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Welcome Aboard
Donner Lake & Beyond
By
Katherine E. Hill
 While
Lake Tahoe is one of the premier lakes in the Sierra, it
is far from the only one. The Sierra Nevada is filled
with hundreds of lakes and reservoirs that make boating
and other water activities a popular pastime throughout
the vast mountain range.
Locally, among the most visited bodies of water outside
of Lake Tahoe are Donner Lake and Boca, Stampede and
Prosser Creek Reservoirs.
Donner Lake is a popular spot for locals and visitors alike,
and can get crowded on the weekends. But, you’ll find it
a fantastic spot to put in for a glorious day of
cruising. Donner Lake is just under 3 miles long and
about three-quarters of a mile wide, giving boaters,
kayakers, water skiers and wake boarders lots of room to
spread out and have fun.
Unlike Lake Tahoe, Donner Lake does not require
inspections for quagga and zebra mussels, although a
ramp attendant recently remarked to me that “they might
wish they had” if they spread to the alpine lake. Just
remember that if you have your inspection sticker for
Lake Tahoe and you visit Donner Lake, you’ll have to pay
for your inspection again when you return to Lake Tahoe.
Donner Lake is a mostly residential area with a mix of
locals, vacationers and second homeowners. The north
shore is home to Donner State Memorial Park, the
boat launch, Donner Lake Marina and what few services
there are.
From
Truckee, take Donner Pass Road, which runs along the
north shore. You’ll find the public boat launch near the
west end of the lake. If you want to stock up before
hitting the water, stop at Donner Pines Market or
enjoy breakfast or lunch at one of the area’s best
eateries – Donner Lake Kitchen. They are both
located on the North Shore, about 1.8 miles before the
boat launch.
The
Truckee Parks & Rec Department operates the launch,
which is open 24 hours a day. Attendants are on-site
from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily with fees $7 for California
residents and $10 for out-of-state during those hours.
Parking is $2. There are public restrooms at the launch
site.
All
boat traffic on Donner Lake goes counter-clockwise and
the speed limit on the lake is 35 mph from sunrise to
sunset; it drops to 10 mph from sunset to sunrise. The
speed is 5 mph nears the homeowner’s beaches – Donner
Lake on the west end and Tahoe Donner on the east end –
as well as near the public West End Beach. These areas
are off-limits to boat traffic, so don’t enter the
swimming areas.
If
you want to rent water toys, kayaks or personal
watercraft, Donner Lake Marina on the west end
(just west of the boat launch) and Donner Lake
Watersports on the east shore can help. There are no
fuel, pump or launch services on the lake, however.
What
the lake does have in abundance is public piers – there
are 35 public piers on the north shore. You can use them
to sunbath or picnic, but please be courteous of private
piers. Also, the only restrooms are at the boat launch
or Shoreline Park, which is about midway on the
north shore and can be reached from the beach. And there
are no public piers on the other shores.
Boca,
Stampede and Prosser Creek reservoirs are great places
to visit for a day on the water just outside Truckee.
They also offer many camping options, so you can plan a
prolonged trip to these area waterways. And, there are
no launch fees on any of the reservoirs. However, there
are no services near the reservoirs, so stock up in
Truckee or at United Trails General Store on
Hirschdale Road right off Interstate 80.
Prosser Creek Reservoir,
the smallest of the three, is closed to power boats and
personal water craft. The speed limit is 10 mph, making
it a great spot for fishermen. From Truckee, take
Highway 89 to Prosser Dam Road. You can launch from
several unimproved locations.
Boca Reservoir is the most easily, and quickly accessible from
Interstate 80. You can take the Hirschdale exit or
continue on the dirt road from Prosser Dam Road off
Highway 89 North.
The
Boca area was once a booming industrial area providing
ice to railcars carrying goods to the east and lumber to
the gold and silver mines from the mid-1860s. There was
also a former town near the present-day reservoir and
the area was home to the Boca Brewery, said to be
“warranted to keep in any area.”
Today, Boca is a favorite spot for personal watercraft
and ski boats. There are about 14 miles of shoreline
with the depth ranging from 50’ to 80’, with the deepest
part near the dam. You can reach the paved boat ramp by
taking Boca Lake Road off Hirschdale Road and crossing
the dam.
There’s a 45 mph speed limit on Boca from sunrise to
sunset, and only 10 mph from sunset to sunrise. In the
coves, the speed limit is set at 5 mph.
The
largest of the trio is Stampede Reservoir,
located a few miles north on Hirschdale/Stampede Road.
With about 25 miles of shoreline, the amoeba-shaped
reservoir has lots of coves, inlets and spots to get
away from the crowds. Stampede averages 90’ to 120’ of
depth.
There’s a 45 mph speed limit on Stampede from sunrise to
sunset, and only 10 mph from sunset to sunrise. There’s
a 5 mph limit within 200’ of the boat ramp, near moored
boats, swimmers and the swimming beach. The launch is
located on Dog Valley Road off Stampede.
Katherine E. Hill may be reached at
editor@tahoethisweek.com or visit
www.tahoeboating.blogspot.com.
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