Donner Lake

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Donner Lake
Seen from the railroad
Location	northeast California
Coordinates	39°19′22″N, 120°15′52″WCoordinates: 39°19′22″N, 120°15′52″W
Lake type	moraine-dammed lake
Primary inflows	Summit Creek, Gregory Creek, and many springs^[1]
Primary outflows	Donner Creek to Truckee River^[1]
Basin countries	United States
Max. length	4.38 km (2.7 mi)
Max. width	1.0 km (0.6 mi)
Surface area	3.40 km² (1.31 sq mi)
Max. depth	100 m (328 ft)^[1]
Surface elevation	1809 m (5936 ft)^[1]
Settlements	Truckee

Donner Lake is a freshwater lake in northeast California on the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada and about 11 miles northwest of the much larger Lake Tahoe. A moraine serves as a natural dam for the lake. The lake is located in the town of Truckee, sandwiched between Interstate 80 to the north and an Amtrak railroad station to the south.^[1] The historic route of U.S. 40 follows the shoreline, then climbs to Donner Pass from where the complete lake may be viewed.

Donner Lake from Donner Pass, April 2007 (Robert E. Nylund)

Both the lake and the pass were named after the unfortunate Donner Party, which spent its fateful winter near the lake in 1846. A state park is on the east end of the lake and provides great campsites with access to several different beaches. There are also various hiking trails in the park for visitors to enjoy.