Baseball players shot around the bases at Golden Eagle Sports Complex and Regional Park late Thursday, as the distant murmur of cheers could be heard from the valley up above.

The golden light of a setting sun cast shadows under sagebrush, while native clumps of flowers and brush hid animal paw prints and skull bones along the trail.

A group of local leaders and trail trekkers enjoyed the early summer breeze as they explored what will soon be the Pah Rah interpretive trail and outdoor classroom at the new park.

Interpretive signs will give residents and visitors a peek at the history of this rugged valley wedged between two volcanically-formed, lava-composed hills that seem to stretch forever into the Pah Rah range.

Sugarloaf Peak, a cinder-cone mountain in Spanish Springs - or another volcano like it - was thought to have at least two major eruptions; one that was 37 million years ago, and another that was 5 million years ago. These eruptions formed the Alta and Lousetown formations, named after Comstock Lode mining camps in Virginia City.

The Spanish Springs valley was first used by the Paiute, Washoe and Shoshone tribal people, as they spent the summers and falls gathering seeds from rice grass and other plants to bake in native breads.

Homesteaders first settled in the Spanish Springs valley in the 1870s and farmed hay, grain and livestock. The valley was heavily grazed by livestock until the "white winter" of 1889-1890, when weeks of snow storms and -40 degree temperatures starved and killed thousands of cattle. Overgrazing of the valley was allowed to continue until the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934, which regulated grazing on public lands.

Washoe County Ranger Rochelle Pope led a hike of the yet-to-be-paved, half-mile trail, showing kids and adults alike the native plants and animals. Children eagerly embraced their role as explorers, and provided keen lookouts for snakes, new plants, rabbit droppings and animal skulls. That evening provided a treasure trove for children, who excitedly raced back to Pope with their findings, absorbing the new information like little sponges.

Children were rewarded for their efforts by being allowed to touch animal skulls and a complete coyote pelt that Pope carried in her shoulder bag.

F & P Construction crews are on track to completing the project early and under budget. The construction of the paved, half-mile trail, interpretive signs, outdoor classroom, restrooms, and parking cost less than $810,000 and may be completed by the end of August.

Funds came from previously promised state and federal funds.

The Pah Rah Trailhead site was just one of several hikes scheduled by Washoe County that is hosted at a different site each week starting at 7 p.m. from now through the end of August. The next hike will be on June 26 at Brown's Creek Trailhead, located on Joy Lake Road south of Mt. Rose Highway. For more information on upcoming non-strenuous hikes at Washoe County parks, call 823-6500 or bharmon@washoecounty.us.