Donner Lake & Donner Memorial State Park
Donner Lake / Donner Memorial State Park
A high mountain lake and state park on the west side of Truckee. It commemorates the Donner Party, trapped by heavy snow in 1846. In summer you can swim and boat.
Donner Lake is a glacial lake on the east slope of the Sierra Nevada. Its waters are deep blue, and pine forests surround it. At the east end of the lake, Donner Memorial State Park has a visitor center and a tall monument to the pioneers. It tells the story of the Donner Party, which was trapped at the mountain pass by heavy snow in the winter of 1846 to 1847, and nearly half of its members died. The park has a lakeside beach, picnic areas and a trail around the lake. In summer you can swim, kayak and stand-up paddle, and in winter cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are available. Driving up the old Highway 40 to Donner Summit gives you a view of the whole lake, the Rainbow Bridge and an early railroad tunnel. Parking in the park costs about US$10. It is about 55 km from Reno, around 45 minutes on Interstate 80.
Opening hours
Park open all day; visitor center approx. 10:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Historic Downtown Truckee
- Kings Beach State Recreation Area
- Incline Village, Lake Tahoe
- Tahoe East Shore Trail
- Diamond Peak Ski Resort
- Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe
- Galena Creek Regional Park
- Truckee River Walk & Wingfield Park