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Walker River State Recreation Area
In 1862, a wagon bounced over a stretch of dusty road from the booming mining town of Aurora to Nine Mile Ranch, just outside soon-to-be Yerington. On board was Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) racing to the aid of his seriously ill friend, Captain John Nye who owned the ranch. Nye recovered, but the trip cost Clemens a sizeable fortune. He lost his claim due to his absence. Clemens’ trek to Nine Mile Ranch was a costly one, but today, the benefits of visiting the area far outweigh any cost. The ranch is just one small part of the Walker River State Recreation Area (Walker River SRA) which opened in 2018.