Donner Pass has served as a critical gateway across the Sierra Nevada for much of the last three centuries. Even before the arrival of Euro-American immigrants, Native Americans living east and west of the Sierra Nevada used 7,200-foot Donner Pass as a travel corridor and as a place to meet and trade goods. In 1844, the Stephens Party became the first group of immigrants to find a way over the Sierra Nevada with their oxen and wagons, literally hauling their wagons up the rock faces above Donner Lake. The lake and pass were subsequently named for a less fortunate band of immigrants who, two years later, failed to cross the Sierra before the early arrival of winter snows.

The nation’s first transcontinental railroad traversed the Sierra Nevada at Donner Summit in 1869, opening the beauties of the High Sierra for the first time to travelers and wonder seekers from the world over. One of the most famous was American painter Albert Bierstadt whose canvas, View of Donner Lake, immortalized the lake in the public’s imagination. The painting, one of several the artist made after traveling to Donner Summit with railroad baron Collis Huntington in 1871, drew hundreds of viewers daily when it was displayed in San Francisco in 1873.

Conservation of Donner Lake

Not surprisingly, Donner Lake’s remarkable

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Donner LakeA Historic Crossroads

Donner Lake Fast Facts

Location: NSP’s region extends from south of Lake Tahoe to Lassen Volcanic Park; Donner Lake is located about 5 miles west of the town of Truckee in the northern Sierra

Size: 2,100 acres

What you can do: Hiking, mountain biking, cross country and backcountry skiing, and snowboarding

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beauty and proximity to the easiest route across the Sierra Nevada attracted many to settle on its shores. Today, much of the lake is ringed with homes, but surrounding lands at higher elevations remain largely unspoiled. The Truckee Donner Land Trust (TDLT) initiated its Donner Lake project in 1995, beginning negotiations with private property owners of historic and scenic landscapes like Schallenberger Ridge, Emigrant Canyon, Summit Canyon, Lakeview Canyon and Coldstream Canyon. Since then, working with The Trust for Public Land, the Land Trust has acquired over 2,100 acres adjacent to Donner Memorial State Park. In addition to preserving the historic Emigrant Trail, these protected lands provide habitat for numerous species, including bald eagles, northern goshawk, mountain beaver, and black bear.

Stewardship

Donner Lake is a recreational paradise and becoming more so every year. The Truckee Donner Land Trust continues to make strategic acquisitions around the lake and is working to complete the 23-mile Donner Lake Rim Trail. The trail will encircle the peaks around Donner Lake giving hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians stunning views of Donner Lake, Mount Rose and the Pacific Crest. Trails will run from downtown Truckee to Donner Summit and connect with existing trails, including the Summit Lake Trail, the Hole-in-the-Ground Trail, and the trails leading into the proposed Castle Peak Wilderness. Little by little, these conservation investments are permanently preserving the natural and historic values of Donner Lake and expanding opportunities for all of us to enjoy this magnificent landscape.

www.northernsierrapartnership.org 650.323.2050 130A Seale Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301 info@northernsierrapartnership.org

Northern Sierra Partnership Strategic Objectives

Conserve the sweeping natural landscapes that define our region.

Restore the ecological vitality of our forests, meadows and rivers, and the landscape’s resilience to natural disturbances like fire and flood.

Expand opportunities to enjoy our region’s extraordinary natural assets through recreation, sustainable tourism, and environmental education.

Support the growth of vibrant rural communities that sustain—and are sustained by—the healthy natural landscapes that surround them.

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Northern Sierra Partnership is a collaborative initiative to conserve, restore, and enhance the magnificent natural landscape of the northern Sierra Nevada, and build the foundation for sustainable rural prosperity.

Donner Lake - Map & Directions

www.northernsierrapartnership.org 650.323.2050 130A Seale Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301 info@northernsierrapartnership.org

Directions from Truckee

Donner Lake lies below and east of Donner Pass. It is reachable via Old Highway 40 from Donner Summit or by traveling west along Donner Pass Road from Truckee. To visit Summit Canyon, the Truckee Donner Land Trust’s most recent acquisition at Donner Lake, head towards the west end of Donner Lake and up Old Hwy 40. Four hundred feet past the winter closure gate, turn left into the parking area. The trail is open for biking and hiking. For further information about accessing the Donner Lake Rim Trail, go to: http://www.tdlandtrust.org/trails-maps.

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