Short Hike at Donner Lake
3.5 Miles
Photography, Hiking
Beginner
Year Round
Out-and-Back
Distance: 3.5 miles. Easy, flat trail. Scenic Donner Lake. Historic landmark.
This is a super relaxed hike in an area with a ton of history. Stop by the museum before or after your hike to learn about the Donner Party, the Transcontinental Railroad, and local Native Americans
Park at the Donner Lake and Memorial State Park Visitor Center and walk west towards the lake. Cross the bridge and follow Donner Creek towards the lake, then head left for what would be a counter clockwise route around the lake. After about a mile along the shore, look for and follow the trail heading left into the woods. This will lead you through a calm forest all the way back to the parking lot.
Photo: Daniel Hoherd, Javier Velazquez-Muriel, melfoody
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations.
Nearby Lodging
Reviews
Overall rating:
Okay. Wish We Had Bikes
I'm not sure I liked this as a walk. It went along some day-use area of the creek offshoot from the lake where there were crowds of people swimming. I guess I just didn't enjoy the scenery as much. If we had bikes, it may have been a fun and quick trip.
Great For Trail Run
Ran this trail a lot in college. It was my go to spot. Unless it was the summer weekend, too crowded.
Great beginner snowshoe
My family went out here for our first snowshoe ever! It was great. No elevation gain, relatively flat, perfect for beginners. We brought the dogs along after getting the OK from the rangers. Seem to be more relaxed about dogs in the winter time! Highly recommend for a nice winter afternoon.
