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    Donner Summit Westbound - Nevada County

    3.8 (19 reviews)

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    Donner is not near as Handsome (or Animated) as Olaf, but's he's the 1st Snowman I've built in 10 years!
    Michelangelo S.

    Yes! Pit Stop! SITREP Somewhere on Donner Summit there is this nice, convenient rest stop along I-80. And just when I needed it - I gotz to pull over and relieve the ...uh....pressure. THE SETUP Initially nothing TOO special: * Your standard rest area with men's & women's restrooms, * And a map area to consult from to get your bearings on this large region this is within, * And there was a beautiful Indian totem nearby. SNOW But more than that, because of the elevation of this region with respect to the Central Valley, there was a fun fun treat for me: SNOW! Dammit, there was SNOW! W00T! This was actually the first time in years (since last time to Seattle in Winter) I'd seen up close (let alone "touch") some snow! I took advantage of the moment and made me a lil snowman - I called him "Donner" - to celebrate the occasion. [Truth be told, he was more like three (3) SNOWBALLS *pressed together*, but hey, it's the spirit, right?] ;) Donner was not near as handsome nor "animated" in personality as Olaf from "FROZEN", and I'm pretty sure the lil guy is all melted by now, but...we shared a moment. And now I will always think of him, especially since he's gracing the picture album of this esteemed rest stop! THE LOWDOWN Great place to take a leak and build a snowman, but "Watch out where those huskies go, don't you eat that yellow snow!"

    Brandon W.

    Nice place for a break. A small lake with a nice breeze at this summit. Clean facilities but strangely no soda machines to caffeine up

    Sivilay T.

    Review #110 - 2016 I've never thought to write a review for a rest area before, but then again I can't recall the last time I needed to use one. However, this one definitely warrants a good review because it is located in a very nice area. The restrooms were kept nice and clean, at least for the Memorial Day weekend that I happened to stop by and stretched my legs because of the bumper-to-bumper traffic. I guess my brothers were a lot smarter than I was since they all left early & didn't have to fight the dreadful drive. Surprisingly enough, even though there were a lot of big rigs and family cars parked out front, the ladies's room seemed quite empty when I was there and there were a decent numbers of stalls so we didn't have to wait in line as I'd expected. You can smell the fresh air outside, take a few photos in front of the lake as you stare out into the beautiful mountains while taking in all of God's creations. It was amazing that you can still find snow on the mountaintop towards the end of spring.

    Oops sorry dude, didn't mean to get you in the picture.
    Abby S.

    OK it's strange to review a rest stop, HOWEVER this one is gorgeous especially in the winter! Very park-like in atmosphere. I stop here frequently but usually ONLY to take pictures! :-) GPS Data Lon. = -120.34083 Lat. = 39.34128 Interstate 80; on Donner Pass. Nevada County

    The parking lot, predominately covered in snow, but ample for both big rig parking in the center and cars right in front.

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    10 years ago

    The eastbound stop is better. This one is not as open and has more trees (good for photo op) and more slopes.

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    Ask the Community - Donner Summit Westbound - Nevada County

    Review Highlights - Donner Summit Westbound - Nevada County

    “OK it's strange to review a rest stop, HOWEVER this one is gorgeous especially in the winter!”

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    West End Beach - The scene on July 4th

    West End Beach

    4.3(35 reviews)
    3.1 mi

    It's a great, convenient beach, but it will cost ya. They do charge and it's not cheap and this…read morebeach gets crowded. The beach itself has a large sandy area, which is fun. In the summer, there are plenty of life guards, a fairly large parking lot that does fill up fast, pickleball courts, and boat rentals. However, it can get so crowded, so buyer beware. When it's not crowded, it's lovely! Overall, a great Donner Lake beach.

    For the July 4th 2026 fireworks show, our friends, who are residents of Truckee, offered to get my…read moreparty of 6 tickets to see the show at West End Beach at Donner Lake. In order to buy the tickets at the Community Recreation Center, you must be able to show one proof of residency (driver's license, service/utility bill, car registration, current tax bill with an address in the district) and a resident can buy up to 8 tickets. Tickets are NOT sold at the gate. At $25 per person, the whole experience which includes the show at 9:30pm, games for the family beginning at 1:30pm, really good live music, plenty of port-o-potties, and lake fun complete with water rentals, food concessions is pretty good. Being this was our first time at West End Beach, there were lots of decisions to make. After researching this event, here's what we decided: - Take the free shuttle from Truckee High School which begins at 3pm - Bring our own food that was packed in a thermal bag to keep it hot instead of heating up the food at the beach. Although alcoholic beverages are allowed, glass of any kind is prohibited and checked at the gate. When we arrived at the beach around 4pm, there appeared to be no good picnic spots near the lake because those people arrive early in the morning before the gate opens at 9am. However, there's plenty of space to have a picnic meal with picnic tables, but the roped-off area in the park specifically states that the area must be cleared by 7pm. While there was plenty of space in the roped-off area, where would we go after 7pm? As it turns out, things and people begin to shift by about 7pm. In order to avoid putting things away in the dark after the show is over, people are putting their canopies and other equipment away and the family games have ended creating more space to watch the fireworks. After walking around, we found some open spots in the grass to lay down our picnic blankets to watch the show. Speaking of arriving early, there is a beach parking lot which has a limited amount of spaces and those people arrive by 6am to claim those precious spots. One lucky person I spoke with said he arrived at just before 7am to claim the last parking space. Having a parking space would have meant I could have launched my kayak, but my party of 6 was content to play in the water and play games while waiting for the 9:30pm show. If you're going to cook or heat your food, you must bring your own equipment. In fact, you see people cooking on their full-sized BBQs! There were only a few people cooking on the charcoal grills. After the show is over just before 10pm, the shuttle buses are waiting, but it takes a while for everyone to load. Nevertheless, we made it back to the Truckee High School around 10:45p. Since there was some wait time on the bus, I struck up a conversation with the person next to me who said he didn't arrive at West End Beach until 8:40pm and there was still plenty of space for him and his daughter to see the show. If you want to skip bringing your own food/beverages, chairs, and umbrellas, arriving before the show starts sounds like a good option. Lying on our blankets with our coats on was an ideal way for us to watch the show as it felt up close and personal. The show was spectacular.

    Photos
    West End Beach
    West End Beach
    West End Beach

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    Donner Lake

    Donner Lake

    4.8(77 reviews)
    3.1 mi

    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.

    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-Donner Recreation & Park District

    Truckee-Donner Recreation & Park District

    4.3(10 reviews)
    9.0 mi

    This place is awesome! I'm up in Tahoe all the time to ski, but when the weather is really snowy…read moreand/or windy, the mountain gets closed (avalanche control, wind control, etc.) Don't fret about having nothing to do though. This facility has a number of ways to work out -- I first tried the main building which has a multi-lane running track and large number of exercise machines (treadmills, ellipticals, etc.) on the second overlooking several basketball courts below. Personally however, my primary choice for cardiovascular exercise is through swimming, and they have another building with two pools (yes, two) that are amazing. The first is a recreational pool--great for kids, but I see adults having fun there too (admittedly, I've gone down the slides several times)--kindof like a mini water park. On the other side, they have an olympic sized pool with multiple lanes, and a deep end with diving boards. There are also kickboards and pull buoys if you want to isolate your stroke and focus on kicking or pulling (as a former member of competitive swim teams, I'm all over that stuff). Their facilities are very clean and sanitary -- their locker rooms have multiple solo showers, and ample lockers. And to top it off, a day pass is very inexpensive, and they sell swim supplies (bathing suits, swim caps, towels, goggles, fins, etc) in case you either forgot yours or stumbled into this place for the first time. I'll never find myself in Tahoe without a way to get a day's worth of exercise again.

    Well maintained parks and clean bathrooms, always a stopping place for us when in the area.read more

    Photos
    Truckee-Donner Recreation & Park District - View from the swings

    View from the swings

    Truckee-Donner Recreation & Park District - 10/21/2023

    10/21/2023

    Truckee-Donner Recreation & Park District

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    Donner Pass Railroad Tunnel Hike - Nice example

    Donner Pass Railroad Tunnel Hike

    4.9(53 reviews)
    2.1 mi

    The Donner Pass Railroad Tunnel Hike was one of the reasons for our trip to the area. My boyfriend…read morehad always wanted to check out the Donner Petroglyphs, and I stumbled across the rail tunnels when looking for things to do while in the area. We parked at the Donner Ski Summit - if you are looking to check out this hike, that is the best place to park and access the start of the tunnels. I truly enjoyed this hike, but was ill prepared. I was fully committed once we were in the tunnels & I should have went back to the car and swapped my "barefoot" style shoes for my hiking boots. The large chunk gravel path killed my feet with the thin soles of the shoes I wore. We hiked through about 5-6 tunnels before heading back. We did a total of 6 miles in and back. There were alot of beautiful street art within the tunnels, we found 19 cave ghosts along the trail as well as some other reoccurring variations of different items over the course of the trail. I would like to eventually take the trail past the last tunnel and to the next set of tunnels some day. This is a trail we would do again next time we are in the area. Though the weather was nice, we both wore hooded sweatshirts as the are in the tunnels got quite chilly. If you plan on checking these trails out, take well charged flashlights or head lights with extra batteries. The tunnels can be PITCH Black when you are in the heart of them. Overall this was a really cool thing to see and I would love to do it again with the correct shoes!

    We had out of town family in town last week and we made it back to the Donner (Railroad) Tunnels. I…read morelove the tunnels! It's SO beautiful. And as it was a railroad, it's level and easy, and as it's in the tunnels, you're mostly protected from the weather. Bring good trail walking shoes and a flashlight. (And park across from the Donner Ski Ranch.)

    Photos
    Donner Pass Railroad Tunnel Hike - Donner Tunnels hike

    Donner Tunnels hike

    Donner Pass Railroad Tunnel Hike - By yours truly

    By yours truly

    Donner Pass Railroad Tunnel Hike

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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)
    12.1 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.

    Photos
    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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    Donner Summit Westbound - Nevada County - parks - Updated September 2026

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