TRUCKEE SPRINGS
The Truckee Donner Land Trust permanently protected 26 acres Truckee Springs in 2021, thanks to the support of donors, grantors, and agencies listed on the neighboring panel. Driven by a groundswell of community support to conserve open space in the heart of our community, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife conveyed the neighboring property to the Land Trust, growing Truckee Springs to 67 acres.
Truckee Springs preserves important natural resources in the Truckee River corridor, protects history dating back to the indigenous people of the Washoe Tribe, and opens easily accessed greenspace for the public to enjoy right across the Truckee River from historic Downtown Truckee. As you explore the property along the Truckee River Legacy Trail, you will find additional signs detailing some of the nature and history of this property. There is also a dirt trail, as well as some benches and picnic tables along the river for you to enjoy.
RULES & REGULATIONS:
· No camping or overnight use
· No fires of any kind, including smoking or stoves, discharging of firearms or fireworks
· Non-motorized access only. Any other unauthorized use, including by vehicle or snowmobile is trespass, subject to prosecution under penal code 602
· Please pick up after your pet
· Please stay on marked trails
· Fishing is regulated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife
COOL FACTOR
Preserving this land is preserving a piece of our collective history. C.F. McGlashan, a driving force in Truckee’s early days famous for putting the Donner Party’s story to paper, picked this property to be the site of his Ice Palace and the “Fiesta of Snows” in 1913.
It was an early attempt at moving beyond railroad and timber as the engines of Truckee’s economy, vying for the attention of tourists in the winter months. He picked the property’s pond for an ice-skating rink, and built a dance hall and several rooms with fireplaces for people to rest after a day of playing in the snow. Two new toboggan runs made for exciting rides of more than a mile from Hilltop down to the front of the Ice Palace. A mechanical lift transported riders back up the hill.
The event was a success, and an even larger one took place the following winter - but it would unfortunately come to an end when the palace burned to the ground in 1916.
WHAT TO DO
The paved Truckee River Legacy Trail and the dirt Truckee Springs loop offer a variety of options for hikers, runners, and riders to explore Truckee Springs. Benches along the the Truckee River, and picnic tables in shaded groves create opportunities to relax and enjoy nature. The Eschenbach Bridge connects across the Truckee River to the Town of Truckee’s DEWBEYÚMUWEɁ Park, and on to the historic downtown core.