It’s easy to find solitude in the Wedekind Hills Regional Park in north Sparks.

The 250-acre site, located adjacent to the Pyramid Highway, off Disc Drive, encompasses a portion of a once-active silver and gold mining area known as the Wedekind Mining District.

While little evidence remains of that mining period, beside a few dirt mounds, the story of the district and its mines is a fascinating and lesser-known part of Washoe County’s past.

The mines were developed in about 1896 by George Wedekind, a Prussian emigrant who had come to America to make his fortune. Wedekind, who was a piano tuner by trade, plied his skills in New York and San Francisco before moving in 1880 to White Pine County, Nevada to raise cattle.

By the late 1880s, he was living in Virginia City, working as a piano tuner and prospecting on the side.

In 1895, Wedekind relocated to the Truckee Meadows, where he maintained his piano tuning and repair business, while also continuing his prospecting expeditions.

One day in June 1896, while eating his lunch he casually kicked over a small rock which appeared a bit unlike others which lay about. Upon closer examination he was convinced that it contained ore.

He had the rock assayed and it came back as being rich in silver ore. He then began the process of sinking a shaft on the site, which was about two miles north of what would become the city of Sparks, and removed ore that proved to be worth about $370,000 in today's dollars.

Words soon spread about Wedekind’s mineral strike in the hills that now bear his name and a small mining camp soon popped up, which was called Wedekind City. Within two years of the discovery, the camp had close to 30 structures including a half-dozen wood frame buildings, clusters of tents, a boarding house, post office, miners’ hall, general store, machine shop, assay office, and a mill.

In 1901, prospects for Wedekind City and the mining district were so promising that Wedekind, who lacked the capital to properly work the mine, decided to sell out to wealthy cattleman John Sparks.

John Sparks would be elected governor of Nevada in November 1902. He had sold his cattle holdings in 1901 after a series of financial setbacks and believed the Wedekind district would be his ticket to new wealth.

He paid Wedekind about $150,000 (about $5.5 million in today’s dollars) for the property.

Sparks invested significant resources to developing the district, including timbering the mine shafts, installing a steam hoist works, and hiring about 40 workers to operate the mill. Unfortunately for him, the Wedekind mines proved to be played out.

Despite his successful run for governor (and reelection in 1906), Sparks was nearly bankrupted by the lack of success with the Wedekind district. When he died unexpected in 1908 at the age of 64, he had accumulated an enormous amount of debt. Despite that, he was extremely popular and the town of Sparks was named in his honor during his term as governor.

As for Wedekind, he had great success in Reno real estate development (using the money he made from his mining property). He died in 1905, following an automobile accident.

Despite being surrounded on all sides by neighborhoods, major roads and businesses, Wedekind Regional Park contains 250 acres of recreation opportunities.

Wedekind Regional Park is located just a few miles north of downtown Sparks - and even though it’s a rare remaining plot of Nevada open space preserved within a city’s limits, it’s often overlooked. With numerous trails maintained throughout and several access points, Wedekind is a great spot to enjoy a slice of nature that could practically be in your backyard.

Wedekind’s main entrance is located off Disc Drive near the intersection with Pyramid Highway. The rocky peak rising up behind Sprouts makes an imposing first impression. The gravel lot at this entrance often includes a portable restroom during warmer seasons, and a large sign welcomes visitors to the network of trails within, all a part of the Sparks Regional Trail System.

There are a handful of pedestrian access points around the perimeter of the park, with another parking area and trailhead at the end of Fourth Street. This space greets you with trees lining the Orr Ditch drainage and a bridge crossing into the park itself. Numerous faux logs and a small shade structure could serve as an outdoor classroom, or just a space to sit and appreciate the beauty of this open space.

Coyotes are frequent visitors within the park, as are marmots, with eagles and hawks often soaring overhead. Fence lizards dash to and fro, and songbirds nest in the cottonwood trees along Orr Ditch, which runs along portions of the west, south and east borders.

Though there are no trees growing in the main part of Wedekind - there are some along Orr Ditch - the park still has a lot to offer on summer days. Heading out early in the morning often allows for solitude, and most weekdays see few visitors to the park. On hot days, the tops of the two peaks often still manage to find a cooling breeze, and on cooler days, the sun warms you.

Whether you’re looking for a reason to get off the busy Pyramid Highway during rush hour, or want to enjoy a quick early-morning jaunt with your dog, Wedekind Regional Park has something to offer in every season.