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Outdoors Donner Lake, Truckee

Donner Lake

An outdoor spot in Donner Lake, Truckee, free to visit and worth about an hour. Best time to go: Morning.

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Donner Lake in Donner Lake, Truckee
Photo: Matthew Rhodes · Public domain

Why go

Mountain lake just west of town below Donner Pass, ringed by snowy granite peaks in winter.

It is one of 8 curated places we feature in Truckee, alongside 3 activities, 2 sights and 1 place to eat. The closest of our other picks is Donner Memorial State Park, 1.2 mi away as the crow flies.

Type
Outdoors · Nature
Neighborhood
Donner Lake
Price
Free
Time needed
1 hr
Best time
Morning

Nearby

The 6 closest curated picks in Truckee, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Donner Memorial State Park

    Park at the east end of Donner Lake with the Pioneer Monument and a museum on the Donner Party and the railroad.

    Sight · 1.2 mi straight-line
  2. 2
    Sugar Bowl

    Ski resort on Donner Summit, opened in 1939, that gets some of the deepest snow in the Sierra.

    Activity · 4.0 mi straight-line
  3. 3
    Truckee Depot

    Downtown train depot where Amtrak's California Zephyr stops, with a visitor center and a caboose outside.

    Sight · 4.2 mi straight-line
  4. 4
    Moody's Bistro Bar & Beats

    Downtown restaurant and bar in the Truckee Hotel building, with live music most nights.

    Food · 4.3 mi straight-line
  5. 5
    The Truckee Hotel

    Victorian-era hotel in downtown Truckee, steps from the depot and Commercial Row.

    Stay · 4.3 mi straight-line
  6. 6
    Royal Gorge Cross Country

    Large cross-country ski area on Donner Summit, with groomed classic and skate trails and snowshoe routes.

    Activity · 6.7 mi straight-line

On these curated routes

Donner Lake is a stop on our South Lake Tahoe, Tahoe City & Truckee route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More to do in Truckee

Donner Lake is our only outdoors pick in Truckee; here is what else we recommend there. See the full Truckee guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Truckee run from 36°F in December to 85°F in July; December is usually the wettest month. For Donner Lake itself, we suggest: Morning.

Modelled monthly averages for Truckee from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Truckee weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Donner Lake, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Coordinates
39.32278, -120.26444
Destination
Truckee, California

Donner Lake: quick answers

How much time do you need at Donner Lake?

Plan on about an hour at Donner Lake. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Donner Lake?

Our pick: Morning. Insider tip: Drive Donner Pass Road along the north shore for the best views.

Is Donner Lake free?

Yes, we list Donner Lake as free to visit. Check locally before you go, since special exhibits, parking or tours can carry a fee.

Which TripsCircle routes include Donner Lake?

Donner Lake appears on South Lake Tahoe, Tahoe City & Truckee, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Donner Lake to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Truckee.

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Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.