Donner Memorial State Park

We did the China Cove Trail at the park as well as the visitor center, and it was very beautiful nice 3.5 mile hike. Everyone at the visitor center was so nice. They told us about the rainbow bridge to go visit up on Donner pass. Highly recommend stopping here.

Donner Memorial State Park is an amazing place with easy access to hiking and biking trails, cool fishing spots, and delightful camping. While very challenging to use Reserve California and actually get a spot, if you are lucky enough to secure one you will have an enjoyable time.

Beautiful and peaceful with scenic trails and lake views—perfect for a quick nature escape. You only have to pay ten dollars for the entrance fee and there is plenty of parking. You can bring your own food and have a picnic and take swim in the crystal, clear emerald water.

Nice area to connecting to history and nature. We walked the trail along the lake for a bit. It is gorgeous. Easy trail. We also visited the historical museum and saw the Donner statue. A good spot to visit near the Tahoe area.

$10 charge for the State Park. A beautiful park with a horrible and amazing story. I have always heard about the Donner Party, but did not know the whole story. Highly recommend you spend a few minutes watching the video in the theater. We walked up to the pioneer statue and then the quick loop near the visitor center. It was a peaceful walk among the trees and by the creek.

This is a small park on the edge of the lake. The memorial has a small exhibit area showing the history of the region. A very dated video about the Donner party is shown in the theater. This was a bit disappointing. There are numerous picnic locations along the lake road with parking. There is a walking path along the lake that keeps you away from the cars. It was a nice stop for an hour or two.

I just visited yesterday. Good place to spend time close to nature. Great view but I think the park is not so organised, directions are not enough for understanding different spots. Overall good.

While I am interested in the donner party story the park wasn't exactly what I had imagined. There are some short trails, hot weather, and mosquitoes 🦟 galore near the streams! It is interesting to walk around and say "this is where they were and ate each other." The visitor center is the star of this park. Not the biggest, the plaques are cool. But overall nothing to spectacular about his place..

Beautiful state park preserving the site of the Donner Camp [Truckee CA] We have driven past this state park several times on our way to or coming back from Reno, Las Vegas and Tahoe City but we never had a chance to actually plan on stopping by the park. We came here one weekend and ended up spending three hours. ATTRACTIONS: Donner Memorial State Park is located in the scenic Sierra Nevada mountain range at an elevation of about 6,000-ft and offers summer camping, picnicking, kayaking, paddle sports, fishing, and hiking. In winter visitors can cross-country ski, snowshoe on trails, and play in the snow. This park has activities year-round. We were only here for a day trip but looking into revisiting again next month in November. HISTORIC: We came to visit the famous Pioneer Monument. It was built to commemorate the California emigrants traveling west during the mid-1800's. The story about the Donner Party has always interested me. We have followed their story during our road trip to the midwestern (Nebraska) and mountain states (Wyoming) in July 2024 where they carved historic trails upon their quest to the gold mines of California. PARKING RATES: There is a $10 parking fee that we paid at the automated pay machine but you can also pay inside the visitor center. HAUNTED? There were also documented creepy experiences by others that were actually felt in and around the area where the ill-fated Donner Party withered... [goosebumps] Review #3555

9/15/2024-inspired by the recent fishing reports and made the drive .. Never been on the other side of the lake.. Early Sunday 7 am.. Paid the self parking and drove in.. Very clean and well kept park.. Plenty of parking, restrooms and tables.. Little uncomfortable reading the warning signs of bear sightings.. Went and fished China Cove, but after a while.. decided to leave.. Definitely would come back to fish .. Beautiful pics taken.. glad to learn a new spot..

Great museum to learn about the Donner party. There is a charge to park but museum entrance is free. There is also an outdoor guided walking tour

We camped here for two nights in early August. Our first time here, and immediately I thought, "why have we not camped here before?" Our site was very nice; lots of space and privacy (I think we got lucky, it was one of the nicest sites). But there were many nice campsites. There is so much to do here. Hiking trails, swimming and kayaking in the lake, and a museum. The lake and surrounding mountains are beautiful. You can hear I-80 in the distance; but it is at the level that fades into the background and you don't really pay attention to it. There are bears in the area, so you have to be very, very careful to secure your food and ice chests (hefty fines if you don't). A bear locker is provided at each site. Also, make sure you bring mosquito repellent. For RV campers, note that there are no hook ups. There is no dump station either. There is a dump station located at a nearby gas station, but it was "out of order" when we were there (Aug 10, 2023). We ended up driving to Coachland RV Park to use their dump station ($15.00).

When I had thoughts of visiting Northern Nevada, one of the places on my list was to visit the Donner Party memorial and see where the pioneers who didn't make it across the Sierra Nevada Montanans had to spend that awful winter. The museum/visitor center has a display of many items from the era. There are also signs with explanations of the life these people endured waiting to be rescued or saved somehow. There is a section that pays homage to the Chinese who were the labor who helped build the trans-continental railroad. After the railroad was finished, they were no longer welcome and had to live elsewhere. This is an interesting stop and while you cannot see Donner Pass from here, you can see the Sierra Nevada Mountains and realize the rugged and difficult terrain they had to overcome to make it to the gold rush areas of California. I suggest you look on PBS for a program that was done about the Donner Party and this awful part of the history of the West.

We decided we wanted to stop by, glad we did, giant statue, plenty of parking , donner museum was very educational if you aren't familiar with the dinner party history. Would love to return.

Donner Memorial State Park - Truckee , CA - August 8, 2023 We arrived on a Tuesday afternoon at little before the 2 pm checkin. It was our first time to the Park for a couple night's of camping in our 27 foot motor home. Staff at the entry kiosk were friendly and efficient and got us checked in quickly. We were camped in the Splitrock Loop. Most of the sites are spacious with a table, fire pit, and bear locker. There are lot of pine trees all around. You can hear the freeway in the distance, but the noise isn't terrible. There are ample trails around the campground to hike and bike. The campground is within easy walking distance of the lake. We saw lots of people kayaking, paddle boarding, and swimming. They do have boat and jet ski rentals. Back at the entrance of the campground is the Donner Memorial Museum that has displays about the Donner Party that was stranded there in the winter of 1846-1847 and resorted to cannibalism to survive. Displays also include the later history of the area as well as wildlife displays. There is a nice gift shop there as well. Note: There is a substantial fine if you leave food or trash outside your bear locker at your campsite. So be careful about that.

Nov 10th, 2022 There is a lot of reference to the Donner family that perished in this area back in the 1800's when they attempted to come here for the good rush era. Only 2 members survived it, amazingly. The monument is supposed to represent how deep the snow was that they got caught in, which was about 22 feet!

$10 parking is worth it if you go in to the visitor center, check out the little museum, then go into the campgrounds entrance to get to the beach! I drove in about a mile following Google Maps directions for China Cove Beach, per the recommendation of the visitor center employee. Parking was pretty easy and beach was super chill! Sand was rocky and not soft. It was unclear whether I would have to pay admission to the beach as well when I looked it up online in advance, but FYI the same $10 parking for the visitor center can be shown to the campgrounds entrance people and it applies for the rest of the park as well - which includes beach!

Beautiful visitors center just 7-yrs old. Great story about the 81 people caught in the snow. The visitors center is located in Truckee. You'll find displays of the Chinese workers who built the transcontinental railroad, Donner party and the first roads over Emmigrant pass. It's a great place to learn, picnic, hike, lunch and learn.

I liked visiting the Donner lake as its beautiful and there are spots where you can picnic and relax on the beach all day long. The museum was interesting and very clean. California park pass will work here.

I've never seen water so clear! Great place to have a picnic. And clean bathrooms with flushing toilets.

I loved this place. We were looking for a place to have a little bbq. Paid 10$ to park and walked about a 1/4mile to get to the lake. They have a few tables which was great. It's so nice there and you can bring your swim stuff or water equipment. I can't wait to come back to go for a hike or something. You can only bring propane bbqs and also make sure to clean up after yourself. They have porter potty's too.

One of my favorite spots in the country during the summer and autumn. Always clean, quiet and friendly

Decided to do an unplanned trip to China Cove Trail on Saturday around 5pm. Plenty of parking available and not many people around. Day Use Parking was $5 when we went. Dogs are allowed on leash. Lots of snow. We were only in vans, so, it probably would've been much easier to walk in proper boots with better grip. Great trail for snowshoeing. Trail is wide and pretty flat and easy. Could've been much cleaner if dog owners picked up their pooch's poop. Bathroom was closed when we went. Off trail, there were people sledding/toboggan-ing.

I-80 museum between Sacramento and Reno which offers a great educational opportunity for kids. Free to park on the street (limited parking) or $10 to park in the lot. Can learn a lot in a 30-60 minute pit stop. The museum is small but very informative. Nice guest shop.

This is a hidden gem (so why am I letting the secret out?) There is a nominal parking fee for day use at the park ($10.) The park contains a museum dedicated to the story of the Donner party and contains a souvenir shop. They have a free video to watch in their theatre. Very informative. There are walking paths that take you around the area which include several picnic areas. If you have a small boat, there are places to launch them, your canoes, etc. It is a mini version of Lake Tahoe, but without the crowds.

Loved visiting this memorial. I am sad they tore down the old cabin, that was part of the history of the Donner party. I think the museum was very informative and enjoyed spending time there learning about the travels made by early pioneers. the difficulties they faced was heartbreaking. Amazing to see all the advances we've made in traveling. The trail next to the memorial was an easy stroll. It winds around over the river and we enjoyed gorgeous views and took some awesome photos.

I've wanted to go for years and finally made it happen! Great easy trails around the visitors center. Fantastic small exhibits in the visitors center and relatively uncrowded. From there headed to the Rainbow Bridge. Don't miss the chance to do both.

This is my 2nd time visiting during the winter time. I like this little state park for the snow especially if you don't want a busy place for the kiddos to enjoy some snow. There's the museum which is free but it was $5 to park, still a great deal! I love this type museum. Theres about the 1846 cross country trip by emigrants seeking their fortunes in California. It explained the string of decisions along the route that ended in the tragic spending of the winter in the mountains covered in snow and so much more. There were also hiking trails but with all the snow covering the way, I didn't want to take the chance with my little one. This time around, there were more snow covering the parking spaces which was harder to find parking. Overall, it was a nice historic landmark as well alot of snow to enjoy!

Very sombering. We weren't there long but enough to be humbled. Visitor center is open but limited to what can be seen. Gift store is open.

Over the past few years we've been coming to Truckee for a weekend in the winter or spring and stopping by here to walk around. There's a nice path to the lake that's paved, but usually parts of it are covered in snow in the wintertime (which is fine unless you're bringing a stroller along). The walk through the woods is very pleasant and easy; the kids like "off-roading" and wandering alongside the main trail. This past time, we spent a good amount of time at the visitor's center/museum as well. Our daughter was working on a 4th grade project on Sutter's Fort, learning all about emigrants arriving in California in the 1840s (including the Donner Party). The exhibits continue to talk about Chinese railroad workers and eventually leisure travel along the highways. It's been fun to look at the world through the lens of a 4th grader. I was genuinely excited to see a replica of Patty Reed's Doll (also the name of a book they all read), but my daughter shrugged it off: "I saw the real one in Sacramento." The kids are obsessed with commemorative coins, so they each picked one out. I took a few mental notes on books to read some day. Unfortunately my daughter's official Sutter's Fort reenactment trip has been postponed. On the plus side, I have a greater appreciation for the history of Truckee and neighboring areas.

Fantastic public park with very helpful employees. Jet ski rental is available and can be reserved. Parking fee is $10/car with plentiful spots.

It's a decent, highly historical place to spend the day at. The visitor center is nice and is packed with everything you'd ever want to know about the Donner Party. Just beyond the visitor center there's a short hiking trail that begins at the Donner statue, goes down to the campground area and along the river, and loops back up to the statue. There's another trail that leaves from the visitor center and leads down to Donner Lake. The lake itself isn't anything special, in my opinion. Don't get wrong, it's beautiful. However, this is a "drive up" lake and easily accessed. While that's great for people who can't walk far, it's also a negative because it's usually littered with coolers, loud music, loud and obnoxious people, unleashed dogs doing whatever they want, garbage, etc. Unfortunately, I witnessed all of this and some at Donner. My visit here reaffirmed my belief that backcountry lakes are far superior in every way. All in all, the visitor center is great and is a good place to go if you're into history and historical events. If you're not big on people, avoid the lake at all costs. You may as well go to Tahoe.

You'll never be able to grasp what happen to the people who went through this horrific failure of a journey. The displays at this site try to give you an insite and do a very good job. Beautiful dioramas, well lit and placed placks with some low level interactive and rather good video inludes you on an adventure of long ago. How the Washoe people were always here, the pioneers came and then the Asian peoples who provided labor and culture. It's a comprehenive collection of time/history for the area. Even what it took to allow the first motorist travel. Great place to learn and venture out for a beautiful walk. Cost is $10 or $9 for seniors unless you belong to the park system.

Visited multiple times. The lakeside interpretive trail is beautiful and leads to a (generally) uncrowded beach. lots of shade and trees. the paved trail is stroller friendly and pet friendly too. boat rentals are available midway or you can bring your own. there are plenty of access points to the lake, and plenty of picnic benches along the trail. Parking is 10$ inside but it's easy to park outside and just walk in.

This review is specifically for the trail that starts at the Pioneer Statue of Donner Memorial State Park. The trail was very shaded. I would have to say that solidly over half of the trail was in shade. A very easy hike - almost guaranteed it's less than a mile loop. There isn't a lot of change in elevation and a portion of the trail is on a board walk. A little past the midway point in the trail there is a large boulder with a plaque set into it. This rock used to form one of the walls for the shelter they built themselves.

Still so beautiful! Great stop to relax and rest before getting to our destination in Reno! Love it here!

The weekend parking fee is $10 in the visitor day lot. Tip: Try to find street parking first. It is free. This place has a visitor center with restrooms, a gift shop, and museum focused on the Donner Party, Transcontinental Railroad, Native American, and local wildlife. Pretty neat. There are video reels of those topics as well. I was impressed that they had some genuine artifacts of early pioneers suitcase belongings...shoes, clothes, shaving kit. Love the focus they gave to the Chinese rail workers. They had artifacts from their camp sites...dishes, cooking utensils, ceramic water/tea jugs. Pretty neat! Also around back of the visitor center is the Pioneer Monument. It is beautiful and awe inspiring. Glorious! Do yourself a favor and walk totally around the monument, read the plaques, look around the beautiful vistas, and reflect about that fateful winter of 1846 of those brave pioneers. The park also contains nature trails; hike to Donner Lake or Michelis pond. There are campsites. For reservations and overall deets, go online. Lovin' California parks!

For $10/vehicle for a day pass, my friends and I enjoyed this state park which had a small, but informative museum with gift shop, a lake with canoe/kayak rentals, an interpretive hiking trail and camping (under a different pricing structure). Beginning our adventure at the well curated museum, there were well-done displays describing the ill-fated Donner Party, the immigrant Chinese workers who were brought in to work on the first railway in the Sierras that connected to the transcontinental, the plight of the Washoe Indians and their loss of land once settlers invaded their homeland, and the local flora and fauna. After taking a quick look at the museum (they close at 5pm), we went on the interpretative trail along the lake and took some wonderful scenic pictures. Lucky for us, there are bathrooms located around the campground.

We hiked China Cove. Not the greatest for trail markers but an easy trail to do. We did about 3-4 miles. I like when the trail was by the lake. Recommend a hat for the forest part since there is not a lot of shade. If you part outside of the park, it was free or otherwise 10 per car. Worth it since we had our friends with us, one who normally has knee issues and he said this was great

The area is so rich in history not to mention beautiful scenery. The visitor's center/museum has friendly and helpful rangers to answer your questions. And the exhibits were informative. The Donner Party camp was awesome to see and, in an area of the trail around the camp, was a spot where one of the families set up their cabin. There are other trails along the lake and the one that leads to the mouth of the lake was serene and beautiful, even though quite a few areas of the trail are still covered in snow (it's just the beginning of spring after all). It was still beautiful. The only downside is that, as beautiful and serene the views are, one can't ignore the sound of cars and trucks passing by on the I-80 highway. It's like you're stepping back in time yet being reminded of the progress man has made since. It is a must see and around this time year is the best time to go as it's not crowded.

I'd prefer to not write this review. Because it was a wonderful day at the park. And you know what ruins a wonderful day at the park? Too many people! So do I write this review and tell everyone just how awesome this park is? Or do I lie, and say the place sucks, keeping just a little teaspoon of the masses reduced for when I want to go? But I just can't resist sharing about the wonderful day we had. The park is well kept, and the beach area was nice, but not perfectly suited for the sunbathing space sucking types. The trees are up at the water's edge near the swimming area we were at. I hear they have a great path to walk/bike too. They also have a marina on site that rents different watercraft for a pretty good price. Well at least way better than owning. We enjoyed going out on the water on the south side of Donner. Even though the wind was creating some motion on the water, the kayaks we had handled it just fine. Everyone on the water seemed pretty considerate of others, but I wouldn't be lax in being vigilant for inexperienced/inconsiderate boaters. So keep this one under your hat. Don't tell everyone about it...just your good friends, you know, the ones with Yelp accounts.

What a great place to learn history while enjoying the outdoors. The visitor's center has an ancient, but extremely informative video about the history of the Donner Party. [Perhaps a high school student could update the video quality (the audio is fine) as a school or Eagle Scout project.] in addition to information and artifacts relating to the Donner Party, there are exhibits about local Native people, Chinese immigrant workers, and early roadside hotels. My favorite feature of the park is the statue memorializing the Donner Party. It is HUGE! The feet of the statue members stand at the level of the snow during their fateful year. The outside landscape is beautiful--a wonderful place for a picnic, family outing, or opportunity to play in the water. The facility was well kept and the rangers were able to answer my many questions.

I read a book called "The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride" By. Daniel James Brown. And I listened to a full 3 part podcast by The Last Podcast on the Left all about the Donner Party. I became obsessed with The Donner Party. I had to come visit this location where everything you believe about being a family and relationships and struggle for a better life was tested to the utmost extreme. Its only a short drive from my house how could I not come here? We went to the museum and the book store first and since I was pretty much full of all the knowledge I could be about the Donner Party we opted out of the tour and walked the trail ourselves. First stop is the Emigrant Monument. Its not just dedicated to the Donner's it dedicated to all the families and people that made that trek to California and Oregon during that time period. Imagine as you look at this giant statue that the snow was as high as the feet of the people on that statue. When the Donner party were here the snow reached that level which was roughly 22ft. 22FT!!!! There are little monument signs telling about placements of some of the encampments. Keep in mind the families were not all in one place. They were spread out in multiple locations. Two of which were here at the actual park. From the statue walk left on the trail which leads you to the lean-to against the rock which was the site of the Murphy Family Cabin. It was a slightly emotional experience for me. The rock face with the name plate listing all of the people in the Donner Party is the fireplace wall of where the cabin once stood. I put my hands against the rock and shed a tear. People died here. A man was buried in the middle of the floor of the cabin (gone now). Pain and suffering and anguish was what these people experienced. It really makes you think about your own children your own brothers and sisters and friends and the lengths you would go through to survive. It was incredibly humbling for me. Keep walking and you meander around a bubbly little stream. Yes, at this time of year there wasn't snow and was a very beautiful place. But really, what a tragic place indeed. We could see the campground from the trail and I've made a point to come and camp with the kids. Take the walk with your family and reflect and show gratitude for what we have today. I would highly, highly recommend reading or watching something about the Donner Party before coming here. What these people went through and did for each other and well to each other... is a story that we should never forget.

I had been visiting Lake Tahoe for over 20 years, but never knew of this hidden gem. Now that I found it, I will be returning. The Weather was perfect, tons of fun stuff to do with the family. June 2021

I Had no idea that during the winter you can go to Donner State Park & go snow shoeing. Well, actually because I didn't have snow shoes I just hiked the trail in my snow boots which was still doable. Regardless, it was an awesome experience and because you utilize the roads that are used during the summer time to get to the campsites, everything is so well marked and open. Pretty sure you can't get lost here if you tried. I would definitely suggest this for a beginning snow shoer ( is that a word). I know I'll be back.

All due to the Yellowjacket or what ever flys and stings or bite issue. They were everywhere- picnic area, trails, and buzzing around the waters edge. We got there before 10 am and staked put a table. Plenty of parking at that time. We rented a 2 person kayak for half a day. That was lots of fun. Around noon parking became tough. We were surrounded by lots of barking and howling dogs. I don't mind dogs, but it was kind of scary, the barking. No, I would boy come back in the summer due to the Yellowjacket/hornet type things. Very scary for all the little girl that got stung yesterday and myself who is allergic

Really cool spot! There are a couple of memorials for the donner party as well as a small museum on the area and the dinner party. It's also right on donner lake. The trials are really nice and Well maintained

Beautiful setting, easy walks, and a fabulous visitors' center that did a great job telling the real story of the Donner Party and impact settlers and the Gold Rush had on the indigenous people of the area.

Just left after camping two nights. Was quite, clean and cold. At night is dipped down into the lower 20's. We camped in a tent, first night we froze our butts off. If you come here to camp in Oct. make sure you hv the right gear. Close to the lake , tons of trails, and Micaela pond. Really cool place to camp. Bring quarters for the showers . The museum and monument are neat. The story behind it, is crazy! We'll be back!

It's a beautiful area to camp in with decent amenities. I camped late at night & still managed to get my tent pitched within 5 minutes. Unfortunately there aren't outlets at each campground or even one in the restroom or showers. Pretty disappointing to have to pay $1.25 for a 5 minute shower, but the water was hot the entire time. For $35 a night I would expect an outlet somewhere on each site. I know, that's not camping, but that's why I'm paying $35, right? I took a nice early morning hike & the sun REALLY helped to warm me up after the temps dipped to the low 20's!! I was not prepared for that! I had just enough layers of blankets to be able to feel my toes in the morning. It was a brutally rough night of sleep, but I bundled up in a Sherpa lined hoodie, beanie, face mask, socks, put an extra blanket around just my feet to make it thru the night. It was pretty loud all night with the sound of the nearby interstate whirring by & the occasional train could be heard rumbling by. I saw someone using a RV campsite plug & I did that for my air mattress which was WAAAY too big for the old tent I've been rocking for the last 15 years haha so I slept under the stars with the tent cover off & my feet sticking out the tent door lmao when I went to deflate my air mattress I was confronted by a park janitor, I don't know what to call him, groundskeeper is too much of a compliment for what he was driving around doing, but I was told to unplug my air mattress & that I could use the plug. He was pretty unnecessarily rude about it. But when he left I plug back up to quickly deflate. He can't back & wrapped the post with packing tape, like that'll stop em! XD

This review is for the camping here. If you're looking for quiet, solitude, nature and communing with the wilderness .... This is definitely not the campground for you! If you want to party, drink alcohol to excess, stay up late telling obnoxious loud profanity filled stories without regard to you neighbors camped just feet from your entourage and have the camp host do nothing about your inconsiderate behavior, then this is a place for you to join your like minded ilk. You can bring your unruly children as well to run amok to bother as many respectable people as they can. Maybe your unleashed dog can fetch you food from other campers too! Camping here unless off season will be tantamount to an urban refugee camp with crowded campsites all closely pushed together. The bathrooms will be a mess, cause well, I ain't at home and someone else will clean up my mess! It's too bad this campground is so easily accessible to the freeway I-80, the freeway roar never stops. There are no RV hook ups, so feel free to bring that generator to run all day so you can have your air conditioning in your trailer, no reason to have to experience the heat of the day ya know. You can have such a great time here, you might not even remember it in the morning when you come to, now THAT's how you know you had a grand ole time ..... and who's leg is that laying over me? Tip: don't toss that corked wine bottle in the fire in the morning .... Bad idea ...... been there.

This weekend my family was unfairly kick out this camp. Without no warning an WHITE officer told my family ONE! Hour to evacuate the premises. Claim they had 8 complaints that were never told of . We come to campsites to have fun and have a good time. My family respected the quite hours. When there was another families near my family campsite making more noise and my family got blame for the other family noise. Just want to say if you are Latino/ Hispanics fair warning these campsite have a lot racial profile going on. I am highly sadden and angry at the same time that racial profiling still exist in this generation. Sad to say if it was WHITE person doing all the noise they would have got a fair warning. I will repeat this one more time if you are Hispanic/Latino or even a person of color you are not welcome to these campsites!!!! Staff and supervisor of the park were rude and not helpful.

The docents are very knowledgeable and helpful. The trails are well maintained and enjoyable to travel. The main visitor center is full if information about how the area became so notorious with focusing on the most tragic of details. I enjoy this park as it pays homage to the grit if the early pioneers while also giving incredible respect to the original native tribes that populated the region. It is worth a visit for sure

What a beautiful place to come and rest here from all your troubles on a weekend. I have been coming here for a while. Then only thing I would have to say is that the water is cold in the beginning of the summer. When you will come here make sure that you will come here at eight am or earlier. If you will come here later than that it's gonna be hard to find a good spot in shade and most important is that it's gonna be hard to find a good parking spot. After 12 pm on Saturday I don't think that you will be able to get in at all because all spots will be taken. The park itself is very clean and very taken care of. At the end of the summer that's then you want to come here. The water is not as warm in sly park or any other place, however this place is amazing. I would highly recommend

Simply beautiful. This park is a beautiful place to take a hike, have a picnic, or camp out for the night. The trail along the lake is easy and beautiful. It's a great place to take your dogs, or go on a date. The day we visited, it was incredibly peaceful and serene.

A mere $35 gets you a campsite with a fire pit, picnic table, and bear proof locker. Access to bathrooms is shared. Bring quarters for the spacious showers. The lake is accessible easily by trail from the Split Rock camp sights. Keep in mind: Pack out what you pack in. Respect the rules regarding bears - they were there first. Share the lake with your neighbors. Visit the gift shop and museum. Make memories. It's beautiful here. And the trees have grown back again....

Went here to check out the museum since the last time we were here it was closed. At Donner Memorial SP you can learn about the Donner Party and their trip to Calif. In the summer there is camping, boating, fishing, etc. In the winter there is the Emigrant Trail Museum to look inside, a 26-min movie to watch, and a short 1/2 mile nature trail (best done w/ snowshoes) that you can do, get a trail guide that tells you what you're seeing at each post stop, nice views. The Pioneer Monument outside is very cool. Everyone takes pictures here. Also the weather rock is cool to see-not good in the winter when it's covered in snow. Parking is $6 as of 3/11/07. Emigrant Trail Museum hrs are 9am-4pm. Separate bathrooms outside of the museum. Some pics above.