Donner Summit Royal Gorge Future Trails

"Historic Royal Gorge Acquisition"

12/21/2012
Royal Gorge is described as one of our "pre-eminent natural wonders". Placer Land Trust and other conservationists and individuals contributed to providing funds to acquire land that had almost become 3,000 acres of neighborhoods and condos, rather than publicly accessable, historically significant land. Placer Land Trust has worked diligently to raise funds for this and other land preservation activities. Congratulations to the new owners the Truckee Donner Land Trust and the Trust for Public Land, both connceted to the Northern Sierra Partnership. This one one of the most sought after properties for conservationists, as you well know, due to its beauty and history.

Sugar Bowl will manage the land use, including hiking trails and additional opportunites including cross counrty skiing.  The no trespassing signs are things of the past, and the executive director or Sierra Watch, Tom Mooers, commented that the fun will be organizing trails. The groups are trying to raise about $4 million more to pay for maintenance and improvements.

Mooers commented, "We're going to look back even five years from now," he said, "and be amazed by what we got."

Both webpages for Northern Sierra Partnership and Truckee Donner Land Trust are great links and Northern Sierra has beautiful photos!

Donner Area Hike for Families to Backpackers

Old Donner Pass to Azalea Lake Loop

(or you can park at the Sno Park parking near Boreal

and hike from that direction for a shorter, easier hike. 

*GPS links are at the bottom of this page.)

 

 

Suitable for beginners, families, and backpackers to PCTers!  Hike this 6 mile semi-loop with views of Donner Lake and the covered train tracks running across the range to the south.  Visit George S Stewart Peak to scramble sunny boulders, then retreat to the shady forest trail that will have numerous runoff creeks earlier in the season.  On the return you'll pass ponds and small lakes including Azalea and Flora, and finally Angela Lake.  For a 6 mile loop you get fantastic views, and a family friendly hike!  I met a 5 year old and 7 year old happily making the trek.

The bonus is arriving at Azalea and Flora Lakes with plenty of campsites for backpackers. 

But back to the beginning, parking!  I parked across the street from this favorite rock wall  and began my hike at the marker shown below.  Enlarge to see the climbers.

There are several easy options: You could park across the Old Donner Bridge and just walk back across the the nearest TH, or park at Mt Judah PCT parking and catch a TH there.

The trail will traverse uphill and the tracks I linked you to from my own hike will ascend all the way to the top of George S Stewart Peak.  It isn't too hard, even for the kids, although it isn't stroller worthy.

I started in the heat of the day so it was nice to photograph Donner Lake and the surrounding sights while snacking.  I could see the covered railroad tracks to the south, the Old Donner Bridge, to the west Lake Angela, and to the north through the forest see 80 carved in.

The Donner Pass Railway was covered for protection from snow, according to my grandfather who worked on the rails.

Descend into the forest and find wildflowers even in August despite the runoff creeks being dry.

This widow maker is a landmark that you are nearing the trail leading into Azalea Lake.  Me?  Got impatient as the sun dropped and bushwhacked over the rocks to get to the lake's basin.

Finally I arrived at Azalea Lake.  The trail went around the east side of the lake and continued past campsites and a small ascent on to Flora Lake.  I was the only one there!



Flora Lake is also set in a beautiful bowl.  If you climb a small distance to the east you get views of Donner again.  I added waypoints to my GPS tracks along this section as the trail isn't always clear, but is easy.

Pink is the old Donner Pass Highway.  Orange is Highway 80.   The small dark line at the top is where you could park and begin your hike rather than from my starting point.   

The Garmin Elevation Profile can be read more easily if you click on it to enlarge it.

Links for GPS:

Peachy Hiker GPS tracks  from Old Donner Pass
and
From 80 to Azalea by ClipperCreekWanderer  from 80 near Boreal.

Articles about other hikes you may be interested in:

Tahoe National Forest

• Carr Lake Under Snow
• Crooked Lakes Trail (Survivor Night)
• Tahoe Rim Trail
• Grouse Lakes Basin Trails near Lake Tahoe
• Grouse Ridge Campground and Trail Head 7-2012
• Loch Leven Lakes, Salmon Lake
• Anticipating Mosquito Ridge with Friends
• Snowshoe to Flora Lake from Boreal Sno Park

Trails listed by Location

Thank you for stopping by.  Happy Trails!

edited 6-2013