Due to the drought it is a big mud pit. Need to walk a good distance before able to see water. We…read morecamped at Woodcamp and was amazed there was a creek with baby trout swimming. But at the reservoir there was no noticeable life. It was hard mud on the side and soft mud that can swallow your shoes in the water.

Oh. My. Goodness! LOVE this place! We were looking for a clean, clear body of water less traveled…read morethan Tahoe. Our family recently got kayaks, and it's nice for the boys (both 7) to have a place without a ton of people, boaters, or obstacles to maneuver around. We took I-80 to HWY 89 North at Truckee. One left onto Jackson Meadows Rd from 89 takes you right to the reservoir, campgrounds, and boat launch. There are vault restrooms that are good for what they are. The road just after where you cross the dam is definitely bumpy - go slow. The signs to the boat launch are helpful! Launch use is $5 and there is a parking lot just up the hill from where you put your water craft in. We felt fairly accomplished (compared to when we've kayaked Tahoe, for example) because there were parts of the reservoir we could cross from one side to another. That was fun! Plenty of beach-like spots to stop and you may even come across some rocks good for jumping off! We saw plenty of wildlife including a water snake (so keep your eyes peeled!). Everyone we passed was pleasant and chatted. We also saw many types of water sports - kayaking, SUPing, water skiing, seadoos, etc.

Mosquitoes will kill you and take your lunch money in seconds. Also an intermediate trail please…read moredon't assume you can do it easily because you used to hike 20 years ago!

Like the other reviewers we just hiked the 1.5 miles to the bridge and back up, would not recommend…read morefor beginners. But the view is worth it!

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.

Rented a pontoon and they were very accommodating. Friendly staff and well maintained equipmentread more

After heavy winter, it's really nice to have the sun shining. They have a nice little viewing area…read morewith benches next to the launch. So you can sit and relax. I do not know what the launch fees are, if there are any. But it's quite nice. We came here after a nice time up at Sugar bowl. They had an encore weekend and it is about 4 miles past this lake.

The trail if coming from I-80, take the turnoff for Hwy 20. Then the turnoff to the Sierra…read moreDiscovery trail is off to the right approx 4.5 miles from I-80. Once at turnoff, follow the road for a bit, you will find a maintenance area and additional parking areas, then alittle farther down is the main parking lot. In the main parking lot there is a building with 2 clean vault toilets. There is a picnic area off to the right of the main parking lot. It took us about 45 mins to go along the entire trail, we made lots of stops along the trail. It's a fun and informative little walk the whole family can enjoy. We took our granddaughter who is 6 years old and she had fun she said on the trail. Her favorite sign along the trail was the information on the bobcat her favorite animal. We loved reading the informational signs along the way about the animals, plants and trees found in the area. While on your walk you can hear the rustling of the trees and the trickling water from the Bear river along the trail. There a few spots by the river to sit and just enjoy the sounds of nature all around you. Be sure to keep an eye out after passing the bridge for the small waterfall behind the bushes. Dogs are welcome on the trail and must be on a leash. Please be sure to clean up after your pet. Have a wonderful walk!

1 hour and 20 minutes drive from Midtown Sacramento…read more Easy nature trail. I even came across a sign that pointed to the "Easier Way" and after taking the other route, I can only think it's easier because my route had slight inclines thus making that easier route easier because instead of going up, you'd be going downhill. Right? It's mostly a flat trail. There's a small waterfall but you don't have a great view from the trail. You would have to go a little ways off trail for a nice photo.. (if you choose to) but it's there. I like the informative signs throughout the trail pointing out what kind of tree you're looking at or interesting blurbs relating to it. There are two restrooms in the parking area. They're like permanent portapotties.. you know, the kind that has a permanent fixture but the toilet opens up to a hole in the ground. No sink, no soap.

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.

We came here to hike on the way to Lake Tahoe on Labor Day weekend. Surprisingly there's some…read morestreet parking outside the parking gate. Came with kids and they loved it's it's super easy paved road for just 1/2 mile Don't forget to get your junior badge Also no food indoor but can eat your own food outside at the benches

This is a beautiful park and we had a great location (127) with water at our site and bathrooms…read morejust yards away. But, Hwy 80 is probably less than 200 yards away and there's a train track above the camp. I remember lying in our tent thinking, "what is that noise? It's just constant." No Doppler effect of approaching traffic, just a solid din. Sorry to say we decided to visit the town (beautiful) and enjoy a shop or two (loved Cornerstone Bakery; stop in and grab a few things, as their pastries are superb) and decided to break camp early and enjoy a quiet night sleep. I don't mind clanging pots to keep the bears away, but incessant freeway traffic noise was just miserable. We'll return, but visit another site (there's lots to see here).

We stopped by this park to have our lunch from a nearby Subway across the freeway on Hwy 80. We…read morefound a few picnic tables and you can see the South Yuba River. We ate our lunch and then went to explore by the water. I bet this is a good place to go fishing during the summer. Beautiful to sit by the water listening to the water pass you by. The parking lot is quite big, has 2 clean vault toilets. Lots of trash cans around the parking lot with bear locks. If you come by the park, be sure to go up the road just around the corner from pull in to park. We heard about some old historic shop ruins on Hampshire Rocks Rd (aka- Old hwy 40) and decided to check them out. Per Google the old Gift & Fruit shop ruins and the other ruins are right around Luken Way, Emigrant Gap, CA 95715. We were not disappointed and so glad we stopped by. We love exploring with our granddaughter historic out of the way places and teach her about the history of what once was. There is a sign showing pictures and history of the area back in its hay days. The Forest Gift Shop (the taller building on the right), was built in 1938, sold souvenirs hand-crafted by locals. It has a beautiful fireplace and the woodwork on the roof inside is amazing. The Fruit Stand (the smaller building on the left) was known for selling orange juice, orange candy, and various different fruits. If you walk up the road past the big barn you will see some steps and an outline of the foundation for the old Chevron gas station we are told. Alittle farther down the road was a very cool rock fireplace and chimney and outline of a foundation from the Lodge. There are even two benches to sit and enjoy the forest inside the foundation wall area. Across the street there is a marker in memory of California Pioneer James L Gould. Once the construction of I-80 was completed, a decrease in traffic began along Hwy 40 resulting in the final closure of the Gift Shop and many other businesses along Hwy 40.

Bathrooms: no ventilation, no toilet tissue, no water source. If you are in a dire emergency please…read morehave your own products otherwise head to the nearest rest area.