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    Alycia A.

    This monument is located right next to the museum. You need to pay to park. They have a very short path to walk around near the monument. I appreciated the history.

    Ronald M.

    Donner Pass, a remarkable story of survival and being pushed to the extreme of hunger; cannibalism. Yes non-Californians, we do have areas in this state that experience remarkable volumes of snow. And not just here in the Sierras, but even in our local Southern California ranges. The poor unfortunate members of the Donner Party experienced the worst of those storms. This is a monument to many of that party's terrible fate 1846-47. I always vowed that I'd stop by to pay my respects if ever in the area. This trip to Truckee fulfilled that vow.

    Lillian W.

    The monument is beautiful and awe inspiring. The large bronze sculpture of a pioneer husband, wife, young child clinging to to the fathers leg, and baby cradled in the mother's arms as they trek forward side by side is darn right captivating. It sits atop a 22 foot stone base. That base height represents the historic snow line of that fateful winter of 1846. Amazing. It was dedicated in 1918. Sculpted by John McQuarrie. The cost was $25,000 ($415,000 now) and some of the money was raised by selling $1 ($17 now) glass vials of wood splinters of the Murphy cabin. There is a plaque on the front and back of the monument. Take the time to walk around to the back. Soak in the scenery of the trees and mountain lines, this was the spot where members of the Donner Party bunkered down. I visited the monument in the summer. I can only imagine how it looks in the winter. As you walk up to the monument, it is on a paved path next to the visitor center. Near the beginning of the path is a plaque on a large boulder. The plaque marks the site of the Schallenberger cabin. The cabin is long gone. It was built in 1844 by another pioneer family and used by the Breen family of the Donner party. Tip: Try to find parking on the side of the road first because parking in the lot is $10.

    Donner Party Memorial Site
    Carl F.

    Did you know that when you search 'Donner Party' on an iPhone it'll try to auto-correct your search to 'Dinner Party'? Too soon, Apple. Too soon. Modern dark humor aside, I feel like I have a lot of things in common with the ill-fated Donner party. For instance, they started out in Illinois with hopes of making it to the coast of California for greater opportunity and a better life and I recently made the cross-country trek from Illinois to California (taking their very same path) in search of a land where I never have to shovel sh*tty snow off my car again. I guess the main difference here is that my crew and I made it unscathed on our journey while the Donner party... well, let's just say that sh*tty snow didn't exactly work in their favor. But I gotta give it up to these true American Pioneers - they go hard. Like, whoa. Which brings me to the next similarity - I would totally eat human. I mean, obviously their circumstances weren't the greatest and people probably wasn't anyone's first menu choice, but they did what they had to do to survive, even if that meant having to eat all their friends. For that reason, I try my hardest to surround myself with only the best and most selfless of friends who I know would have no problem offering up an arm or a leg, should I ever be in dire need of sustenance. The Donner crew had 87 people in their group when they entered the mountains and in the end only 48 survived. The monument set up to honor these historic pioneers rests on the site of one of their (borrowed) cabins. The monument stands 22-feet tall to mark how high the snow went that year and atop there's a (rather busty) pioneer family looking westward. If you walk a little further down the trail you'll find a big rock with the names of the survivors carved on one side and the names of the lost carved on the other. You won't find any mention of cannibalism, or really much information at all, but it's an interesting place to visit and the only stop on our 32-hour drive that didn't involve gassing up. It's just off I-80 and costs nothing to go to, so why not?

    Pioneer family at the end of the walkway.

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    11 years ago

    The day I visited was the day they opened a museum. It's a must stop. A great history lesson that won't take too much out of your day.

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    Review Highlights - Donner Party Monument

    Definitely recommend to anyone visiting the Sierras, Truckee or just traveling on Hwy 80 to stop and visit the tragedy that is the Donner Party.

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    Donner Summit Bridge - 01.01.25 views from the Rainbow Bridge

    Donner Summit Bridge

    4.9(8 reviews)
    4.6 mi

    Background On Donner Summit Bridge: The Donner Summit Bridge, also known as the Rainbow Bridge, is…read morenamed after the Donner Summit, a high point in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The Donner Summit is significant because it was the location where the Donner Party struggled to survive the winter in 1846-47. Background On Visit: Might as well visit the place if i'm already in the area. Location/Parking: The bridge is located on Donner Pass Road and is next to Donner Lake Overlook. There's parking before the bridge and if parking has been taken, you can park over at the Donner Lake Overlook. Ambiance/Decor: Nice ambiance with great views of Sierra Nevada Mountains and Donner Lake. You can also visualize how tough it was for the Donner party to maneuver through the tough terrain with the freezing temps. Luckily on the day that I visited, the weather was absolutely beautiful and there was some snow that hasn't melted on the Sierra Nevada mountain. Donner Summit Bridge For Thought: I would like to come again and drive on the bridge.

    Also known as the Rainbow Bridge [Truckee CA]…read more As we were making our way up Donner Pass Road we had a good view of the bridge from below and in my mind it reminded me of the Bixby Bridge in Big Sur as it was built around the same period and has a very similar style. Donner Pass Road is a scenic road that runs through the Sierra Nevada mountains between Truckee and Reno NV. As we arrived at the bridge we pulled off onto the parking lot on the side and enjoyed stunning views of the mountains, Truckee River and Donner Lake below. A plaque on the bridge read "Dedicated to the pioneers who blazed the overland trail through these mountains." This beautiful bridge was restored in 1995 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Review #3558

    Photos
    Donner Summit Bridge - 01.01.25 Donner Memorial Bridge -- aka Rainbow Bridge - Donner Summit, California

    01.01.25 Donner Memorial Bridge -- aka Rainbow Bridge - Donner Summit, California

    Donner Summit Bridge - 01.01.25 taking a scenic drive up Old Highway 40 to the iconic Rainbow Bridge

    01.01.25 taking a scenic drive up Old Highway 40 to the iconic Rainbow Bridge

    Donner Summit Bridge - 01.01.25 Happy New Year view of the Rainbow Bridge

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    01.01.25 Happy New Year view of the Rainbow Bridge

    Donner Camp Picnic Ground - A well-kept walking path circles the historical site.

    Donner Camp Picnic Ground

    5.0(1 review)
    4.5 mi

    A few weeks ago, camping outside of Truckee, CA, we happened by this little spot along the side of…read moreCA-89. Intrigued by the humor of a picnic area bearing the name of a family whose historical context is closely aligned with cannibalism, we pulled in to check it out. Just a short driveway off the highway, we got to the small parking lot. Adjacent to the lot is a 1/3 mile interpretive walking trail with information placards telling the history of the Donner Party. At one point along the walk, a placard indicates that this is the location where the Donners camped on their ill-fated attempt to make it to California. I learned a lot more CA history here, and enjoyed the view of Ponderosa pines and open meadow plants. Songbirds sang our theme music as we walked along the trail as a family, contemplating the steps of those pioneers who gambled on making it to Sacramento, and payed the ultimate price. The picnic area is not well-traveled, and if you blink, you'll miss it. Restrooms are clean and close to the parking lot. There are Poke-stops and three gyms here, which are also not well-traveled. I've had a 'Mon stuck in a gym there for more than three weeks, and no one has been along to boot him out. I'm worried those hungry critters will resort to cannibalism at some point. Too soon, Donner Picnic Area?

    Photos
    Donner Camp Picnic Ground - Info placards along the walking path tell the story of the Donner Party.

    Info placards along the walking path tell the story of the Donner Party.

    Donner Camp Picnic Ground - Plaques tell the story.

    Plaques tell the story.

    Donner Camp Picnic Ground - Info placards along the walking path tell the story of the Donner Party. Pretty scenery, too.

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    Info placards along the walking path tell the story of the Donner Party. Pretty scenery, too.

    Boca TownSite

    Boca TownSite

    4.0(2 reviews)
    8.7 mi

    "Bittersweet Story."…read more Right off the interstate, you can check out the history of this former town. There's not a lot to see, but the History Trail is mildly interesting, and also not too long. There's a rough little parking area right at the history trailhead. The trail is paved, and only slightly steep. It will probably take you 30 minutes round trip. I found the trail mildly interesting, but honestly, probably not worth repeating. There's a bathroom right at the parking area, but besides that, there are no facilities.

    To experience 61 years of history in one hour, we stopped alongside Interstate 80, between Reno and…read moreTruckee, to explore the old Boca town site. From 1866 until 1927, the hard-working people of Boca labored on the railroad, milled local timber, harvested clear mountain ice, and brewed their famous Boca beer. Walking an easy quarter-mile long trail with interpretative signage, we saw the old school house flag pole rusted and bent by time. On our way to the hilltop cemetery, we found flattened cans, bedsprings, square-headed nails, broken whisky bottles and chips of porcelain littering the entire area. Boca, meaning "mouth" in Spanish, was originally established in 1866 as a Central Pacific Railroad construction camp, at the confluence of the Little Truckee and Truckee rivers. To process nearby timber for railroad ties, telegraph poles, and snow sheds, a lumber mill was set up in Boca in 1868. When the millpond froze in the winter of 1869, the Boca ice harvesting industry was born. Large blocks of clear ice, cut from the pond were used to air condition the deep Comstock mines and refrigerate railroad box cars full of fresh California produce heading east. We wandered around the crumbling foundation of one former ice storage house still standing alongside the railroad tracks. Boca ice was also used for the low temperature fermentation of lager beer, the town's greatest claim to fame. In 1876, Boca Brewery started a lager revolution on the west coast with its release of the first true California-made lager. The brewery was lost to fire in 1893, over-harvesting closed the saw mill in 1908, and modern refrigeration technology ended the ice industry. In 1927, the town of Boca was permanently dismantled. Our visit to the old Boca town site to experience its industrious 61-year history was an accessible stop and great value, costing us only one hour of our time. Directions: Take I-80 to Hirschdale exit, 6 miles east of Truckee. Follow the sign toward the Boca/Stampede Recreation Area. Go north 0.3 miles and turn right on the road immediately after the railroad tracks. The trail begins next to the restrooms.

    Photos
    Boca TownSite - Believe It Or not, that big sofa is a geocache.

    Believe It Or not, that big sofa is a geocache.

    Boca TownSite
    Boca TownSite

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    Donner Party Monument - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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