Donner Lake

Donner Lake sits in a basin between forested mountain slopes in the eastern Sierra Nevada. The water surface spans roughly 2.7 miles (4.3 km) in length with rocky shores and sandier beach sections along the south side.

The native Washoe people called this water Datsa' shut before California settlers arrived in the 1840s. The current name arose after the winter 1846 events when a migrant group became snowbound here.

The water body takes its name from the 1846 settler group trapped here by snowdrifts. The shoreline remains a place of remembrance for survival struggles during that harsh winter.

Access points run along the shoreline through several parking areas, with the south side offering gentler entry into the water. Anyone planning to eat fish caught here should check current health advisories for mercury.

Four trout species live together in the cold water, including the rare Kokanee salmon from Pacific migratory lines. The rocky banks on the north shore drop steeply to depths beyond 230 feet (70 m).

Location: California

Location: Nevada County

Elevation above the sea: 1,809 m

GPS coordinates: 39.32278,-120.26444

Latest update: December 5, 2025 16:33