Donner Memorial State Park
Donner Memorial State Park is a California State Park, located at the town of Truckee, California, United States. It dates from 1928. Worth the trip, Lake Tahoe is 20 mi off.
A state park inside Truckee
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 19°, with about 183" of snow a year. When to go ↓
You can stay in Truckee
Donner Memorial State Park is inside Truckee, which has 39 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Sacramento
Sacramento is about 84 miles southwest (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: Jul and Aug
July and August are the mild months, with highs of 81–82°. When to go ↓
An airport 5 miles away
Truckee Tahoe (TKF) has airline service, about 5 miles from Donner Memorial State Park.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
The weather by month
Each month’s highs and lows around Donner Memorial are below.
Donner Memorial State Park
Donner Memorial State Park is a California State Park, located at the town of Truckee, California, United States. The park preserves a portion of the Donner Camp site, where members of the ill-fated Donner Party were trapped just short of Donner Pass by weather during the winter of 1846–1847. Caught without shelter or adequate supplies, members of the group resorted to cannibalism to survive. The camp site, high in the Sierra Nevada, has been designated a National Historic Landmark.
The 3,549-acre (1,436 ha) Donner Memorial State Park was established in 1928. It includes memorials to the Donner Party, such as the 1918 Pioneer Monument, along with a visitor center. Recreational opportunities include 18.5 miles (29.8 km) of trails, campgrounds, and 1.7 miles (2.7 km) of frontage on Donner Lake.
- Type
- State park
- Established
- 1928
- Area
- 3,293 acres
- Listed
- National Historic Landmark (1961) · National Register of Historic Places (1966) · California Historical Landmark (1934)
- Wikipedia readers
- 12K a year
Towns to stay in near Donner Memorial State Park
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Truckee (39) and Soda Springs (18).
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Donner Memorial | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truckee 48% vacation homes | in town | — | 39 21 hotels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 7 lodges & cabins · 7 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 17,278 | $948K | C+ |
| Soda Springs 62% vacation homes | 7 mi west | 10 min | 18 11 hotels · 6 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel | 150 | $840K | — |
| Reno | 26 mi northeast | 40 min | 136 84 hotels · 33 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds · 9 RV parks | 283,621 | $548K | D |
| Tahoe Vista 68% vacation homes | 11 mi southeast | 15 min | 15 7 hotels · 8 lodges & cabins | 1,048 | $1,039K | — |
| Sunnyside-Tahoe City 66% vacation homes | 13 mi south | 20 min | 15 5 hotels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 5 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds | 1,599 | $1,019K | — |
| Kings Beach 44% vacation homes | 13 mi southeast | 20 min | 11 4 hotels · 2 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel | 2,736 | $772K | — |
| Incline Village 42% vacation homes | 16 mi east | 25 min | 16 9 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 4 lodges & cabins · 1 campground | 9,272 | $1,455K | — |
| Dollar Point 67% vacation homes | 12 mi southeast | 15 min | 8 6 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 1,477 | $846K | — |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Places to add to Donner Memorial
Also within 69 miles are these.
Big draw120 mi LakeLake Tahoe
2in town LakeDonner Lake
39 mi Ski areaPalisades Tahoe Olympic Valley122 runs · 2,542 ft vertical45 mi Ski areaSugar Bowl Resort94 runs · 1,452 ft vertical
61 mi LakePyramid Lake57 mi Ski areaNorthstar at Tahoe Resort125 runs · 2,311 ft vertical
68 mi DamOroville Dam
628 mi Stadium & arenaMackay StadiumPhoto credits
Lake Tahoe: Lara Farhadi, CC BY 2.0 · Donner Lake: J.smith, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Palisades Tahoe Olympic Valley: Jonnyboyca at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Pyramid Lake: Rhalden, Public domain · Oroville Dam: California Department of Water Resources, Public domain · Mackay Stadium: Lanski, CC BY-SA 4.0
A visit to Donner Memorial: questions
Is Donner Memorial State Park in Truckee?
Yes. It’s inside Truckee, CA.
When is the best time to visit Donner Memorial State Park?
July and August, with highs of 81–82°.
How far is Donner Memorial State Park from Sacramento?
About 84 miles southwest of Sacramento, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Donner Memorial State Park?
Truckee Tahoe (TKF), about 5 miles away. The nearest big hub is Reno Tahoe (RNO), about 28 miles.
Where should I stay near Donner Memorial State Park?
Truckee (in town, 39 places to stay), Soda Springs (7 mi, 18 places to stay) and Reno (26 mi, 136 places to stay).
Tips from Truckee
No one has shared advice yet; Truckee’s Town Square takes questions.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.