4 things you didn’t know about Sun Valley

On a work trip to Reno in February, I drove into Sun Valley and was amazed at the several business signs announcing “carniceria,” “taqueria,” “panaderia,” and “antojitos.” 

As you travel, you’ll see neighborhoods lined with rows and rows of trailers that meet the red hills. 

Sun Valley is nuzzled between Reno and Sparks. It is one of seven communities in the North Valleys region that have developed beyond the reach of Reno’s urban core — along with Cold Springs, Golden Valley, Hungry Valley, Rancho Haven, Lemmon Valley, and Stead. 

Among Renoites, Sun Valley has a complicated and stinky reputation, with the term “trailer trash” often used. But that’s not what I saw. I saw a close knit community, parents watching their children play soccer, and thriving businesses. But I also saw signs of economic hardship and historical government neglect.

Despite the negative public perception, its history is rich, complex, and increasingly shaped by a community determined to change its own narrative. 

Here are four things you may not have known about Sun Valley.

“Biggest Little Trailer Park”

According to Nevada Humanities, Sun Valley’s story began in 1938, when the federal government enacted the Small Tract Act, which was designed to encourage Western settlement. 

The law offered free 5-acre parcels of land with one main condition: Recipients had to live on the land permanently. By the 1950s, there were hundreds of small tracts settled. For many years, folks would regularly go to Sun Valley to hunt Sage Hen, Chucker, Quail and Cottontail. Before long, Sun Valley became extremely busy with the arrival of a new type of house called the mobile home. And with that, Sun Valley was born. 

A little neighborhood of trailer homes in Sun Valley. Image by Jannelle Calderon

But the landscape came with serious challenges: no infrastructure, unpaved roads, flood-prone zones, and limited county oversight. 

As Reno expanded northward, so did its trash. The City of Reno installed a landfill nearby in the late 1950s, and over time, illegal dumping from neighboring areas only deepened Sun Valley’s reputation as “trailer trash” and a dumping ground. 

Now, more than 21,000 people call the area home. And the community has worked hard to reclaim its identity. In recent years, residents and local elected officials have organized community cleanups to fight illegal dumping, often collecting hundreds of tires, couches, and pounds of trash from around the county. 

Washoe Commissioner Mariluz Garcia, who represents District 3, which includes Sun Valley, said she is passionate about keeping the area clean. 

“We’ve come a long way from being known as a dumping ground. People here care — and it shows,” Garcia told The Nevadan. 

Photo of an abandoned RV gathering trash in Sun Valley as shown by Washoe Commissioner Mariluz Garcia on her phone, who made the call to the Bureau of Land Management to get it cleaned up. She is passionate about fighting illegal dumping. Image by Jannelle Calderon

Sun Valley has become a Latino dense area 

Latinos and Hispanics can be found in every one of Nevada’s 17 counties — making up anywhere between 9% to 30% of a county’s population. But with about 52% of its population identifying as Latino or Hispanic according to the 2020 Census, Sun Valley stands out, especially as the area was once majority white. 

Looking back at Census data from 1990, when Sun Valley had about 11,000 residents, around 1,000 of them identified as Latino or Hispanic — or around 11% of the population at the time. 

As a result of the changing demographics, Latino-owned businesses have boomed in the area. 

In Washoe County, about one in four residents identify as Latino, so of course you’ll see signs in Spanish scattered around the area. But the frequency of them really sets apart Sun Valley and gives a sense of how dense the population in the area is. And they’re proud to call Sun Valley home. 

Local street vendor in selling snacks to children at the Sun Valley Community Park. Image by Jannelle Calderon

Sun Valley’s 343-acre Regional Park

At the end of a neighborhood, just behind an elementary school, where a paved road becomes dirt, the Sun Valley Regional Park is a hidden gem with acres of trails for hiking, native plants and wildlife, and a view of the Truckee Meadows.

The park includes a disc golf course and picnic areas with restrooms; it also allows mountain biking, snowshoeing, and equestrian use. 

Soon, the park will also unveil its bike park, which has been years in the making. The bike park first appeared in the Washoe County Sun Valley Regional Parks Master Plan in 2019. The park seeks to offer high-quality, sustainable, and safe recreational space for cyclists of all skill levels. 

Improvements coming to Sun Valley

Right now, parts of Sun Valley Boulevard are dangerous and inaccessible, especially for pedestrians, seniors, and people using wheelchairs. 

“We have one bike lane right here, but then it’ll stop,” Garcia said. “You can see the bus stop is literally in the dirt. If you’re in a wheelchair, you’re not going to be able to get around very easily.”

The proposed improvements in the Sun Valley Boulevard project include installing better storm drainage systems, sidewalks, trees, lighting, and upgraded transit stops. The area’s unique topography adds urgency: Rainwater pours down from Red Mountain, collects at the lowest point — near homes and schools — and causes frequent flooding. 

“It’s just this hustle and bustling little place and this corridor right here. It’s a 3-mile section owned by NDOT [Nevada Department of Transportation]. And so it’s just been ignored forever. It’s never been upgraded or invested in because of this drainage issue,” Garcia said. “I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that we can get access to that federal funding. We applied and they backdated it. And so it was just their way of saying, ‘Nope, we’re not gonna give any money away. We’re pushing pause.’ And it’s really hard on us because without federal funding, there is no way that we can improve this stretch of road. And people die on the stretch of road.”

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