Visited the park in the peak of summer and it's a whole different experience. Eight years later,…read morethe entrance fee is still $10/vehicle for a day use fee, but $9 if you're a senior. During peak season this park is FULL, but big enough to find a space of your own on the beach with lots of shade trees and picnic tables. Because we arrived in the afternoon, China Cove was windy and not suitable for kayaking. Instead, I went for a walk on the interpretive trail and visited the visitor's center. From China Cove to the Visitor's Center, it's about a mile. For my effort, I received two nasty insect bites. Consider bringing repellant. When you visit the Visitor's Center, it has A/C, great displays, places to sit and watch informative videos, and a water dispenser to refill your water bottle. For indoor and outdoor activities, I highly recommend this park

July 8, 2026 - I still consider this one of the best campgrounds in CA, especially if you choose a…read morenice camping site. Lots to do here, kayaking, swimming, cycling and hiking. Beautiful forest setting with large lake. We did not have any interaction with staff, and most of the time that is a good thing. One star down, though, because the token machine for the showers was out of order, and if there are camp hosts, we didn't see them. I always research the sites before I reserve, some are much nicer and secluded than others. Lots of people come for day use also, so if you are headed to the lake from your campsite, go early to choose your beach spot for the day.

Love the park has lots of parking We saw people with snow…read moreshoes Cross country skiing and sleds lots of them. Great paved trail and dog park too. Tree top was closed due to being winter but it did look like a lot of fun. Will do it when we come back in the summer.

Beautiful park. We went for the dog park and it was will worth it. Roomy and aesthetic. The trees…read moreand bushes added a nice natural feel especially in the mixed size "outback" area. It was nice that the large, small, and mixed areas all connected too so you could move from spot to spot without leashing your dog.

Buy your parking pass online ahead of time. Remember to display it on the dash. You have to get…read morehere before 8:30am to secure a parking spot. If you are late, you will not find parking at all even if you paid for the pass. There are a lot of people who just double-park and create a parking mess and may block you in. It's absolutely crazy on the weekends here. There's 2 bathrooms and they are horribly nasty and disgusting. If you have kids, just have them wear diapers, lol. There's a limited area of hills to sled down so you'll be sharing it with other families. Just be courteous to others and a bunch of kids.

Smow day was a success! First time here at this snow park. We planned ahead and bought parking…read morepermit online as its $10 per vehicle. We got here at 8 am and was perfect, few cars and less people playing. We parked near and had the area to ourself for at least an hour and half till it got busy. Theres plenty of snow and sliding area to enjoy. Theres also a restroom on site, just bring a spray as it gets smelly. Recommendations- go early, bring your own snow slid & enjoy for as long as you want.

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.

West end beach is such a gorgeous spot to spend the day. A little on the pricy side IMO, but I do…read moreappreciate the clean facilities & when my babes were younger we loved having the park available for play and lifeguards on duty. The parking lot is very small so get there early!

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.

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. :)

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

Truckee, California…read more There is no real purpose to go inside the building. You have a good vantage view of this small town from the Stone Tower & the patio that is accessible 24/7. The weather was 36 degrees in June so do not think for a second all of California is beaches & palm trees. Truckee is the gateway for Reno & Lake Tahoe with Sacramento & Central/Nor Cal in general. The town has more significance than it may appear. The Donner Pass is also adjacent to this town. The tower is still a cool spot to check out, take pictures and if your lucky get in a snowfight in the early summer months =) Travel safely my friends. @cigarcpa

What a cool park for the kiddos and others!…read more There is lots of parking and room to run. Don't forget the two playgrounds, tables throughout, bbqs, bathrooms, and fields for sports. If your looking for a place, look no further, this it it. What a cool park for the kiddos and others! There is lots of parking and room to run. Don't forget the two playgrounds, tables throughout, bbqs, bathrooms, and fields for sports. If your looking for a place, look no further, this it it.

One of the perks of living in Incline Village are the really well maintained spaces for residents…read more Some places, like the private beaches, you have to show your resident's pass to use or have a guest pass in hand. Other places, like Preston, it's not necessary. When friends are in town and have kids that need to burn off energy and we have already done the beach / hiking thing, then this is another option. The grounds are gorgeous and there are plenty of nice equipment for the knee biters to go screaming around while adults can go off and have adult conversations that include lots of curse words, ranting and raving or reminiscing about the good old days when they were much younger and more apt to do things that they could have been arrested for (this is all hypothetical, mind you).

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.

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.)