Why We Go: Donner State Park Truckee is a historical landmark just miles from the majestic Lake Tahoe. This three-acre park includes the Donner Lake, ideal for boating, swimming and fishing, and the Donner Emigrant Trail Museum, detailing the tragic Donner Party story. Those who visit Donner State Park Truckee can enjoy waterfront camping on one of 154 campsites.

• Donner Emigrant Trail Museum: This museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm and recounts the story of the Donner Party as well as Native American history. It is an educational experience for those curious to learn more about California’s early history. The Lakeshore Interpretive Trail and Nature Trail are short one to two-mile trailheads located near the museum. During the Summer there are guided tours and hikes along these trails, as well as shows and campfires.
• Pioneer Monument: This bronze statue honors those who traveled across to the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains to get to California in the 1840’s. Also nearby is the Murphy cabin, the log cabin where families from the Donner Party slept during the cold winter of 1846-47.
• Donner Lake: This lake spans tree miles long and provides calming shallow waters ideal for swimming and fishing during the Summer. A fishing license is required for those fishing on Donner Lake at Donner Memorial State Park.

Inside Knowledge: The Donner Party is a tragic part of early California history. They were a group of settlers who traveled hundreds of miles to reach California. Nearly toward the end of their journey, the Donner Party was stranded in the mountainside near Truckee during a severe winter snow storm. Nearly half of the travelers died and when all of their food supply had run out, they resorted to cannibalism to stay alive.