Right off of I-80 in Truckee this is one of the coolest places of the Sierra. Donner Lake is a true mountain getaway for activities from boating & fishing in the summer to snowshoeing in winter. Although it's a fraction in size to its bigger sibling Lake Tahoe, it offers a more relaxed alternative and just as many options of things to do on and off the water. Don't miss Donner State Park while visiting the lake. It is a giant part of local history. read more

Backround On Donner Lake: Named after the Donner Party, a group of pioneers who became trapped in the Sierra Nevada Mountains during the winter of 1846-47. The lake was originally known as Truckee Lake, but was renamed in their memory. The Donner Party's ill-fated journey and subsequent struggle for survival has made the area a place of both historical significance and tragedy Background On Visit: Reading articles about things to do near Lake Tahoe, we decided to visit this place. Location/Parking: Located along Donner Pass Rd.. Free parking on the west end of the lake. Ambiance: The views of the pine trees and water are very nice when you drive along Donner Pass Rd.. Probably be more enjoyable as a passenger. Perhaps next time. Entertainment: 1) Boating and Water Sports: Rent boats, kayaks, paddleboards, or hydrobikes at Donner Lake Watersports. 2) Fishing: Donner Lake is known for kokanee salmon and various trout species. 3) Swimming: Enjoy the lifeguard-staffed West End Beach Park or swim at the public piers. 4) Hiking Trails Donner Lake For Thought: Choose Donner Lake for a more serene and accessible experience with a unique history and warmer water. :) read more

Donner Lake - Donner lake - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

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Been to the lake several times over the years with my family and my faith community and didn't think to write a review. The lake staff is always nice and helpful. I'm super impressed at how they somehow keep the bathrooms stocked when the lake is full is visitors. I'm prepared each year with my own toiletries just in case, but there is always soap, tissue, paper towels, and seat covers available. I took a five mile walk which was lovely and the weather was absolutely perfect. Looking forward to returning again, always a good time! read more

Donner Lake - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

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Always a favorite when driving through the area. Parking along the lake is free just be mindful no overnight parking. Docks numbered 1-37 are on a first come basis, some do offer shade. Be prepared on days that is it busy you might have a slight walk from where you park down to the pier. read more

Donner Lake - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

Can't beat Donner Lake for an afternoon swim at the piers, or a camping trip at the state park. read more

Donner Lake - A breezy and sunny afternoon swim - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

Visited china cove beach near donner lake and it was so beautiful and plenty of places to sit and watch your children go in the water with floaties. Bring a picnic and there is plenty of parking and bathrooms read more

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Always a special place to visit and spend a few days ! Beautiful clear, clean, and refreshing water. read more

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I love Donner lake. It's so beautiful and peaceful. It's less crowed then Lake Tahoe and there is more parking then kings beach and it's free parking if you go to the West End. I believe if you go into the national park area there is a fee for parking. It's also a much larger area and more secluded in areas. We usually stay in Truckee so Donner lake is our lake. I highly recommend you visit the west end and enjoy the family oriented outdoor activity. read more

Donner Lake - Donner lake - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

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Rented Skidoo's and stayed in a vrbo cabin across from the lake. Bears everywhere with cubs, they ignored us as we did them Suggest headed up to Donner tunnels to have amazing views of the lake, and you're only a few miles from the Pacific Crest Trail. Spent a few days on the trail. read more

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Such a beautiful location. Easy access from Hwy 80. Started at the visitors center. $10 entrance fee to the park area. There is lots of information and history here. The gift shop has great stuff. We walked to the memorial statue and around the trail. Then we walked around the lake. So beautiful. There were people there picnicing and just sitting by the shore enjoying the day. Pro tip: bring a lunch and drinks. There isn't any food here. Highly recommend. read more

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I've been to Donner Lake so many times over the years and I've always stopped along the way to admire it's majestic beauty in all four seasons of the year. (My favorite is the winter with the snow- that is, if I had to choose) Needless for me to say, it is beautiful 365 days of the year. Of course, I tell my story and tale of Captain Donner and how his wagon train was stranded because of the extreme weather. As a passenger and driver through the Pass, I will say it is not hard for one to get stranded or even lost in the Donner area. Over the years, I've watched the lake front expand with homes and parks and places to picnic Drop down Donner Pass Road off Highway 80 going west and take the lower lake road around the way until you pass Donner Ski ranch and Sugar Bowl Resorts. You will surface back onto /into the city of Norden on Highway 80 West Enjoy the view!! read more

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Just a quick note for dog owners. The very eastern edge of the lake is a free access to a dog friendly shoreline. Popular with locals for dog swimming and frolicking. Park on the south side of the road. Walk to the Tahoe Donner beach club. In the member only parking lot, just before the ticket shack there is a gate in the chain link fence. Go through that. Turn right on the dirt path. Walk 120 yards to the shoreline. Unclip your dog's leash and let the fun begin. read more

Beautiful mountain lake and vacation spot. Serene and peaceful drive and stroll about, from lakeside shore to the very scenic drive to the Vista Point overlook a few miles up the winding mountain road. This lake is surrounded with numerous cabins and inns, as well as a number of lakeside piers; most taken over by individuals and groups of sunbathers. One young lady totally in the nude! But as with Lake Tahoe, traffic is backed up with road workers only allowing groups of vehicles to pass with a lead escort car taking turns for traffic going one way at a time. Prepare for traffic jams if planning to visit anytime soon. But well worth the rewarded scenic splendor of nature. read more

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Beautiful lake , bring some extra clothing in winter as it gets very wind and cold

I love coming here, it feels so peaceful between the walks you can do or hanging out with the pup by the lake to doing all the water sport activities! You can swim in the lake in the summer and it's beautiful!!! You can also camp here as well! There is parking around the lake or a parking lot by pioneer monument for 10$ day parking,the dog beach is so nice too! read more

Donner Lake - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

I grew up visiting Donner Lake with one of my best friends who grew up right off the lake. Her mom still has her house there, and we have fond memories of paddleboarding the lake and laying out on their deck until the fireworks for the 4th of July celebrations. My most recent visit was over the weekend. My kids and I will take a lake day over hanging at the pool any day. With summer vacation here for the kids, we're sun greedy, and we're already sun-kissed, but you can find us next to a lake somewhere. This park is well kept! If you get there earlier in the day, you can grill there and claim a table in the designated grilling areas. We grilled a variety of meats, but I was craving carne asada tacos and aguachiles. Bring your own charcoal and do clean up after yourself and your parties. There's already been double-digit bear sightings since the weather warmed up. If you don't bring lunch, there's an awesome general store that makes sandwiches and sells a variety of beer around the corner. Bring your bug spray and Claritin if you're allergy prone like myself. The mosquitos had their way with me, and the pollen was high. And don't forget your sunscreen and water as well. A big thanks to the park staff for keeping the park up. $10 all-day park use, and they sell local bundles of firewood at the park entrance. Please, please do your part and bring a garbage bag and pack out what you pack in. I love Donner 365 days a year; let's do our part and preserve it for our kid's kids. I've worked here in both extremes with the snow or in the heat. I'll be back sooner than later, and I'm bringing my bug spray! read more

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*Aug 26th visit * Stopped by after my car overheated (bummer). There is a $13 fee per adult to get in but they have all the amenities that you could need , the water was so clear and beautiful! I enjoyed Donner Lake . Care:4/5 Quality :5/5 Cost:4/5 Cleanliness :5/5 Atmosphere:5/5 Parking:4/5 read more

Donner Lake - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

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Well developed lake with a lot of houses around it's perimeter. The special aspect here are the limited public piers along the lake. I was lucky to find an empty one and enjoyed my short private time there. When I left, a family materialized to take my place. It's a busy and well used lake. It is more polluted with trash and the water not quite as clear as other surrounding lakes. Lots of traffic and lots of parked cars all around the area, so caution to drivers and pedestrians. Pubs, restaurants and an ice cream shop waits to refuel you. read more

Donner Lake - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

This lake is stunning & interesting. My friend & I did a winter picnic here in the back of the car. We just parked on the side rode that looked out to the lake. After that, we visit the museum down the road. read more

Donner Lake - Lake view - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

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First time at Donner Lake to paddle board and we had a blast. We didn't bring the puppy but dogs were allowed. The water was so warm and calm enough for a nice paddle board ride. Lots of cool little inlets to set up our own private relaxation station. Parking was a little tough but we got lucky after a couple times circling when a car left. We plan to come again. read more

Donner Lake - Paddle boarding for the first time - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

Just spectacular. Less crazy than Tahoe, though weekends and holidays can challenge that assertion. Simply a gorgeous getaway with plenty to do in the surrounding areas that don't involve actually being on or in the water. read more

Donner Lake - Early afternoon view of Donner. - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

Beautiful , water was freezing . my son was brave enough to get in and a friend we were with, brave souls hahaha. Had a blast! if you like hiking,swimming, fishing, nature MUST VISIT! Beautiful beautiful. read more

Donner Lake - Dinner Lake - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

Any time if year this lake is beautiful a d captures the heart. It's a jewel and worth the visit to camp or stay at a lodge. Just breathe in it's beauty and the alpine air. So good for the soul. read more

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Beautiful lake that's much less crowded than Lake Tahoe. I went to both this weekend and I actually preferred Donner Lake because it's so peaceful. Unfortunately the Dixie fire is still making the sky super hazy. I'd like to return once the fire is controlled and the sky clears up so I can see the true beauty Sonner Lake has to offer. read more

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it was 3:00 in morning and it was so cold that I had cover my self in 3 blankets in my tent and also saw a shadow walk past my tent I was so scared and I got out my tent to look and no one was there this left me shaking for minutes till I decided leave early read more

Winter or Summer take your pick. Donner Lake is one of those places that looks beautiful either way. I love Spring season here because you get to enjoy the sunshine with a background of snow. We tend to come here on our way to Reno. It's a good stop over for some postcard like photos. Plan accordingly......what to wear, what ya gonna do, where you want to stay, and during Winter, you might need chains on your car. Bring a camera.....so you can capture the moment. They also have little cute eatery places for little bites. Check it out. Check out my pictures. read more

Donner Lake - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

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The view is beautiful but omg so many bees at the beach. You can't even enjoy a nice picnic lol. I don't think I will go back. $5 per person to go into the beach and yes they do have restrooms there. $30 to rent paddle boat for an hour. read more

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Love it here. Water is calm today. Kids enjoying the jetski. We enjoyed the "fishing boat" read more

Donner Lake - Rented jetski from Donner Lake Marina. The guys here are very nice & helpful - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

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Family wanted to Kayak and there are a few parking spots along the river bend a short walking distance in. Picnic tables and the nice weather makes for a nice family outing. My brother in law paid for the parking but said $5/ a vehicle and it didn't matter how late we came. Just remember the park closes at Sunset. read more

Donner Lake - Tons of people walking around - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

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For god sakes, get off I 80 and drive by Donner Lake. This glacial lake is something to see from all directions. Read up on the geology of the lake and you'll appreciate it even more. read more

Gosh this place is gorgeous. A nice, slightly less crowded getaway with the family compared to Lake Tahoe. Clean, spacious, agreeable hikes, just stunning. Let mother nature do the rest! When the kids are playing in the lake, it's heaven. read more

First time here in 40 years lol. I didn't know about this lake until someone posted on Facebook. Celebrating my son's 12th birthday. He wanted to try kayaking for the first time by himself and the boat flipped over after 5 minutes. We ended up exchanging it for double so that my husband can paddle. The lifeguard had to rescue him . Later on that day he wanted to try floating boat by himself again. He ended up getting rescued again by the lifeguard. I almost lost him . He said he was tired to paddle and the boat was going further out. All the lifeguards were really nice and their service was great . Please give them a raise. They did a great job thank you for saving my boy. I would definitely come back . read more

Beautiful Spot! We went around late 2 PM and the water was very still and peaceful. There weren't much people thus, it was great for some peace of mind. Tragic story behind it. read more

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Donner Lake is a beautiful place to come and relax, do some fishing, and much more. Is quiet most of the time, but there is plenty to explore. read more

Donner Lake - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

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Ever been to the bridge overlooking Donner Lake & seen the railway tunnels & huge boulders? There's a lot to explore in that area by hiking, walking, and bouldering, & I definitely recommend this if the weather is good. The railway tunnels can be accessed by parking near the bridge & walking over. You get a great view of the lake right away, but it gets better. The tunnels are just a cool place to explore & you get a glimpse into the history of the area. They go for 9 miles, but we probably only walked half the distance. The tunnels open up at spots and there are great views. We hiked back above the tunnels where they're really fun bouldering. We ended up coming back the next day to try bouldering in other spots... we could probably have done this for a week straight- it was so much fun. read more

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The picture says it all - clean, beautiful and in one of the nicest cities in America. Perfect place for a picnic. read more

Donner Lake - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

Getting directions from my aunt and trying to picture her directions was not easy. It's "follow this road all the way up" but I had a hard time finding out what road and how to get to this road. Good thing Donner Lake is part of a State Park and they have a visitor center. GO THERE FIRST if you're not a local. My aunt was semi-local. They had a hand-drawn map. Yup, hand drawn! This map not only has directions to the Lake, but notations on various interesting spots one might want to take the time to explore such as ... Rainbow Bridge Moses Cabin Abandoned Railroad Track AND tunnel with murals Rocks for climbing (or walking) Petroglyphs Went in the summer and the view of Donner Lake from the Rainbow Bridge was awesome. There weren't a lot of tourists which was a plus. There were many photo ops along the "turnout spots". It's kinda hard to get good angles though. The turnouts are also great places to stretch legs and climb some giant rocks. Great for kids and adults and history buffs. Which reminds me... Donner Lake used to be called Truckee Lake, like the town below, after the Paiute who showed the pioneers/settlers the river and lake in order to help them survive and get their bearings (for navigation). read more

I swam a lot in this lake. Yes, yes it happened. During my photo session I dropped into water because of north wind. But one guy saved my life and I can write this words to you, my friends :). Nice lake. There are so many boats and jet skis around. We stayed here just for bbq lunch. Really good point for rest. read more

Donner Lake - Lakes Near Me - Truckee, California

This place is an easy miss if you're constantly going up and down to Tahoe region and not really stopping to sight see along the way. Donner Lake is a beautiful detour you can take along the way where you see a gorgeous clean lake and beautiful scenery especially in the winter time. You can walk around, but I just kind of took in the sights here because there are docks and some houses that are right on the water. It's a nice place I can imagine in the summer for a cool picnic around the lake. Not sure if you can just bring your boat here what the regulations are ... but it's pretty! read more

Words can't describe what an incredible lake this is! We enjoyed it swimming in it from the West Beach as well as the State park. Each time was a new and fun experience! There are a few easy hiking trails around the lake to enjoy as well. We biked with our little kids who loved stopping by hidden coves to play in the water before heading back on their bikes around the state park! Highly recommend visiting this lake when you're in the Truckee area. read more