Donner Lake

Donner Lake is an alpine lake at the eastern base of Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada of northern California near the town of Truckee. The lake is historically linked to the 1846-47 Donner Party tragedy.

Outdoor recreation is a primary draw - the lake is used for swimming, boating, fishing and lakeside picnics in summer, and its shoreline and nearby trails are visited for hiking and winter scenery. The nearby state park interprets the Donner Party history and provides trails and picnic facilities.

The lake became part of the local transportation and recreation landscape after settlement and the construction of the transcontinental railroad and highways in the Sierra Nevada, with the memorial park established to commemorate the 1846-47 events.

Donner Lake lies immediately west of the town of Truckee in Nevada County, California, at the base of Donner Pass on the Interstate 80 corridor through the Sierra Nevada.

• Historical association: The lake sits at high elevation in the Sierra Nevada and is historically associated with the 1846-47 Donner Party migration across the mountains.
• Size and elevation: Surface elevation is about 5,900 feet (roughly 1,800 metres), and the lake is narrow and roughly two miles long, making it a compact alpine water body for boating and swimming.

What to See #

• Donner Memorial State Park: A state park and memorial located on the lake's southwestern shore that interprets the 1846-47 Donner Party events and provides trails and picnic facilities.