Recreation Activities: Truckee District
Summer Fun!
Camping
Campgrounds on the Truckee Ranger District are in three general Areas. Highway 89 north of Truckee, Stampede and Boca reservoirs area, and the Truckee river corridor along Highway 89 between Truckee and Tahoe City. Fee campgrounds are operated by California Land Management (CLM) under Special Use Permit.
89 North Campgrounds
| Site Name |
Status |
# of sites |
Fee |
Water |
Toilets |
Elev. |
Notes |
Upper Little Truckee
make a reservation or call 877-444-6777
|
Open
No services |
26 |
$0 |
off |
vault |
6,100' |
$5.00 extra vehicle fee |
Lower Little Truckee
make a reservation or call 877-444-6777 |
Closed |
15 |
$16 |
off |
vault |
6,000' |
$5.00 extra vehicle fee |
| Sagehen |
Closed |
10 |
none |
creek; boil before use |
vault |
6,500' |
|
Lakeside
make a reservation or call 877-444-6777 |
Closed |
30 |
$16 |
off |
vault |
5,700' |
|
Prosser Family
make a reservation or call 877-444-6777
|
Closed |
29 |
$20 |
off |
vault |
5,800' |
$5.00 extra vehicle fee |
Prosser Group Site
make a reservation or call 877-444-6777 |
Closed |
50 person site |
$113.85 |
off |
vault |
6,200' |
large parking area, up to 40 trailers |
Stampede/Boca Area
| Site Name |
Status |
# of sites |
Fee |
Water |
Toilets |
Elev. |
Notes |
Boca Campground
make a reservation
or call 877-444-6777 |
Closed |
20 |
$17 |
lake; purify before use |
vault |
5,625' |
$5.00 extra vehicle fee |
Boca Rest
make a reservation
or call 877-444-6777 |
Open all winter
No services |
25 |
$0 |
off |
vault |
5,647' |
not plowed in the winter |
Boca Spring
make a reservation
or call 877-444-6777 |
Open all winter
No services |
17 |
$0 |
off |
vault |
5,922' |
not plowed in the winter |
Boyington Mill
make a reservation
or call 877-444-6777 |
Open all winter
No services |
12 |
$0 |
river; purify before use |
vault |
5,645' |
not plowed in the winter |
Emigrant Group
make a reservation
or call 877-444-6777 |
Closed |
2-25 person
2-50 person sites |
$85.80
$167.20
(includes county tax) |
|
recirculating |
5,976' |
trailer dump station |
Logger
make a reservation
or call 877-444-6777 |
Open
No services |
252 |
$0 |
off |
vault and recirculating |
6,046' |
All portions closed except for Doublebit Loop.
Area not plowed in the winter |
Truckee River Corridor (SR 89 south)
| Site Name |
Status |
# of sites |
Fee |
Water |
Toilets |
Elev. |
Notes |
| Granite Flat |
Closed |
75 |
$18 |
off |
vault |
5,800' |
 Accessible for persons with disabilities.
$5.00 extra vehicle fee |
| Goose Meadows |
Closed |
25 |
$16 |
hand pump (well) |
vault |
5,800' |
$5.00 extra vehicle fee. |
| Silver Creek |
Closed |
19 |
$16 |
hand pump (well) |
vault |
5,800' |
$5.00 extra vehicle fee |
Day Use
- Donner Camp, three miles north of Truckee on
SR 89. Four picnic sites, restroom, interpretive trail at the site of the
George Donner camp in 1846.
- Deer Park, nine miles south of Truckee on SR
89. Sited along the Truckee river, is a walk-in site with five picnic
sites and a bike trail adjacent.
- Stampede Vista at Stampede reservoir. Two
sites, adjacent to Stampede reservoir. A great place for bird watching.
Non-Motorized Trails
| Trail Name |
Length |
Degree
of
Difficulty |
Trailhead
Location(s) |
Season
of
Use
|
Amount
of
Use |
Remarks |
| Commemorative Overland Emigrant Trail (COET) |
15 mi |
Moderate |
I-80, take the Hwy 89 N exit, go 2.3 miles to Alder Creek Road. Turn left and proceed for 3 mi. on Alder Creek Road. Trail starts on the south side.
Other trailheads at Alder Creek road off of SR 89 north and Donner Camp Day Use area. |
May-Nov. |
Moderate
Heavy in Spring |
Trailheads at Prosser and Stampede Reservoirs
Great for Mountain Bikes! |
| Ellis Peak |
2.5 mi. |
Moderate |
I-80, take Hwy 89 South exit. Travel south for 17 miles, turn west on Black-wood Canyon Road. Trailhead is 7 miles on the south side of the road where the pavement ends. |
June-Oct. |
Heavy |
Hiking/ Mt Biking/ Equestrian/ Motorized Vehicles |
Granite Chief Wilderness
(GCW Info) |
Varies, depending on trail |
Varies |
Several |
June-Oct. |
Heavy (Five Lakes trailhead)
Squaw Peak, Barker Pass have light use. |
Hiking, Equestrian
Motorized vehicles and Mountain Bikes are not in the Wilderness |
| Palisades Creek Trail |
9 mi. to the American River |
Very Difficult |
I-80, exit on Soda Springs/ Norden. Turn right on Soda Springs road(.8 m) Turn right on Pahatsi Rd. (0.8 m) Follow road straight, trailhead is on the north side of Cascade Lakes |
June-Oct. |
Moderate |
This trail is not maintained beyond the bridge over the American River
Hiking Only |
| Sawtooth Trail |
9.1 mi. loop |
Moderate |
I-80, take the 267 exit. Turn right on Ponderosa Palisades Rd. Take a right on Silverfir, a left on Thelan. The Forest Service gate will be on your right-hand side, and the trailhead starts 0.2 miles after gate |
June-Oct. |
Moderate |
Hiking, Mt. Biking, Equestrian |
| Summit Lake Trail |
2.0 mi. one way |
Easy |
I-80, exit Castle Peak, on the south side of I-80, turn left. The trailhead is on the east side of the parking lot. |
June-Oct. |
Heavy |
Hiking, Mt. Biking, Equestrian |
| Warren Lake Trail |
7.0 mi. one way |
Very difficult |
I-80, exit Castle Peak, on the south side of I-80, turn left. The trailhead is on the east side of the parking lot. |
June-Oct. |
Light |
Hiking, Equestrian |
| Glacier Meadow Loop Interpretive Trail |
0.5 mi. loop |
Very Easy |
I-80, exit Castle Peak, on the south side of I-80, turn left. The trailhead is on the east side of the parking lot. |
June-Oct. |
Very Heavy. |
Hiking Only |
| Coldstream Trail |
6.0 mi. one way |
Difficult |
Trail is located behind Donner State Park. |
July-Oct. |
Light |
Hiking, Mt. Biking |
| Lower Lola Montez Lake Trail |
3.0 mi. one way |
Moderate |
I-80, exit Soda Springs. Travel North, 0.3 mi. past fire station is the parking area |
June-Sept. |
Moderate |
Hiking Mt. Biking, Equestrian |
| Mt Judah Loop |
6.0 mi. loop |
Moderate |
Trail is accessed off the PCT south of Old Hwy 40 at Lake Mary trailhead
|
July-Oct. |
Heavy |
Hiking, Equestrians. This is a dry, exposed hike. Bring water and sunscreen |
| Painted Rock Trail |
6.0 mi. to the PCT |
Difficult |
Check with Ranger Station |
June-Sept. |
Very Light |
Hiking Only |
| Sand Ridge Lake Trail |
6.0 mi. one way |
Moderate |
I-80, exit Castle Peak, on the south side of I-80, turn left. The trailhead is on the east side of the parking lot. |
June-Oct. |
Heavy |
Hiking, Equestrians |
| Hole In the Ground |
7.8 mi. one way |
Moderate-hikers
Difficult-bikers |
I-80, exit Castle Peak. North on Castle Peak road 1.5 miles. Trail starts on left side of road. |
July-Oct. |
Heavy |
Hiking, Mt. Biking |
| Granite Chief Trail |
3.5 mi. one way |
Difficult |
Trailhead is located on the east side of the Squaw Valley Fire Station |
June-Sept. |
Moderate-Heavy |
Hiking, Equestrian |
| Bear Creek Trail |
2.0 mi. one way |
Very Easy |
½ mile up Alpine Meadows Road, Trail is located on the western end of Alpine Stables |
June-Oct. |
Moderate |
Hiking, Equestrian |
| Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) |
varies |
Moderate to Very Difficult |
July-Oct. |
Heavy |
Varies |
Hiking, Equestrian Only
No Mt. Bikes on PCT |
|
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