green. The Fitness Course is a series of walking trails through the wooded area along Third Creek. The trail is unique in that there is outdoor fitness equipment along the path for public use. I started my adventure through the recreation center and park on this trail, and was surprised to see the fitness equipment at first. All equipment was labeled with instructions and numbered. As I continued down the walking trails I saw more and more equipment, all targeting different muscle groups. I visited the park in the evening and didn’t see anyone using the equipment, but there were quite a few people walking their dogs. I tried a couple of exercise machines, and they all seemed to work really well.
The trail also leads to the Village Green, a large green space with two soccer fields. It’s a nice big open area with soccer nets already installed. All you have to bring is a soccer ball and some friends to play with!
Creekside Walking Trails
I’ve been trying to go on at least a 45-minute walk every day, and since my boyfriend wanted to use the bike course, it was a perfect opportunity for me to explore the trails near the Incline Village Recreation Center. I entered by the trailhead on the south side of Incline Way and started my journey through the forested creekside trail.
I went at around 6 pm in the early fall, and it seemed to be the perfect time, as the forest was very quiet, and the golden light of the almost setting sun lit up the tops of the trees. I saw a few other folks taking an evening stroll, or walking their dogs, but for the majority of my walk, I had the forest all to myself.
Third Creek runs through the park, so you can hear the lovely sound of the water, and stop on a bridge or bench along the trails to enjoy the sights sounds, and smells.
You’ll find yourself surrounded by the coniferous forest of the north Tahoe area, with trees like spruce, pine, and fir all around you. Even in early fall, you can see young plants thriving, like the wood rosebuds in the image below.
At the southern end of the park, is a parking lot just above Lakeshore Avenue. Signs at the bottom of the park provide directions on how to access Ski and Incline Beach on Lake Tahoe, just below Lakeshore Ave. There are additional walking trails across Incline Way to the west of the bike park. The trails cut through the disc golf course, however, so watch out for flying frisbees!
Incline Village Bike Park
After I had finished exploring the Fitness Course Park and walking trails and went back up to the northern end of the park to check out the bike park. The bike park is a series of dirt jumps, ramps, and walls for the use of mountain bikers. There are dozens of obstacles, and routes you can take to work on your skills. If you’re a mountain biker you’ll definitely love this park.
While I’m certainly not a good enough biker to send myself over one of these jumps, I did enjoy watching my boyfriend practice his skills. The bike park is also free to use, and there is an air pump just in case you get a flat tire. There is a bench above the park for curious spectators to watch the daredevils at work.
Disc Golf Course
Just west of the bike park is the disc golf course. The course consists of 18 baskets throughout the wooded area between Tahoe Blvd and Incline Way.
The course is spread out in a heavily wooded area, so there can be some obstruction by trees. This may make the course more challenging for some, however, I am no disc golf expert. There is however a pretty clearly marked footpath leading to each basket, and you can even download a coarse map from the Incline Village Parks and Recreation website.
Tennis and Pickleball Courts
One of the main attractions of the Incline Village Recreation Center is the Tennis Center and Pickleball Courts. There are 8 tennis courts as well as 12 pickleball courts.
You can reserve a court, reserve a ball machine, or get a season pass for access to the courts! There is also a nice outdoor patio for you to enjoy, restrooms, and kitchen at the Tennis Center building. All the courts are surrounded by the coniferous forest, and it’s a beautiful place to play a game of tennis or pickleball.
Recreation Center
The Recreation Center is the main attraction here. There is a full gym, indoor pool and sauna, weight lifting room, and personal trainers on-site to offer a helping hand. You can join group fitness classes, sign up with a personal trainer, sign up for a membership or just pay for a drop-in.
FAQs About the Incline Village Recreation Center & Park
Is there parking at the Incline Village Rec Center?
Yes, there is parking at the main rec center entrance just off of Incline Way. If you’re just wanting to check out the park trails and Village Green, you can also use the parking lot on Lakeshore.
Is the Rec Center free?
No, the Recreation Center is not free. You can buy a membership, or pay for a drop-in rate. The bike park, Village Green soccer fields, and Incline Village Fitness Course are all free to use. The tennis courts and pickleball courts also require a drop-in or membership fee.
Are there public restrooms at the Incline Village Rec Center and Park?
Yes, there are public restrooms on the south end of the Village Green, and public washrooms in the lobby of the recreation center building.