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    Donner Memorial State Park

    4.2 (169 reviews)

    Donner Memorial State Park Photos

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    Memorial tall enough it will never be covered by snow.
    Mike B.

    Well done and touching memorial. Quite a bit of information about Donner himself and the tragedy Very nice and modern facility. Information on film that is showing on a loop, needs updating badly.

    Welcome Center. I got the yellow mug below!
    Lai Z.

    It was a planned visit since I'm fan of museums. I wanted to learn the history of the community. And if you also like nature trails like me, you should also visit this place. The day-use for every vehicle is $10. You can use card when paying up front. The parking lot is huge but it can get full as soon as 11 am hits! Several cars have been parked as soon as 7am so if you plan to stay for the day, you need to be there as early as you can. First come first serve basis. The reason it gets busy is the park itself can house day use camping, there's a Pioneer Monument where the groups of pioneers who risked their lives to reach California in the mid 1800's are remembered and honored. There is also a Donner Memorial State Park Visitor Center where the history of the area is explored. They also offer a free tour where you can ask questions around the area's cultural and natural history. We enjoyed the nature trails. It was easy and paved and beautiful. The variety of birds, squirrels and other wildlife is a good and peaceful experience for families or when you just want to experience nature. The state park opens at 7am for the campground use but the Visitor Center at 10am all week long. There are bathrooms around the area. They were decent when i used one and water pressure is great, bring your own soap since it did not have any when i went.

    Alex C.

    On our way up to Tahoe, we made a quick pit stop at Donner Memorial State Park Museum. Located at the entrance to the Donner Memorial State Park, this visitor center/museum offers free admission and provides a rich insight into the Donner Party, the Land of the Washoe, Chinese construction of the railroad and early motoring adventures over Donner Pass. It's a nice place to stop if you want to learn more about some of the history of the area. As well as a great place to use the restroom before you hit the trails/road. The parking lot is very big and spacious, with no shortage of spots. However, there is a parking fee of $10 for the day.

    Danada M.

    Finally got out here to check out the VISITOR CENTER with the small but interesting Donner Party Museum. There is even a 26 minute movie in a nice little that tells the story. Parking is $10 but everything is free after parking. I did not see any food for sale so do not come hungry! But there's a neat little gift shop. I think it's worth the time and parking fee even if all you do is visit the Visitor Center but keep in mind there's a whole State Park here. After we were done inside we did the EASY 1/2 mile loop walk which is wonderful. It's shaded most of the way AND it's usually about 10 degrees cooler here than Reno so summer is great here. There are occasional benches to rest on. We're in our 70's and it was smooth sailing. If you're a walker or hiker there are many more wonderful wooded trails to explore. And there's a campground. But if you've got kids and are just passing through you could have a grand adventure in an under two hours (leisurely) time frame, that includes the museum and movie and the trail. Please check my pictures. I looked at other reviewers pics and did not realize this scenery is SO CLOSE on such a short walk. I'm posting my trail map also. I forgot to start it at the beginning of the trail but I kept recording till I got all the way back to the visitor center right on parking lot. So you can feel confident that young children or handicapped in wheelchairs could enjoy at least a short bit if not all of the trail. It's WONDERFUL! If you find this review USEFUL please VOTE!

    Meadow outside the park as I walked towards the entrance
    Jennifer N.

    After hiking around Donner Pass and seeing the lake from up high, I next drove over to Donner Memorial State Park. It's got a really interesting museum and visitor center that shares the story of the Donner party as well as highlights the history of indigenous tribes and the local wildlife. The gift shop had some unique shirts, magnets, books, jewelry and more. It was sort of on par with National Parks gift shops! The park itself has some simple trails as well as a path over to the lake. Given all the hiking I had done earlier in the day, I just did a short walk over to the lake from the visitor center. On a warm summer Saturday, the main challenge was parking. The lot was marked as full and staff claimed that day use parking was at capacity. I had to park outside the main entrance down the street a bit. I didn't mind walking further but it was a bit frustrating as when I arrived near the visitor center, there were several open parking spaces. I have a CA state parks pass so it would be good if they offered pass holders a chance to circle the lot to see if anyone is leaving. Overall, a very well done park that has a nice balance of history and nature. I'd like to come back and do some of their trails and explore the lakeside area some more.

    10.06.24 Donner Memorial State Park
    May A.

    Beautiful state park preserving the site of the Donner Camp [Truckee CA] We have driven past this state park several times on our way to or coming back from Reno, Las Vegas and Tahoe City but we never had a chance to actually plan on stopping by the park. We came here one weekend and ended up spending three hours. ATTRACTIONS: Donner Memorial State Park is located in the scenic Sierra Nevada mountain range at an elevation of about 6,000-ft and offers summer camping, picnicking, kayaking, paddle sports, fishing, and hiking. In winter visitors can cross-country ski, snowshoe on trails, and play in the snow. This park has activities year-round. We were only here for a day trip but looking into revisiting again next month in November. HISTORIC: We came to visit the famous Pioneer Monument. It was built to commemorate the California emigrants traveling west during the mid-1800's. The story about the Donner Party has always interested me. We have followed their story during our road trip to the midwestern (Nebraska) and mountain states (Wyoming) in July 2024 where they carved historic trails upon their quest to the gold mines of California. PARKING RATES: There is a $10 parking fee that we paid at the automated pay machine but you can also pay inside the visitor center. HAUNTED? There were also documented creepy experiences by others that were actually felt in and around the area where the ill-fated Donner Party withered... [goosebumps] Review #3555

    Ana T.

    This is a really great park to visit. It's about an hour drive from South Lake Tahoe. It has a very tragic history, which you can look up online or at the visitor center. There were people swimming, picnicking, walking their dogs, etc. My friend and I ate our lunch at one of the empty tables and then took a stroll along the paved road by the lake. It was a relaxing day.

    Amy O.

    9/15/2024-inspired by the recent fishing reports and made the drive .. Never been on the other side of the lake.. Early Sunday 7 am.. Paid the self parking and drove in.. Very clean and well kept park.. Plenty of parking, restrooms and tables.. Little uncomfortable reading the warning signs of bear sightings.. Went and fished China Cove, but after a while.. decided to leave.. Definitely would come back to fish .. Beautiful pics taken.. glad to learn a new spot..

    Kelly N.

    This place is such a gem! It's heavily wooded and less busy than Tahoe. It still seems super hard to get a camping spot though! We are excited to explore their hiking trails this fall when it cools down. We have been coming up in the evenings for paddle boarding on their cove area (which is protected from the wind and waves). We ended up buying the 75$ one year pass that gets you parking at a few different places around Tahoe. Well worth the investment and it will get me out more! My kids love the rope swing at swimmers cove and the large rock for jumping off of! I look forward to visiting in the day and having my kids learn about the Donner Party from the visitors center. Nothing but great things to review here!

    Rain W.

    This park has a museum where you can learn more about the Donner Party. There is a giant monument that shows how high the snow was at the time of the incident. There is also a small trail that's pretty easy to walk on with compacted soil and wooden trails. There are some nice photographic areas. They do charge for parking, so be aware.

    Park Entrance
    Cory M.

    Beautiful scenery and the water was crystal clear. Parking was easy and wasn't overly crowded.

    Hanging out in camp.
    Michele O.

    We camped here for two nights in early August. Our first time here, and immediately I thought, "why have we not camped here before?" Our site was very nice; lots of space and privacy (I think we got lucky, it was one of the nicest sites). But there were many nice campsites. There is so much to do here. Hiking trails, swimming and kayaking in the lake, and a museum. The lake and surrounding mountains are beautiful. You can hear I-80 in the distance; but it is at the level that fades into the background and you don't really pay attention to it. There are bears in the area, so you have to be very, very careful to secure your food and ice chests (hefty fines if you don't). A bear locker is provided at each site. Also, make sure you bring mosquito repellent. For RV campers, note that there are no hook ups. There is no dump station either. There is a dump station located at a nearby gas station, but it was "out of order" when we were there (Aug 10, 2023). We ended up driving to Coachland RV Park to use their dump station ($15.00).

    The visitor center.
    Norm K.

    When I had thoughts of visiting Northern Nevada, one of the places on my list was to visit the Donner Party memorial and see where the pioneers who didn't make it across the Sierra Nevada Montanans had to spend that awful winter. The museum/visitor center has a display of many items from the era. There are also signs with explanations of the life these people endured waiting to be rescued or saved somehow. There is a section that pays homage to the Chinese who were the labor who helped build the trans-continental railroad. After the railroad was finished, they were no longer welcome and had to live elsewhere. This is an interesting stop and while you cannot see Donner Pass from here, you can see the Sierra Nevada Mountains and realize the rugged and difficult terrain they had to overcome to make it to the gold rush areas of California. I suggest you look on PBS for a program that was done about the Donner Party and this awful part of the history of the West.

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Donner Memorial State Park

    Can we bbq in the picnic areas?

    Yes. There are grills. Larger stone grills and on the far end smaller ones. Or bring your own.

    Since the showers cost money, are they only for campers, or can day users use them?

    They're for campers. But there's really no way to enforce it and no one is checking to see if you're a camper or not. So yeah you can get away with using the showers for day use.

    Does the campground allow pets?

    Yes, leashed.

    Which campsite is the best?

    SPLIT ROCK campground. Try to get #118 or any of the sites on the perimeter.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Donner Memorial State Park

    The visitor's center has an ancient, but extremely informative video about the history of the Donner Party.

    Mentioned in 38 reviews

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    West End Beach - Beautiful kid's park on the beach!

    West End Beach

    4.4(31 reviews)
    2.7 mi

    My favorite beach in the Tahoe Truckee area. I love it even more then King's beach. Why do I love…read moreit so much. Usually parking isn't an issues. This time there weren't any parking spaces in the lot. We went around twice, but no cigar. We ended up finding a place on the street across from the back entrance. We lucked out. I also love that it's not as busy as kings beach. This time it was packed, but we still found 2 great spots. One in the shade and another in the sun right there on the sand and steps away from the lake. They offer boat rentals: Pedal boats and canoes or kayaks, I wasn't close to tell, it was one or the other. They also have 2 lifeguards on duty. If you get the munchies or are thirsty thy have a snack-shack. Unfortunately they were out of hot dogs. And lastly they have pretty clean bathrooms. 2 stalls in one and a family bathroom. They also have tennis courts. And a Basketball court and play structure for the kiddos. If you want a picnic table you can reserve one or just arrive early. If you want pick of spots arrive early. If you want a parking spot luck out when someone leaves or arrive early. Summer time is a prime time to come. It's $12 per person during the summer. If you come before the 4th of July the snack-shack is closed, but it's free to enter and there is plenty of parking. We usually come before the 4th of July so we were surprised to see some many people and a packed parking lot, but we totally get it, It was a perfect day. In the 80's not to hot or cold. They have a swimming area which the lifeguards patrol. It's pretty shallow near shore. If you bring your paddle board like many people do you can do this outside the swimming area. You are allowed to bring inflatables. Someone had a giant unicorn and another party had a giant round party float. I'd return, but I'd go earlier in the day if I come in the summer time to ensure we get a parking space. We arrived around 1pm and I believe it opens around 10 or 11am. So we weren't so late. There were just a lot of early birds.

    Drove here from Sacramento for the day and had an absolute blast! Water was clear and gorgeous…read morescenery. The sand was actual beach-like sand and they had plenty of space to set up our small tent. Make sure to come early as finding parking is a nightmare. I believe we arrived around 8/9am on a Saturday and most of the parking spots were already taken.

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    West End Beach
    West End Beach
    West End Beach

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    Donner Lake

    Donner Lake

    4.8(77 reviews)
    2.6 mi

    Right off of I-80 in Truckee this is one of the coolest…read moreplaces 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.

    Backround On Donner Lake: Named after the Donner Party, a group of pioneers who became trapped in…read morethe 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. :)

    Photos
    Donner Lake
    Donner Lake - 10.06.24 California's Donner Lake got its name from the Donner Party

    10.06.24 California's Donner Lake got its name from the Donner Party

    Donner Lake

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    Truckee Legacy Trail - Glenshire - Sunset in January over the bridge - 5:30pm time mid January

    Truckee Legacy Trail - Glenshire

    4.8(13 reviews)
    7.2 mi

    Got an early weekday start this morning on the trail. Started from Truckee Regional Park (free…read moreparking) and headed east to Glenshire parking. 4.53 miles with 213' vertical gain at approximately 5700' elevation. A popular ride along the Truckee river. The City has a lot of pride in this trail. Fully paved and well maintained. This trail has a lot of bike riders, families and dog walkers. Just note: lots of dogs off leash. Bike or walk the trail and then meander into downtown nearby for lunch or dinner. A perfect plan to enjoy a beautiful day in the Truckee area.

    "Great place for a run, bike ride, or stroll."…read more This is one of the more well-known trails in Truckee. I call it a trail, but it's really paved. There is a nice little parking area at the trailhead off Glenshire. You can take the trail all the way to downtown Truckee. It's a beautiful vista, and obviously popular with the locals. Not long after leaving the trailhead, I spotted remnants of a dam. I'm told there used to be an ice block business located right there. The dam created a pond, used to cut ice blocks from. The day that I visited there were tons of bikers and walkers. Most of the bikers had e-bikes. Some go fast, so be aware. If you enjoy the hobby of geocaching, there are tons of geocaches along this trail. Keep in mind there aren't any facilities or water along this trail. At least, none that I saw.

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    Truckee Legacy Trail - Glenshire - Early morning walks with the dogs!

    Early morning walks with the dogs!

    Truckee Legacy Trail - Glenshire - Geocache hidden under a big boulder

    Geocache hidden under a big boulder

    Truckee Legacy Trail - Glenshire

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    Pacific Crest Trail - Flora Lake

    Pacific Crest Trail

    5.0(3 reviews)
    3.0 mi

    This review covers two different PCT routes-- The Castle Peak Trail and the Mount Judah Loop trail…read more CASTLE PEAK TRAIL: This moderately strenuous hike will take you to the top of Castle Peak, elevation 9,100 feet. Hiking poles are recommended, as there are sections of loose gravel along the trail, very slippery. Coming from the Sacramento area, you take the Boreal exit and turn left. MOUNT JUDAH LOOP: From Sacramento, get off I-80 at Soda Springs. Trailhead is just past the access road to Sugar Bowl, on Donner Pass Road (the old US Highway 40 and a Scenic Bypass Route). This lightweight hiking trail is a popular route for local cross-country runners. Get to the trailhead by 10:00 am on Saturdays, as the parking lot will get full quickly. We rated this trail (about 5 miles) as relatively easy-to-moderate in difficulty, but recommend poles if you don't like slippery rocks etc.

    This is a review for the trail to Summit Lake - part of the Pacific Crest Trail…read more I like hiking but I'm a lightweight so I don't like long, difficult hikes. This was perfect. It was about 4.5 miles out and back, barely any uphill, lots of shade, and a beautiful lake at the end. I went on September 1st and the weather was perfect. I highly recommend this hike for families and anyone who wants a nice hike without a lot of sweating involved. Oh, and bring your dogs! We saw lots of pups on our way and we brought along 4 of our own too. It's fun to watch the dogs swim in the lake.

    Photos
    Pacific Crest Trail - View of Donner Lake

    View of Donner Lake

    Pacific Crest Trail - Flora Lake

    Flora Lake

    Pacific Crest Trail

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    Donner Memorial State Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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