Truckee, CA Road Trips

Truckee began in 1863 as Gray's Station, named for Joseph Gray's Roadhouse on the Trans-Sierra wagon road. The Central Pacific Railroad selected Truckee as the name of its railroad station by August 1867, even though the tracks would not reach the station until 1868. It was renamed Truckee after a Paiute chief, whose assumed Paiute name was Tru-ki-zo. He was the father of Chief Winnemucca and grandfather of Sarah Winnemucca. The first Europeans who came to cross the Sierra Nevada encountered his tribe. The friendly chief rode toward them yelling, “Tro-kay!”, which is Paiute for “Everything is all right”. The unaware travelers assumed he was yelling his name. Chief Truckee later served as a guide for John C. Frémont. Winters are chilly with regular snowfall, while summers are warm to hot and dry, with occasional periods of intense thunderstorms.

1 Donner Memorial State Park, 12593 Donner Pass Rd, ☏ +1 530-582-7894. Sunrise-sunset, Visitor center 10AM-5PM, daily. Site of the end times for the ill-fated California bound pioneer party of 1846 that resorted to cannibalism after becoming snowbound. You can camp here yourself, in 154 sites with picnic tables. Do bring food, but store it in provided lockers to protect from bears. $10/vehicle/day. (updated Mar 2025) 2 Donner Lake.

Coyote Moon Golf Course, 10685 Northwoods Blvd., ☏ +1 530 587-0886. May–October (weather permitting). Tee times: 5AM-6PM. Regular rate: $160. Twilight Rate: $100. Northstar-at-Tahoe (100 Northstar Drive), toll-free: +1-800-466-6784. Downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, geocaching, ice skating, and wine tasting. Soar Truckee, Martis Creek Dam Rd (Truckee Tahoe Airport), ☏ +1 530 587-6702, [email protected]. May–October (weather permitting). $109-255.

1 50/50 Brewing Company. Outstanding local microbrewery with a large menu and live entertainment. (updated May 2023) 2 Full Belly Deli, 10825 Pioneer Trail Road, Suite 103 (Pioneer Commerce Center, Donner Pass & Pioneer Trail), ☏ +1 530-550-9516. 7AM-4PM. Housemade breads, huge sandwiches, fresh soup, housebaked goods, full espresso bar, local favorite. 3 Moody's Bistro & Lounge, 10007 Bridge St, ☏ +1 530 587-8688. Pricey, but delicious sustainable food in an elegant setting. (updated May 2023) 4 Cottonwood Restaurant and Bar (Hilltop Lodge), 10142 Rue Hilltop (From Brockway Road, turn onto Old Brockway Road; follow signs to Cottonwood on Rue Hilltop), ☏ +1 530 587-5711, [email protected]. 4:30-10PM. Cottonwood has been a fixture of Truckee's vibrant dining scene for 25 years. Housed in a historical ski lodge, constructed in 1928 to serve as a warming hut for the town of Truckee's ski and toboggan hill, the restaurant is a virtual museum of historic photos and artifacts. With spectacular views of downtown Truckee from the Dining Room or expansive Deck, Cottonwood has a diverse menu that consists of an eclectic menu of steaks, pastas, seafood and vegetarian dishes using fresh organic produce and sustainable meats and seafood whenever possible, complemented by a full bar and adventuresome wine list. Home to a vibrant acoustic music scene, Cottonwood features free live music every Thursday and Friday nights, and features a nightly Happy Hour until 6pm. Groups and special events are welcome.

The oldest stretch of "Downtown" Truckee (towards the east end of town) features a string of bars and is a lively scene most nights during the high season. The Truckee Police and California Highway Patrol have a zero-tolerance policy for drunk driving, and sobriety stops are not uncommon. While crime rates in the area are very low, a larger-than-expected number of locals boast a D.U.I. on their records due to this enforcement focus.

1 Best Western Plus Truckee-Tahoe Hotel, 11331 Brockway Rd, ☏ +1 530 587-4525, fax: +1 530 587-8173. (updated May 2023) Truckee Donner Lodge, 10527 Cold Stream Rd, ☏ +1 530-509-5758.

I-80 bisects Truckee allowing access from Sacramento and the Bay Area from the west, and Reno to the east. From King's Beach in Lake Tahoe, SR 267 heads north into Truckee. While easy to approach under clear conditions, travelers should pay close attention to inclement weather during the winter. Roads in and out of Truckee can rapidly become treacherous during heavy winter storms. Donner Pass (over 7,000 ft/2,100 m elevation) in particular should not be attempted during heavy storms without strong winter driving skills and chains or 4-wheel drive. While well-maintained and regularly plowed, the pass can live up to its infamous name under the worst conditions. If the weather becomes too harsh, "chain control" will be put into effect, allowing only cars with 4-wheel drive or chains over Donner Pass. Should the weather render the highway impassable, I-80 will close until conditions improve. Status on California highways can be seen here. Truckee has an airport. Other than Surf Air and charter flights, it does not offer commercial scheduled flights in or out. The closest large airport is located approximately 36 mi (58 km) away in Reno, Nevada. The Sacramento International Airport is also an option, and is about 120 mi (193 km) away, on the north side of Sacramento, California. You can use the Amtrak Thruway buses that connect Truckee to Capitol Corridor trains in Sacramento. Amtrak has one daily train to Truckee in each direction on its California Zephyr service between San Francisco (Emeryville) and Chicago.

There is a free public bus, operated by neighboring Placer County, California; it connects the Truckee train station to the West Shore of Lake Tahoe, and a second goes to Incline Village, Nevada. There are also winter ski buses between Reno Airport and the ski areas near Truckee.