wear a mask-- you're really not supposed to breathe in bat poop, or guano, it's not great for your…read morelungs. but great time!

Came here a few years ago & could not get into the tunnels because the entrance was frozen over…read more Well today it's a different story. Beautiful place & something the kids will enjoy. Only thing you should definitely have is... Boots, water, protein bars, portable charger. You have those few things & you will have a good time.

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. :)

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.

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.

Somewhat challenging but doable for beginners and great destination to mark the middle of the tour…read more Bring swim suits and food! Excellent place to hang out

Beautiful moderate difficulty hike with stacked stones to indicate the way. It was a great day hike…read morefor two young inexperienced hikers. We saw couples and families of all ages enjoying the scenery along the way. The lake itself is beautiful, but we didn't explore too much around it's banks. We found a nice little area to have lunch before heading back.

This has to be one of my favorite hikes of all time. The skill level is moderate, scenery is…read morebeautiful and best of all - this place is dog friendly! The first part of the hike is a steady climb but with well worn and designated paths. We took a couple quick water and photo breaks but it was early enough in the morning that it was a bit cooler. Coming here around 8 AM also meant that there was only a few others on the trail and barely anyone coming down. The paths are narrow in some places so you have to wait for incoming traffic to pass. Our dog loved this climb and got pretty tired from the upward trek. You make your way up through a forested/shaded area until you reach some rock formations and a small canyon. By the time you finish this bit, you're at the flat forested level to the lakes! The first lake is easy to find but the rest are a bit difficult to navigate. There are no clear marked signs so we relied on maps and made sure directionally we headed towards the lakes. Our pooch took a quick dip in the first lake but there wasn't really a good clearing to enter and stay for humans. We then went to the second and then made a stop at the third lake which is definitely the biggest and best! It had a good spot for dogs to enter the water and play fetch. The scenery was beautiful and the water was so clear, clean and refreshing. I think a few of the lakes were connected so we technically saw them but it was hard to distinguish between the different ones. We started the trail back down and saw lots of people start to come up. It took us about 2 hours because we walked fairly fast. There were lots of dogs on the trail and a great hike overall with lots to see!

Thought it was going to be way easier than it actually was, so definitely not for a novice hiker…read more It's all incline up until you're halfway done with the trail. It was all worth it though because the views are AMAZING and chillin by the lakes is so relaxing. Definitely take some water and maybe a small snack for energy.

Easy to get to, but parking can be tricky as it's on the side of the road in a residential area and…read morethe open spots may be taken. Hiking this short 1.7 mile trail is initially heart pounding (at least for me) because there's an incline all the way to the top. Along the way, the lake views are fabulous. Once at the top, there are little interpretive side trails that you can take (or not) and two clean vault toilets. Additionally, there are several benches from which to admire the view. The photo opportunities are obscene! On the way down, it's all downhill.

We parked on the side of the road and made our way up. The hike is 1.7 miles long. The path was…read morestraightforward, but there were some small patches of snow. At the end, you are rewarded with a view of the lake.

Tahoe baby! This…read moreshould be on your radar truly! The best of all things to get away from Vegas. Do you need to think and actually get away! Let's get some rest and down time . We are going to Tahoe. The drive is half the fun! The "actually," real trees. As we drove the trees were along all sides of us. Then we make it to the best of it all the water. The water is so clear! Wow sit back and just relax! It's the best of all things here in Vegas !

We landed in Reno, rented an suv and took the scenic route to South Lake Tahoe…read more As we head up the windy mountains, there was still snow. Many overlooks to pull over to grab a quick photo. But when you pass Incline Village, there's a lot to pull into at Memorial Point right before Sand Harbor. Parking here is enforced at 20 minutes. Gives you enough time to walk down the stairs to the path to take photos near the rocks. Restrooms are available in the cabin-like building. There's also a paved trail on both sides. Perfect area to explore and take a break.

Looking for an epic hike that isn't too far from Reno? Look no further than Mount Rose! To find the…read moretrailhead, head up the Mount Rose Highway and once you reach near the top, you'll notice a decent sized parking lot off to the side of the Highway. The trailhead begins behind the bathrooms. This hike is slightly deceptive because for the first half (2.5 or so miles), it's relatively flat. I mean, you're definitely going upwards but you barely notice it (at least I didn't). Once you reach the waterfall (the unofficial halfway point), that's where things begin to get a bit more interesting. The scenery gets better and better, but the incline in the trail will get far more noticeable not just due to steepness, but due to the elevation as well. Many people were turning around as my friend and I continued going. In no way is this a difficult hike, however, it's definitely not easy either. If you're out of shape or have any medical problems, this may not be the hike for you. There's plenty of other gorgeous hikes in the area that would be more suitable. But if you think you can tackle the 10,778 foot Mountain, by all means give it a go. The hike is just shy of 11 miles round trip. Once at the summit, you'll have an amazing 360 view with Lake Tahoe on one side and Reno on the other. It makes for some amazing pano shots.

Okay, I am going to probably get a lot of hate from giving this hike 3 stars instead of 4 or 5…read morestars which seems to be the norm in terms of reviews. When I go on hikes, I prefer it to be flat, scenic and with pretty meadows. I was not expecting it to be quite scary actually as my husband reassured me that this hike was easy and flat; he was wrong trust me. The beginning of the hike was a steep uphill climb that was full of sand and dirt. Combined with the intense heat and the uneven rocks, I was already getting a shortness of breath when we climbed the uphill. My skin also got a burning sensation even though I slaughtered on sunscreen before the hike. I looked up the UV index on my phone and it was at level 11; wow, no wonder why I felt like I was burning! Thankfully, I brought some sunscreen with me so I started applying it to my face and skin again. The heat was also so intense that my hair started sticking to the back of my neck. Anyways, we continued our climb and when we reached the top, my heart started racing as I noticed we were a good 9000 feet up in the air and the trail was so thin and narrow that my husband and I had to make a single file line just to walk on it. I remember throughout the entire hike, I had to look down because the rocks were so uneven (trust me, they were everywhere) because I didn't want to fall and hurt myself. Another thing about being so high up, we encountered wind storms that constantly blew up dirt and sand on our faces; talk about feeling super dirty and gross! The sand and dirt got all over my clothes, skin and hair. Needless to say, I was not enjoying myself and I kept wishing we were lying on the beach instead listening to quiet waves and sunbathing. After a good 2 and a half mile hike, we finally reached the waterfall and relaxed. The waterfall was gorgeous and there were cute chipmunks too; this is why I gave my review three stars; this was the one good thing about our hike. When we got home that night, I scrubbed my face clean and washed my hair twice too. For avid hikers like my husband, this hike will be enjoyable as for me however, I will take a pass for next time.