Truckee California is only a short 20-minute drive from North Lake Tahoe and makes for the perfect day trip! Keep reading to discover the best things to do in Truckee!
*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Best things to do in Truckee California
Table of Contents
- 1. Stroll through historic downtown Truckee
- 2. Rent paddleboards at Donner Lake
- 3. Visit Donner Memorial State Park
- 4. Take a photo of Rainbow Bridge
- 5. Hike through the Donner Summit Train Tunnels
1. Stroll through historic downtown Truckee
Truckee is a small mountain town that has fondly been referred to as, “the most historical square mile in California”.
The historic roots of Truckee date back to 1844 when a Paiute Indian chief helped guide thousands of emigrants west through this region.
Truckee played an important role along the emigrant trail and later became the site of a lumber mill, a stagecoach stop, and a railroad station.
In its heyday the streets were filled with saloons, bar fights, and brothels like most of the towns in the Wild West.
However, over the years it gained a reputation for being a great tourist destination.
By 1875 it became a hotspot for winter sports and summer tourism with stagecoaches and excursion trains regularly dropping off passengers. The Winter Olympics were even held in Squaw Valley in 1960.
Truckee also attracted Hollywood A-list stars and producers, resulting in 82 movies filmed here during the early to mid-1900s.
Today, the historic district of downtown Truckee is lined with shops and restaurants housed in 19th-century buildings. Take a historic walking tour and enjoy the live music that often fills the streets.
Stop at the Old Jailhouse Museum and Railroad Museum, admission is free for both museums.
Pick up some souvenirs or handcrafted goods from one of the many boutique shops.
Grab a bite to eat at Jax at the Tracks, featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. Then head to Bud’s Ice Cream for a scoop of homemade salted caramel ice cream. The scoops are huge, so you’ll only need a single!
2. Rent paddleboards at Donner Lake
Donner Lake is the quintessential summer setting. The picturesque lake is lined with thick earthy pines and the most charming lake houses.
All along the shoreline, you’ll find small docks jutting out onto the water.
On the weekends you’ll find families gathered with picnics spread on the docks, kids swimming nearby, and dogs lazily lounging in the sun.
A beach can be found on either end of the lake. The West End Beach Park offers picnic tables, barbecue grills, sports courts, and a playground.
A shaded sandy beach with ample picnic areas can also be found at the east end of the lake within the Donner Memorial State Park.
Watersport rentals are available at both beaches through Donner Lake Watersports.
3. Visit Donner Memorial State Park
The Donner Memorial State Park was founded in remembrance of the somber and unfortunate events that befell the Donner-Reed Party.
This wagon train of pioneers migrating to California found themselves trapped here in the snowy Sierra Nevada Mountains.
This led to one of the darkest moments in American Pioneering history. Only half of the 90 emigrants survived after many resorted to cannibalism.
You can learn more about the tragic events at the Visitor Center and Emigrant Trail Museum.
You’ll also find exhibits chronicling the history of the Sierra Nevada Railroad. Admission to the museum is free, but there is a fee to park ($5 October-April and $10 May-September).
Eight miles of walking trails weave throughout the park. Camping, fishing, swimming, boating, and picnic facilities are also available within the Park at Donner Lake and Donner Creek.
4. Take a photo of Rainbow Bridge
As you head up Donner Pass, you’ll cross the photogenic and historic Rainbow Bridge, or Donner Memorial Bridge.
Rainbow Bridge spans across the rugged mountainsides and is similar in design to the famed Bixby Creek Bridge at Big Sur.
The historic US Route 40 served as the primary route to connect motorists from the east to west coast until I-80 was constructed in 1964.
The bridge was constructed in the 1920s to bypass the steep mountain grade and allow for easier and safe passage along US Route 40. The original bridge began deteriorating and was restored in 1993.
After you cross the bridge on your way up to Donner Pass, you’ll find several lookout points where you can pull over to snap a photo.
This vantage point offers unrivaled views of the concrete arch bridge with the placid lake Donner Lake and the surrounding forest and mountain peaks as a backdrop.
This view is so scenic, in fact, that it has been featured in several commercials and even has a cameo appearance in several Hollywood movies, such as True Lies.
5. Hike through the Donner Summit Train Tunnels
Donner Summit holds historic significance. Not only as the pass where the first wagon trains crossed into California, but also as the site for the first transcontinental railroad and the first transcontinental highway to traverse through the Sierras.
Engineer Theodore Judah had what seemed to be an impossible vision to create the country’s first transcontinental railroad through the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
He hired approximately 12,000 Chinese laborers to hand-drill, sledgehammer, and blast miles of tunnels through the granite mountain.
They moved millions of tons of rock by carrying wooden yokes with baskets on their shoulders. It was hard and often life-threatening work.
The laborers were essentially indentured servants. They made a meager salary that they would send home to their suffering families during China’s severe economic depression.
They worked around the clock for 15 months to complete the tunnels. It took two years to complete the entire railroad with the first train passing through this stretch of track in 1868.
The last train passed through in 1993 when the rail line was decommissioned and rerouted to a different line about 1 mile south of Donner Summit.
At this point, the Southern Pacific Railroad removed the tracks and reusable parts. This left nearly 5 miles of abandoned rail line, tunnels, and snowsheds (the concrete tunnels constructed to protect the railroad from avalanches and heavy snowfall) just beckoning to be explored.
The best way to access the tunnels is by parking at the China Wall historic marker.
It is located on the left just before you reach Rainbow Bridge as you are making your way up to Donner Summit.
Here you’ll find a small parking area. From the parking lot, walk a few hundred yards west (to the right of the lot) until you see a trail leading up across the rock to the tunnels and the China Wall.
Keep an eye out for the Indian petroglyphs on your right near the beginning of the trail. They can be easy to miss, so just look for the marker.
Once you reach the tunnels you are free to explore in either direction. Some portions of the tunnels are pitch black, while other sections have openings that allow light in.
You’ll also see plenty of graffiti plastered all over the snowsheds. We didn’t walk the entire length of the tunnels, but the ones that we did walk through were each unique in their own way.
Definitely a fun little adventure and one of the best things to do in Truckee!
*RELATED POST: If you are planning to spend time at Lake Tahoe, don’t miss our guide, 5 Things Not to Miss on Your First Trip to Lake Tahoe.
Other fun things to do in Truckee:
- River rafting: Take a relaxing and leisurely river rafting trip down the Truckee River. The trip is 5 miles and lasts about 2-3 hours. The cost is only $50/adults and $35/kids. If you’re looking for something a little more adventurous, try white water rafting!
- Biking: Rent a bike and ride along the 6-mile Truckee River Legacy Trail, or check out one of the awesome mountain bike trails.
- Northstar Resort: Take a scenic summer lift ride to enjoy hiking, or grab a bite to eat at Northstar Village.
- Horse riding: Take a guided trail ride through the wooded and mountain terrain with the Tahoe Donner Equestrian Center.
- Hiking: Hike the 4.6-mile roundtrip Mt Judah Trail. The trail begins near Donner Summit and offers spectacular mountain vistas and views of Donner Lake. In the spring the trail is lined with wildflower blooms.
- Foothill Farmers Market: Pick up local produce and handcrafted goods at the Foothills Farmers Market. Located at the Truckee River Regional Park every Tuesday from 8 am-1 pm, mid-June to late September.
- For kids: Check out the Kidzone Children’s Museum or Truckee Bike Park with different tracks for all skill levels.
I hope you enjoy exploring this beautiful historic area and that this guide helps you discover the best things to do in Truckee!
Pin it for later:
Leave a Reply