WEBBER LAKE/LACEY MEADOWS
Webber Lake, photo by John Peltier
Summer 2024 reservations open March 1 at 8 a.m.
Initial openings will be June 21 through October 13. Conditions permitting, earlier dates may be opened later this spring.
Summer 2024: Please note that there will be forestry operations taking place in close proximity to Webber Lake Campground starting on August 1st and continuing through the remainder of the camping season. We expect there to be audible impacts to campers every Monday-Saturday during this time frame.
Additionally, there will be a meadow restoration at Lower Lacey Meadows starting on August 1st. Visitors can expect periodical trail closures in Lower Lacey Meadows starting on August 1st and continuing throughout the season. Thank you for your understanding.
Webber Lake is the headwaters of the Little Truckee River, the largest single tributary of the Truckee River, and critical habitat for a number of threatened or endangered species. Webber Lake is also a landscape rich in history.
For information about Webber Lake Campgrounds, call (530)587-2267.
In October 2012, the Truckee Donner Land Trust acquired the 3,000 acre property from its longtime owners, Clif and Barbara Johnson. Webber Lake had been in the Johnson Family since the 1870s. Until the Land Trust's acquisition, the property had been closed to the public for decades. The property consists of Webber Lake and two large meadows, Lower Lacey Meadow and Upper Lacey Meadow. Lacey Creek meanders through both meadows and feeds Webber Lake. Dr. David Webber’s hotel, built in 1860, is the last standing stagecoach hotel (out of about 30) on the historic Henness Pass Road.
field notes
COOL FACTOR
Lacey Meadows and Webber Lake have heretofore been closed to the public. Come discover the long hidden beauty and charm of the area, catch fish in Webber Lake, camp under the stars, walk through Lacey Meadows and find a plethora of Sierra birds and wildflowers.
WHAT TO DO
Camping, fishing, hiking, kayaking and boating, paddle boarding, running, mountain biking, swimming and doing nothing all make it very easy to spend a week at Webber Lake.
Camping: Webber Lake offers a great camping experience between Truckee and Sierraville. Webber Lake Campground's 46 sites are open when conditions permit in the spring until October 15, or when winter weather shuts us down. All sites are spacious, well shaded and come with a table, fire pit and bear box. Sorry, hook-ups and a dump station are not available. We love dogs but they must be leashed in the campground. Reservations are strongly suggested, walk-ins are not guaranteed.
Boating: Watercraft of all kind are welcome, but there is a 5-mph speed limit. Due to concern about aquatic invasive species (AIS) your craft is likely to be inspected. A boat ramp and trailer parking are available. Sierra Country requires an AIS form be completed before launching that you download here.
Fishing: Webber Lake is legendary for anglers and arguably the birthplace of sport fishing in the Sierra when Dr. Webber first stocked the lake in 1860. Conventional gear fishing and fly fishing are permitted. Fishing is regulated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Sierra District General regulations.
Hiking: The Lacey Valley Trail, about six miles roundtrip, offers an easy and memorable hike. The meadows offer spectacular wildflowers in spring and summer and are host to over one hundred species of birds, including rare and endangered species. Download a wildflower field guide provided by Ann Penfield. The trail begins at trailhead at the west end of the lake. (Signs will direct you.) There is not a bridge across Lacey Creek and for most of the summer your feet will get wet. The trail is wide and mostly flat with an uphill section between Lower and Lacey Meadows. The hike ends where the trail meets the Meadow Lake Road. Return the same way you came.
Day Use: Parking and picnic tables are available at no charge.
Smartphone Navigation
The property consists of Webber Lake and two large meadows, Lower Lacey Meadow and Upper Lacey Meadow. Lacey Creek meanders through both meadows and feeds Webber Lake.
HOW TO GET THERE
From Hwy 89, about 17 miles north of Truckee, take Jackson Meadows Road west about 8 miles to the sign for Webber Lake. Turn left and proceed down a dirt road for about a quarter mile. At a closed gate, the road forks to the right and in about another quarter of a mile is a dirt road to the left and a sign pointing to the TDLT Lacey Meadows parking area. Follow this road for about 0.6 mile to the parking area, interpretive kiosks, and maps of the area.
RULES, REGULATIONS, GOOD TO KNOW
Webber Lake Lacey Meadows are open to the public from dawn to dusk for day use. Camping, fires, and motorized vehicles are prohibited on the property except in the campground. Dogs must be leashed in the campground and in the day use area and under voice command elsewhere. Pets must not endanger wildlife. For nearly 150 years, sheep have grazed from late summer to early fall in the meadow. There may be sheep in the meadow when you visit; please stay clear of the herders' dogs.
OTHER LAND TRUST PROPERTIES IN THE AREA
Webber Lake / Lacey Meadows is one of five properties in the upper Little Truckee River watershed that has been conserved by the Truckee Donner Land Trust and its conservation partners. Click to view the Little Truckee River Watershed Map.
