Hike with history while exploring Donner Summit and Donner Memorial State Park in this annual Donner Party Hike.
California was settled by adventurous pioneers who traveled through harsh conditions to realize the dream of owning land in wild and new areas of what’s now California. The area’s most famous emigrants who traveled through Truckee are the Donner Party. Their trials and tribulations demonstrated just how difficult it was for these dreamers and the extent they needed to go to survive the wild conditions and weather thrust upon them.
Every year you can walk in their footsteps through the Sierra Nevada and hear of their triumphs and tribulations from a local historian. Guides will tell you what we know, how we know it and who survived to eventually settle in California. You’ll learn all about this piece of our history through a selection of hikes of varying from moderate to strenuous.
The 2018 hikes are on Saturday September 15th with an option to add on an additional hike on Sunday September 16th for a total cost of $75. This year they are also offering a bus and walking tour for $35 which cannot be done with the hike on Sunday, they are running simultaneously.
All hikes being offered on Saturday begin and end at Sugar Bowl Ski Area and start at 7:30 or 8:00, depending on the hike. Each group of about 20 people is invited for lunch and entertainment afterward.
The Sunday walking tours begin at the Donner Camp picnic area at 8:30.
The information on each of the hikes and the required pre-registration for Saturday is located on the Donner Party Hike website. Cost is $50 per person if purchased before August 27th. Registration after that date will cost $60. If you’d like to extend the event into Sunday, register on this web page instead. The cost is 75.00 for both days and includes your choice of one of the hikes on Saturday plus a walking tour on Sunday at Donner Memorial State Park to see and learn about the Murphy Cabin Site and Pioneer Monument.
Many people return each year to do a different hike, we’ve heard great things about this event, so let me know how you like it!