Donner Lake
Truckee (off I-80) · near Truckee · Sierra Nevada / Yosemite
Kayaking & SUP
At a glance
- Best season
- June–September · Warmer than Tahoe (smaller, shallower) · Morning calm
Permits and booking
- Permit
- No permit. Public launches and West End Beach (small fee) in Truckee. Donner Memorial State Park anchors the east end with history and beach access. Warmer and more sheltered than Lake Tahoe.
What is here
- Wildlife
- Bald eagles · Ospreys · Trout (jumping visible) · Deer & bears on shore · Waterfowl
Worth knowing
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
Kayaking & SUP detail
- Nickname
- Truckee's Mountain Mirror
- Water types
- alpine-lake
- Exposure
- sheltered
- Sup friendly
- Yes
- Wetsuit
- Donner warms more than Tahoe (it's smaller and shallower) but is still cool — low-to-mid 60s°F in summer. Most skip the wetsuit; a dry bag is smart.
- Tidal note
- No tides; gentler wind exposure than big Tahoe. Donner's 8 miles of shoreline include multiple beaches and 35 public piers for stopping, picnicking, or breaks. A friendly, scenic, less-intimidating alternative to Lake Tahoe, 15 minutes away.
- Intl tip
- Donner Lake is in Truckee, the North Tahoe hub (also the MTB, climbing, and skiing basecamp — see those guides). Truckee's historic downtown has excellent food. Donner Memorial State Park's visitor center tells the pioneer history. A great family paddle and an easy add to any Truckee-Tahoe trip.
The guide
Donner Lake, just west of Truckee off I-80, is the friendly, family-scale alternative to Lake Tahoe fifteen minutes away — a th…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Donner Lake — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 39.325, -120.241