Donner Lake is Truckee’s lake neighborhood, from 1950s cabins to lakefront homes at the foot of Donner Summit. Explore 2026 prices, every sale since 2023, lakefront homes, piers and rules.
Donner Lake · Truckee, California · 96161 · Neighborhood guide
Donner Lake is Truckee’s lake neighborhood: about 1,390 homes around a 2.7-mile alpine lake at the foot of Donner Summit, from original 1950s cabins on small wooded lots to new homes on the water. Since January 2023, 129 homes have sold here for $465K to $7.4 million, at a median of $1,135,000, along with 35 condos and townhomes. The 16 lakefront sales, at a median of $3,246,250, include the highest prices inside Truckee’s town limits.
This guide covers Donner Lake as the Tahoe Sierra MLS defines it: prices by year, budget and part of the lake, which homes are on the water, every sale since 2023, the condos, public beaches and piers, pier permits and lake levels, the Nevada–Placer county line, rental rules, schools and drive times. Every figure is dated and sourced below.
By Cole Mizak, REALTOR® · Compass · Updated October 30, 2026 · Part of the Truckee guide
$925K
Median home price, 2026
$3.25M
Median lakefront price since 2023
129
Homes sold since 2023
3.8
Months of supply, homes (Oct. 30, 2026)
2026 figures run from January 1 to October 30, 2026. Single-family homes unless noted. Sources: Tahoe Sierra MLS and the Nevada and Placer County assessors.
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Around Donner Lake at the west edge of Truckee, California (ZIP 96161), between downtown and Donner Summit along Donner Pass Road and Interstate 80. Downtown is 4.6 mi · 9 min from the middle of the north shore |
| The lake | About 2.7 miles long, 0.6 mile wide and 238 feet deep, roughly 830 acres at about 5,940 feet. The top 12 feet is water storage owned by the Truckee Meadows Water Authority, so the lake is held full in summer and drawn down in fall |
| Homes | About 1,390 houses and cabins in the subdivisions around the lake, 205 of them on the water, plus condos and townhomes. Median year built 1974; median lot 0.14 acre (Nevada and Placer County assessors) |
| Jurisdiction | Almost all in the Town of Truckee, Nevada County, including every lakefront home. About 112 homes in the southwest corner (Conifer Drive, Mt. Judah Drive and parts of South Shore Drive) are in unincorporated Placer County |
| Elevation | About 5,940 to 6,140 feet; county design snow loads of 314 to 354 pounds per square foot |
| HOA | No mandatory homeowners association for most homes. The voluntary Donner Lake Property Owners Association (founded 1957) runs a private beach at the west end for up to 800 member households; condos have their own associations |
| Public lake access | West End Beach, 37 public piers along the north shore, the lake’s only public boat launch and Donner Memorial State Park at the east end |
| Sales since 2023 | 129 homes ($465K to $7.4 million, median $1,135,000), 16 of them lakefront (median $3,246,250), and 35 condos and townhomes |
| 2026 so far | 29 home sales through October 30, median $925,000, against $1,215,000 in the same months of 2025, as smaller homes sold; price per square foot rose to $861 |
| For sale now | 10 homes ($799K to $2.13 million), none on the water, and 8 condos and townhomes on Oct. 30, 2026, plus 7 homes in escrow; about 4 months of supply |
| Utilities | Truckee Donner Public Utility District water and electricity and Truckee Sanitary District sewer on the Nevada County side |
| Schools | Tahoe Truckee Unified School District; Truckee Elementary and Truckee High are 2.7 mi · 7 min and 2.9 mi · 7 min from the north shore |
| Getting around | Downtown Truckee 4.6 mi · 9 min; Sugar Bowl 6.3 mi · 15 min; Palisades Tahoe 13.9 mi · 23 min; Reno-Tahoe airport 40.7 mi · 53 min |
Market data · Updated October 30, 2026
Donner Lake sells about 34 homes a year, from cabins under $750,000 to lakefront homes above $5 million, so the median moves with the mix. Through October 30, 29 homes sold at a median of $925,000, against $1,215,000 in the same months of 2025. The homes were smaller, a median of 1,682 square feet against 1,980, and price per square foot rose to $861 from $787. Off the water the pattern is the same: a median of $880,000 against $973,500, but $689 per square foot against $644.
Homes are selling faster, a median of 16 days on the market this year against 33, at 97.8% of the first asking price. With 10 homes for sale and 7 in escrow on October 30, 2026, supply is about 4 months, a seller’s market. Since 2023, Donner Lake’s $1,135,000 median sits just below Tahoe Donner’s ($1,195,000); this year it is below the $1,260,000 median for all of Truckee’s town limits, because so many of its sales are cabins.
| Measure | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | 29 | 31 |
| Median price | $925,000 | $1,215,000 |
| Median price off the water | $880,000 | $973,500 |
| Average price per sq. ft. | $861 | $787 |
| Avg. price per sq. ft. off the water | $689 | $644 |
| Median size sold (sq. ft.) | 1,682 | 1,980 |
| Lakefront sales | 5 | 5 |
| Median days on market | 16 | 33 |
| Average sold / original list | 97.8% | 95.4% |
Single-family homes. On October 30, 2026: 10 homes for sale and 7 in escrow. Months of supply divides the listings for sale by the average monthly sales of the previous 12 months; under about six months generally favors sellers.
| Year | Sales | Median price | Average price | Price range | Avg. $ / sq. ft. | Median days on market | Avg. sold / original list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to Oct. 30, 2026) | 29 | $925,000 | $1,678,503 | $525K–$7.40M | $861 | 16 | 97.8% |
| 2025 | 34 | $1,257,000 | $1,697,199 | $600K–$4.68M | $789 | 34 | 95.4% |
| 2024 | 38 | $1,084,500 | $1,388,944 | $465K–$4.65M | $751 | 22 | 95.0% |
| 2023 | 28 | $1,137,500 | $1,334,500 | $505K–$5.50M | $735 | 11 | 98.0% |
| All years | 129 | $1,135,000 | $1,523,467 | $465K–$7.40M | $780 | 18 | 96.4% |
| Year | Sales | Median price | Average price | Price range | Avg. $ / sq. ft. | Median days on market | Avg. sold / original list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to Oct. 30, 2026) | 3 | $808,000 | $774,333 | $685K–$830K | $601 | 89 | 89.4% |
| 2025 | 4 | $1,076,000 | $1,083,111 | $700K–$1.48M | $708 | 35 | 100.2% |
| 2024 | 7 | $1,183,425 | $1,058,857 | $639K–$1.60M | $757 | 34 | 98.9% |
| 2023 | 7 | $965,000 | $993,135 | $600K–$1.39M | $695 | 26 | 100.5% |
| All years | 21 | $965,000 | $1,000,923 | $600K–$1.60M | $704 | 35 | 98.3% |
Average price per square foot is the mean of each sale’s price per square foot, leaving out sales without a recorded size and one lakefront cottage whose price is for the land. Days on market leave out sales entered in the MLS after closing with zero days. Donner Lake Village’s hotel-room studios are shown with the condos below. See Sources & methodology.
A lower median in 2026 reflects smaller homes selling, not falling values: price per square foot is up 9% on the year, and up 7% off the water.
Since 2023, the 68 homes that sold within 30 days averaged 100.3% of their original list price. The 22 that took more than 90 days averaged 89.2%, usually after price cuts.
About 205 homes sit on the water, and 16 sold in nearly four years, about 4 a year. None were for sale on Oct. 30, 2026.
24 homes sold for under $750,000 since 2023, a median of $673,000, most of them cabins of about 1,000 square feet at the west and east ends.
Elements at Coldstream, by the state park, has sold 14 new townhomes since 2023 at a median of $1,076,000, and had 5 for sale on Oct. 30, 2026.
Since 2023, 12 Donner Lake sales were entered in the MLS with no days on market, usually little or no public marketing, including two lakefront homes above $4 million. Ask Cole about homes before they list.
On the water
About 205 homes have their own shoreline on Donner Lake, nearly all of them along two roads: Donner Pass Road on the sunny north shore, where the homes sit between the road and the water, and South Shore Drive and Point Drive on the quieter, more wooded south shore. Every one is in the Town of Truckee. Many have private piers, and much of the rest of the north shore is public: the park district’s piers, Shoreline Park and the boat launch.
Since 2023, 16 lakefront homes have sold, from $1.95 million to $7.4 million, at a median of $3,246,250 and an average of $1,390 per square foot. Five were on the north shore (median $4,495,000) and eleven on the south (median $2,900,000). The two highest prices came a day apart in July 2026: 13351 Donner Pass Road at $7,400,000 and 14578 South Shore Drive at $6,800,000. On October 30, 2026, no lakefront home was listed for sale.
| Address | Shore | Closed | Sold price | Beds / baths | Sq. ft. | Lot (acres) | Built | $ / sq. ft. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13351 Donner Pass Road | North | Jul 14, 2026 | $7,400,000 | 5/4 | 3,744 | 0.86 | 1985 | $1,976 |
| 14578 South Shore Drive | South | Jul 15, 2026 | $6,800,000 | 6/5 | 4,077 | 0.25 | 2002 | $1,668 |
| 13791 Donner Pass Road | North | Jan 17, 2023 | $5,500,000 | 4/4 | 3,450 | 0.20 | 1980 | $1,594 |
| 14246 South Shore Drive | South | Aug 29, 2025 | $4,675,000 | 5/6 | 5,224 | 0.27 | 2006 | $895 |
| 14210 South Shore Drive | South | Jul 17, 2024 | $4,650,000 | 5/6 | 4,775 | — | 1992 | $974 |
| 13313 Donner Pass Road | North | Jun 24, 2024 | $4,495,000 | 3/2 | 1,154 | 0.17 | 1950 | land value |
| 13751 Donner Pass Road | North | May 2, 2025 | $3,600,000 | 4/2 | 2,632 | 0.06 | 1995 | $1,368 |
| 14254 South Shore Drive | South | Jun 23, 2026 | $3,300,000 | 3/2 | 1,870 | 0.26 | 1970 | $1,765 |
| 14270 South Shore Drive | South | Jun 30, 2026 | $3,192,500 | 4/3 | 2,305 | — | 1984 | $1,385 |
| 15066 South Shore Drive | South | Aug 17, 2026 | $2,900,000 | 5/4 | 3,766 | 0.29 | 1963 | $770 |
| 13595 Donner Pass Road | North | Aug 13, 2024 | $2,900,000 | 5/6 | 3,130 | 0.34 | 1947 | $927 |
| 14480 South Shore Drive | South | Sep 29, 2025 | $2,757,750 | 3/2 | 1,700 | 0.29 | 1969 | $1,622 |
| 14284 South Shore Drive | South | Sep 27, 2024 | $2,750,000 | 3/2 | 2,658 | 0.27 | 1982 | $1,035 |
| 14936 South Shore Drive | South | Jun 6, 2025 | $2,750,000 | 4/2 | 1,800 | 0.22 | 1981 | $1,528 |
| 14916 South Shore Drive | South | Nov 16, 2023 | $1,950,000 | 2/2 | 1,263 | 0.24 | 1958 | $1,544 |
| 15130 Point Drive | South | May 23, 2025 | $1,950,000 | 3/2 | 1,085 | 0.12 | 1958 | $1,797 |
Lakefront: the parcel touches the lake (Nevada County Assessor lake-frontage records and a January 2026 lakefront parcel list, checked against the USGS shoreline). “Land value”: a small cottage, priced for the frontage. Sales by all brokerages.
Donner Lake’s top 12 feet is water storage owned by the Truckee Meadows Water Authority. The lake is held full from about Memorial Day to Labor Day and drawn down after, and low water lasts about seven months, so many piers sit over shallow water or dry lakebed from fall to spring. Look at a pier’s depth in October, not only in July.
A new, rebuilt or repaired pier needs a Town of Truckee building permit plus approvals from the Lahontan Water Board, the Army Corps of Engineers, California Fish and Wildlife and the State Lands Commission. One pier per parcel; no walls or roofs. Ask for the existing pier’s permits and any State Lands lease.
A public trust easement covers the lakebed at and below the high-water line (5,940 feet), so the public can walk the shore, and new piers must let people pass over, under or around them. Lakefront ownership here means your house, yard and pier, not a private beach.
Some lakefront homes come with a second parcel across the road for parking or a garage, and some South Shore Drive lots straddle the Nevada–Placer county line. Check the parcel map and which county taxes each piece.
Price guide
Donner Lake spans a wider range of prices than any other Truckee neighborhood: 24 homes sold for under $750,000 since 2023, and 20 for $2.5 million or more. Below about $1.5 million you are buying a cabin or older home in the tracts around the lake; above $2.5 million, it is almost always lakefront. Condos start lower still: Donner Lake Village’s condo-hotel studios have sold for $240K to $335K.
| Price range | Sales since 2023 | Median price | Median sq. ft. | Avg. $ / sq. ft. | Lakefront | Sales, past 12 months | For sale Oct. 30, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $750,000 | 24 | $673,000 | 1,072 | $597 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| $750,000 to $1 million | 35 | $875,000 | 1,214 | $666 | 0 | 11 | 4 |
| $1 to $1.5 million | 28 | $1,200,000 | 1,774 | $687 | 0 | 4 | 5 |
| $1.5 to $2.5 million | 22 | $1,747,500 | 2,426 | $801 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| $2.5 million and up | 20 | $3,254,000 | 3,012 | $1,233 | 14 | 7 | 0 |
Single-family homes. The past 12 months run from October 31, 2025 to October 30, 2026.
24 sales since 2023 · median $673,000
Original cabins of about 1,000 square feet on small lots, mostly at the west end, on the east-end tracts and on the north-shore hill.
35 sales since 2023 · median $875,000
Two- and three-bedroom cabins and updated older homes in every part of the lake, the busiest price range.
28 sales since 2023 · median $1,200,000
Larger or remodeled homes of about 1,800 square feet, often with lake views from the north shore or the south side.
22 sales since 2023 · median $1,747,500
Newer and larger homes with lake views, led by the north-shore hill, Greenpoint and the west end, plus the least expensive lakefront.
20 sales since 2023 · median $3,254,000
Mostly lakefront homes on Donner Pass Road and South Shore Drive, plus a few large view homes and a creekside estate.
Around the lake
Donner Lake is a ring of small subdivisions, most of them laid out as summer-cabin tracts in the early and mid 1900s, and the four sides of the lake feel different. The west end is flat and wooded around West End Beach; the north shore climbs a sunny slope above Donner Pass Road with lake views; the south shore is steeper, shadier and quieter; and the east end sits by the state park, closest to town and the freeway.
| Part of the lake | Homes | Home sales since 2023 | Median price | Avg. $ / sq. ft. | Median elevation (ft.) | Median year built | Median lot (acres) | Drive to downtown | For sale or in escrow Oct. 30, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| On the water Homes with their own shoreline: Donner Pass Road along the north shore, South Shore Drive and Point Drive on the south, many with private piers | 205 | 16 | $3,246,250 | $1,390 | 5,950 | 1979 | 0.24 | 7–16 min | 0 |
| West end Donner Woods, Donner Lake Woods, Weeks and Emmons Tracts, Wolfe Estates and Conifer Drive, on the flats around West End Beach and Donner Creek; the most homes and many original cabins on small lots | 539 (79 in Placer Co.) | 50 | $992,500 | $732 | 5,950 | 1973 | 0.12 | 13 min | 4 |
| North shore hills Lakeview, Greenpoint, Donner Heights and Donner Lake Tract: Reed and Denton Avenues and Blue Jay, Oriole and Tanager Lanes, on the slope above Donner Pass Road, many with lake views | 272 | 35 | $1,175,000 | $686 | 6,000 | 1978 | 0.16 | 10 min | 9 |
| South shore Southside Highlands, Donner Terrace and Point Drive on the uphill side of South Shore Drive, plus Mt. Judah Drive and Red Mountain Road; quieter, partly in Placer County | 75 (33 in Placer Co.) | 9 | $1,185,000 | $610 | 6,000 | 1974 | 0.24 | 16 min | 1 |
| East end Donner Pines, Waltz, Biltz and Donner Olympic Tracts on Moraine Road and Sierra and Olympic Drives, by Donner Memorial State Park and the Donner Lake interchange; closest to town | 296 | 19 | $828,000 | $631 | 5,990 | 1973 | 0.13 | 7 min | 3 |
Homes, elevation, year built and lot size: Nevada and Placer County assessor records, grouped by location (lakefront homes are their own group). Placer County records give no year built or elevation. Drive times run from the middle of each part to Commercial Row, without traffic or snow.
The north-shore hill and the south shore have the highest medians off the water, $1,175,000 and $1,185,000; the east end is the most affordable, $828,000, and the closest to town. The west end has the most homes and the most sales, at a median of $992,500, and the most cabins.
The county line crosses the southwest corner of the lake. About 112 homes there, on Conifer Drive and nearby streets in Donner Woods, Mt. Judah Drive, Red Mountain and Devils Peak Roads and parts of South Shore Drive, are in unincorporated Placer County, and some lots on Cottonwood Street and South Shore Drive straddle the line. 14 of the home sales since 2023 were Placer County homes, at a median of $804,000. For them, Placer County issues building permits and short-term rental permits and collects the property tax; the Town of Truckee covers everything else around the lake.
Donner Lake’s condos come in three kinds: the new townhomes of Elements at Coldstream by the state park, 1970s condos on Donner Pass Road, and Donner Lake Village, a lakefront condo-hotel whose owners rent through the resort. The Coldstream Specific Plan, approved by the town in 2014, allows up to 300 homes on 178.6 acres with a park, shops and about 108 acres of open space, and The Hub at Coldstream by Reynen & Bardis is next. Each complex has its own association dues; ask for the current budget and the resale package.
| Complex | Sales since 2023 | Median price | Price range | Avg. $ / sq. ft. | For sale Oct. 30, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coldstream Elements at Coldstream: new townhomes built since 2021 next to Donner Memorial State Park (Winter Camp Way, Ice House Loop, Split Rock Court, Cold Creek Circle) | 14 | $1,076,000 | $808K–$1.48M | $739 | 5 |
| Donner Pines West 1973–74 condos on Donner Pass Road at the west end, across from the public boat launch | 6 | $663,750 | $600K–$700K | $517 | 3 |
| Donner Lake Village A lakefront condo-hotel at the west end with its own marina: mostly hotel-room studios of about 400 sq. ft., plus a few larger units | 14 | $290,000 | $240K–$2.00M | $799 | 0 |
| Donner Pines Lakefront condos on Donner Pass Road at the east end | 1 | $1,600,000 | — | $1,342 | 0 |
Sales
All 129 home sales and 35 condo and townhome sales recorded in the Tahoe Sierra MLS from January 2023 to October 30, 2026, newest first. The top price is 13351 Donner Pass Road: $7,400,000 on July 14, 2026, a lakefront home on 0.86 acre, the highest sale inside Truckee’s town limits since 2023. Next were 14578 South Shore Drive ($6.8 million, July 2026) and 13791 Donner Pass Road ($5.5 million, January 2023), both on the water.
Cole represented the buyers of two recent Donner Lake sales: 14254 South Shore Drive ($3,300,000, June 2026), on the water, and 14369 South Shore Drive ($3,399,000, April 2025), on the hill above it.
| Address | Area | Closed | Sold price | Beds / baths | Sq. ft. | Lot (acres) | Built | $ / sq. ft. | Days on market | % of original list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14525 Denton Avenue | North hills | Oct 29, 2026 | $1,561,000 | 3/2 | 2,230 | — | 2003 | $700 | 12 | 100.8% |
| 15621 Conifer | West end (Placer) | Sep 30, 2026 | $550,000 | 2/1 | 988 | 0.14 | — | $557 | 9 | 100.0% |
| 13444 Moraine Road | East end | Sep 23, 2026 | $565,000 | 1/1 | — | 0.11 | 1953 | — | 4 | 100.0% |
| 15205 Point Drive | South shore | Sep 18, 2026 | $1,550,000 | 6/3 | 3,300 | — | 1973 | $470 | 41 | 91.4% |
| 14218 Donner Avenue | North hills | Sep 18, 2026 | $525,000 | 3/2 | 1,021 | 0.23 | 1958 | $514 | 12 | 75.5% |
| 13474 Moraine Road | East end | Sep 15, 2026 | $780,000 | 3/2 | 1,220 | 0.11 | 1996 | $639 | 122 | 95.7% |
| 13370 Sierra Drive | East end | Sep 11, 2026 | $700,000 | 3/2 | 967 | — | 1993 | $724 | 35 | 94.0% |
| 14740 Denton Avenue | North hills | Aug 28, 2026 | $947,100 | 4/2 | 2,364 | 0.25 | 1992 | $401 | 107 | 86.5% |
| 14625 Denton Avenue | North hills | Aug 28, 2026 | $875,000 | 3/2 | 1,208 | 0.11 | 2017 | $724 | 96 | 89.7% |
| 15146 Donner Pass Road | North hills | Aug 19, 2026 | $3,017,000 | 5/4 | 2,893 | 0.12 | 1976 | $1,043 | 19 | 109.7% |
| 15066 South Shore Drive | Lakefront | Aug 17, 2026 | $2,900,000 | 5/4 | 3,766 | 0.29 | 1963 | $770 | 10 | 88.0% |
| 15685 Pine Street | West end | Jul 24, 2026 | $885,000 | 2/1 | — | 0.11 | 1962 | — | 77 | 93.4% |
| 15876 Cottonwood Street | West end | Jul 20, 2026 | $626,000 | 3/1 | 816 | 0.11 | 1973 | $767 | 3 | 104.5% |
| 15541 South Shore Drive | West end | Jul 17, 2026 | $799,000 | 2/1 | 1,200 | 0.12 | 1969 | $666 | 5 | 100.0% |
| 14578 South Shore Drive* | Lakefront | Jul 15, 2026 | $6,800,000 | 6/5 | 4,077 | 0.25 | 2002 | $1,668 | — | 100.0% |
| 13351 Donner Pass Road | Lakefront | Jul 14, 2026 | $7,400,000 | 5/4 | 3,744 | 0.86 | 1985 | $1,976 | 7 | 107.2% |
| 10531 Maple Street | West end | Jul 7, 2026 | $1,250,000 | 3/2 | 1,386 | 0.11 | 1952 | $902 | 5 | 114.9% |
| 16243 Old Highway Drive | West end | Jul 1, 2026 | $825,000 | 2/1 | — | 0.13 | — | — | 16 | 100.0% |
| 14270 South Shore Drive | Lakefront | Jun 30, 2026 | $3,192,500 | 4/3 | 2,305 | — | 1984 | $1,385 | 18 | 95.4% |
| 14161 Tanager Lane | North hills | Jun 30, 2026 | $859,000 | 1/1 | 1,103 | 0.32 | 1950 | $779 | 10 | 98.8% |
| 14254 South Shore Drive | Lakefront | Jun 23, 2026 | $3,300,000 | 3/2 | 1,870 | 0.26 | 1970 | $1,765 | 106 | 95.7% |
| 16516 Jebs Court | West end | Jun 20, 2026 | $1,700,000 | 4/2 | 2,634 | 0.25 | 2023 | $645 | 18 | 94.5% |
| 13494 Moraine Road | East end | Jun 15, 2026 | $1,200,000 | 3/3 | 2,031 | — | 2006 | $591 | 9 | 120.1% |
| 14120 Donner Pass Road* | North hills | Jun 12, 2026 | $900,000 | 2/2 | 1,024 | 0.19 | 1963 | $879 | — | 100.0% |
| 16172 Old Highway Drive | West end | May 22, 2026 | $1,540,000 | 4/3 | 1,773 | — | 1968 | $869 | 4 | 114.1% |
| 15609 Cottonwood Street | West end | May 18, 2026 | $955,000 | 3/2 | — | — | — | — | 9 | 106.2% |
| 14395 South Shore Drive | South shore | Apr 1, 2026 | $925,000 | 3/2 | 1,592 | 0.21 | 1969 | $581 | 258 | 78.7% |
| 15321 South Shore Drive | West end (Placer) | Feb 26, 2026 | $675,000 | 2/1 | — | — | — | — | 109 | 90.0% |
| 13271 Moraine Road | East end | Feb 18, 2026 | $875,000 | 3/2 | 1,353 | 0.11 | 1997 | $647 | 77 | 92.1% |
| 10240 Aspen Street | West end | Dec 3, 2025 | $4,600,000 | 4/4 | 3,275 | 1.02 | 1996 | $1,405 | 201 | 95.9% |
| 8600 Cold Stream Road | South shore (Placer) | Nov 25, 2025 | $1,299,000 | 7/7 | 3,886 | 2.50 | — | $334 | 7 | 100.0% |
| 14821 Mt Judah Drive | South shore (Placer) | Nov 20, 2025 | $1,135,000 | 3/2 | 1,664 | — | — | $682 | 185 | 91.2% |
| 15391 Conifer Drive | West end (Placer) | Oct 15, 2025 | $808,000 | 2/1 | 1,056 | 0.12 | — | $765 | 34 | 95.7% |
| 15244 Donner Pass Road | North hills | Oct 10, 2025 | $1,435,000 | 4/4 | 2,632 | 0.16 | 1978 | $545 | 107 | 96.0% |
| 15398 Cedar Point Drive | North hills | Oct 9, 2025 | $900,000 | 4/3 | 2,336 | — | 1978 | $385 | 120 | 87.4% |
| 14480 South Shore Drive | Lakefront | Sep 29, 2025 | $2,757,750 | 3/2 | 1,700 | 0.29 | 1969 | $1,622 | 57 | 93.5% |
| 15061 W Reed Avenue | North hills | Sep 29, 2025 | $2,375,000 | 5/3 | 3,153 | 0.10 | 1998 | $753 | 14 | 99.2% |
| 16235 Old Highway Drive | West end | Sep 2, 2025 | $875,000 | 3/1 | 1,600 | — | 1974 | $547 | 74 | 88.8% |
| 10082 Michaels Way | North hills | Sep 1, 2025 | $1,650,000 | 3/2 | 2,206 | — | — | $748 | 98 | 97.1% |
| 14246 South Shore Drive | Lakefront | Aug 29, 2025 | $4,675,000 | 5/6 | 5,224 | 0.27 | 2006 | $895 | 259 | 89.9% |
| 14289 E Reed Avenue* | North hills | Aug 29, 2025 | $769,000 | 2/1 | 1,131 | — | 1973 | $680 | — | 100.5% |
| 14459 E Reed Avenue | North hills | Aug 21, 2025 | $2,099,000 | 3/3 | 2,815 | — | 2022 | $746 | 133 | 100.0% |
| 16365 Fawn Street | West end | Aug 15, 2025 | $3,208,000 | 4/4 | 3,518 | — | 2019 | $912 | 28 | 91.8% |
| 10310 Aspen Street | West end | Jul 21, 2025 | $956,000 | 4/2 | 1,468 | 0.11 | 1966 | $651 | 3 | 96.1% |
| 13524 Moraine Road | East end | Jul 14, 2025 | $972,000 | 3/3 | 1,457 | — | 1993 | $667 | 45 | 84.5% |
| 15196 South Shore Drive* | South shore | Jul 1, 2025 | $1,215,000 | 3/3 | 2,608 | 0.15 | 1977 | $466 | — | 100.0% |
| 15501 Conifer Drive | West end (Placer) | Jun 23, 2025 | $1,875,000 | 4/4 | 2,396 | 0.11 | — | $783 | 9 | 97.4% |
| 10060 Donner Lake Road* | West end | Jun 20, 2025 | $975,000 | 4/2 | 1,642 | 0.41 | 1982 | $594 | — | 100.0% |
| 15708 Spruce Street | West end | Jun 16, 2025 | $1,795,000 | 4/3 | 2,530 | — | 2002 | $709 | 32 | 100.0% |
| 15331 South Shore Drive* | West end (Placer) | Jun 16, 2025 | $600,000 | 1/1 | 768 | — | — | $781 | — | 96.9% |
| 14936 South Shore Drive* | Lakefront | Jun 6, 2025 | $2,750,000 | 4/2 | 1,800 | 0.22 | 1981 | $1,528 | — | 100.0% |
| 15130 Point Drive | Lakefront | May 23, 2025 | $1,950,000 | 3/2 | 1,085 | 0.12 | 1958 | $1,797 | 3 | 90.7% |
| 13381 Moraine Road | East end | May 22, 2025 | $850,000 | 6/3 | 2,160 | 0.10 | 1961 | $394 | 13 | 100.0% |
| 15244 W Reed Avenue | North hills | May 15, 2025 | $750,000 | 1/1 | — | 0.10 | 1973 | — | 3 | 100.0% |
| 13751 Donner Pass Road | Lakefront | May 2, 2025 | $3,600,000 | 4/2 | 2,632 | 0.06 | 1995 | $1,368 | 14 | 100.0% |
| 14369 South Shore Drive | South shore | Apr 30, 2025 | $3,399,000 | 5/4 | 5,287 | 0.52 | 2021 | $643 | 24 | 100.0% |
| 13331 Moraine Road | East end | Apr 29, 2025 | $600,000 | 2/1 | 1,160 | 0.11 | 1959 | $517 | 10 | 100.0% |
| 15805 Conifer Drive | West end (Placer) | Apr 4, 2025 | $970,000 | 5/3 | 1,664 | 0.11 | — | $583 | 240 | 74.7% |
| 13274 Donner Pass Road | East end | Mar 21, 2025 | $970,000 | 4/2 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 100.0% |
| 13594 Moraine Road | East end | Feb 26, 2025 | $700,000 | 3/1 | 1,202 | 0.11 | 1962 | $582 | 102 | 93.3% |
| 15790 Willow Street | West end | Feb 3, 2025 | $1,465,000 | 3/1 | — | 0.34 | 1956 | — | 108 | 91.6% |
| 14580 Donner Pass Road | North hills | Jan 22, 2025 | $1,575,000 | 3/3 | 2,322 | 0.17 | 2001 | $678 | 4 | 98.5% |
| 15591 Conifer Drive | West end (Placer) | Jan 10, 2025 | $1,152,000 | 3/2 | 1,680 | 0.13 | — | $686 | 83 | 92.2% |
| 13620 Donner Pass Road | East end | Dec 10, 2024 | $765,000 | 2/2 | 1,050 | 0.15 | 1954 | $729 | 2 | 100.0% |
| 10477 Washoe Road | West end | Nov 27, 2024 | $1,138,000 | 3/2 | 1,471 | 0.25 | 1973 | $774 | 114 | 87.9% |
| 15271 South Shore Drive | South shore (Placer) | Nov 21, 2024 | $750,000 | 2/1 | 856 | 0.11 | — | $876 | 12 | 95.5% |
| 15769 Fir Street | West end | Oct 29, 2024 | $786,000 | 3/2 | 1,008 | 0.11 | 1930 | $780 | 89 | 87.4% |
| 14942 Donner Pass Road | North hills | Oct 22, 2024 | $1,500,000 | 3/2 | 1,508 | 0.29 | 1920 | $995 | 6 | 96.8% |
| 13130 Donner Pass Road | East end | Oct 8, 2024 | $1,031,000 | 3/1 | 912 | — | 1971 | $1,130 | 101 | 80.9% |
| 14284 South Shore Drive | Lakefront | Sep 27, 2024 | $2,750,000 | 3/2 | 2,658 | 0.27 | 1982 | $1,035 | 48 | 79.7% |
| 14665 E Reed Avenue | North hills | Sep 27, 2024 | $1,650,000 | 4/2 | 2,129 | — | 2003 | $775 | 39 | 97.3% |
| 14888 Donner Pass Road | North hills | Sep 24, 2024 | $2,600,000 | 4/3 | 2,816 | 0.43 | 2003 | $923 | 15 | 100.2% |
| 10095 Oriole Lane | North hills | Sep 10, 2024 | $1,400,000 | 3/4 | 1,850 | — | 1936 | $757 | 49 | 93.3% |
| 13485 Olympic Drive | East end | Sep 6, 2024 | $828,000 | 4/2 | 1,525 | 0.17 | 1974 | $543 | 19 | 100.0% |
| 10070 Gregory Place | West end | Aug 29, 2024 | $1,995,000 | 7/7 | 4,203 | 1.15 | 1986 | $475 | 113 | 83.2% |
| 10570 Cedar Drive | West end (Placer) | Aug 23, 2024 | $725,000 | 3/1 | 1,036 | 0.11 | — | $700 | 40 | 96.8% |
| 15820 Willow Street | West end | Aug 16, 2024 | $985,000 | 3/2 | 1,100 | — | 1959 | $895 | 25 | 99.0% |
| 13595 Donner Pass Road | Lakefront | Aug 13, 2024 | $2,900,000 | 5/6 | 3,130 | 0.34 | 1947 | $927 | 16 | 82.9% |
| 15511 Conifer Drive | West end (Placer) | Aug 8, 2024 | $1,700,000 | 3/3 | 2,300 | 0.12 | — | $739 | 14 | 100.1% |
| 16202 Old Highway Drive | West end | Aug 7, 2024 | $1,165,000 | 4/2 | 2,176 | 0.22 | 1965 | $535 | 74 | 87.9% |
| 14419 E Reed Avenue | North hills | Aug 6, 2024 | $720,000 | 2/3 | — | — | 1954 | — | 3 | 103.0% |
| 10535 Washoe Road | West end | Aug 5, 2024 | $1,245,860 | 3/2 | 1,588 | — | 1972 | $785 | 9 | 99.7% |
| 10175 Washoe Road | West end | Jul 31, 2024 | $1,000,000 | 3/2 | 1,296 | 0.14 | 1973 | $772 | 6 | 102.6% |
| 15711 Conifer Drive | West end (Placer) | Jul 31, 2024 | $673,000 | 2/1 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 98.5% |
| 15404 Donner Pass Road | North hills | Jul 24, 2024 | $1,825,000 | 5/4 | 3,142 | 0.14 | 2002 | $581 | 41 | 96.3% |
| 16372 Old Highway Drive* | West end | Jul 19, 2024 | $749,000 | 3/2 | — | 0.22 | 1965 | — | — | 100.0% |
| 14210 South Shore Drive | Lakefront | Jul 17, 2024 | $4,650,000 | 5/6 | 4,775 | — | 1992 | $974 | 46 | 95.9% |
| 14520 E Reed Avenue | North hills | Jul 15, 2024 | $1,030,000 | 3/2 | 1,920 | — | 2003 | $536 | 30 | 98.1% |
| 10515 Washoe Road | West end | Jul 11, 2024 | $1,355,000 | 3/2 | 1,609 | 0.12 | 2016 | $842 | 9 | 100.4% |
| 14519 E Reed Avenue | North hills | Jul 8, 2024 | $675,000 | 3/2 | 1,080 | — | 1972 | $625 | 25 | 100.0% |
| 15758 Spruce Street | West end | Jul 5, 2024 | $485,000 | 1/1 | — | — | 1962 | — | 38 | 81.0% |
| 10590 Washoe Road | West end | Jun 26, 2024 | $730,000 | 3/1 | 1,216 | 0.11 | 1973 | $600 | 12 | 98.8% |
| 13313 Donner Pass Road* | Lakefront | Jun 24, 2024 | $4,495,000 | 3/2 | 1,154 | 0.17 | 1950 | — | — | 100.0% |
| 14529 E Reed Avenue | North hills | Jun 14, 2024 | $1,199,000 | 4/3 | 2,259 | 0.11 | 2006 | $531 | 10 | 99.9% |
| 15413 South Shore Drive | West end | Jun 12, 2024 | $800,000 | 3/1 | 1,088 | — | — | $735 | 3 | 102.8% |
| 14751 Mt Judah Drive | South shore (Placer) | Jun 7, 2024 | $800,000 | 3/1 | 1,036 | 0.57 | — | $772 | 3 | 100.1% |
| 10027 Summit Drive | East end | May 31, 2024 | $1,875,000 | 4/3 | 2,839 | — | 2002 | $660 | 5 | 100.0% |
| 14805 South Shore Drive | South shore | May 30, 2024 | $1,185,000 | 3/2 | 1,774 | — | — | $668 | 50 | 99.2% |
| 16014 Old Highway Drive | West end | May 20, 2024 | $1,300,000 | 3/4 | 2,091 | 0.24 | 1962 | $622 | 92 | 86.7% |
| 13424 Moraine Road | East end | May 6, 2024 | $855,000 | 2/2 | 956 | 0.15 | 2019 | $894 | 2 | 100.7% |
| 16232 Old Highway Drive | West end | Feb 26, 2024 | $465,000 | 1/1 | 796 | 0.11 | 1958 | $584 | 152 | 75.6% |
| 13500 Donner Pass Road | East end | Dec 20, 2023 | $888,000 | 5/2 | 2,382 | 0.14 | — | $373 | 76 | 82.6% |
| 10230 Tinker Court | West end | Dec 4, 2023 | $1,200,000 | 4/2 | 1,720 | — | 1998 | $698 | 43 | 85.7% |
| 13434 Moraine Road | East end | Nov 17, 2023 | $720,000 | 3/2 | 1,078 | 0.11 | 1957 | $668 | 53 | 92.4% |
| 14916 South Shore Drive | Lakefront | Nov 16, 2023 | $1,950,000 | 2/2 | 1,263 | 0.24 | 1958 | $1,544 | 32 | 78.0% |
| 16531 Fawn Street | West end | Nov 13, 2023 | $600,000 | 2/1 | — | 0.11 | 1959 | — | 38 | 90.9% |
| 14621 Pioneer Drive | North hills | Nov 9, 2023 | $2,150,000 | 4/3 | 3,040 | 0.16 | 2003 | $707 | 11 | 95.8% |
| 10080 Blue Jay Lane | North hills | Nov 3, 2023 | $725,000 | 3/2 | 1,816 | — | 1956 | $399 | 7 | 100.0% |
| 14320 E Reed Avenue | North hills | Nov 1, 2023 | $690,000 | 2/1 | 1,072 | — | 1953 | $644 | 11 | 98.7% |
| 10108 W Tamarack Road | West end | Oct 3, 2023 | $1,250,000 | 3/2 | 1,920 | 0.16 | 1973 | $651 | 9 | 100.0% |
| 13454 Olympic Drive | East end | Sep 25, 2023 | $756,000 | 3/2 | 1,455 | 0.27 | 1968 | $520 | 69 | 90.1% |
| 14164 Donner Avenue* | North hills | Sep 22, 2023 | $2,505,000 | 3/3 | 2,506 | 0.26 | 2008 | $1,000 | — | 100.4% |
| 13330 Sierra Drive | East end | Sep 21, 2023 | $640,000 | 2/2 | 1,408 | 0.29 | 1959 | $455 | 88 | 85.7% |
| 16352 Old Highway Drive | West end | Aug 11, 2023 | $2,175,000 | 4/4 | 2,632 | 0.25 | 1970 | $826 | 12 | 99.1% |
| 14489 E Reed Avenue | North hills | Aug 9, 2023 | $1,395,000 | 4/4 | 2,501 | — | 1964 | $558 | 7 | — |
| 16275 Old Highway Drive | West end | Aug 2, 2023 | $1,060,000 | 3/1 | 1,368 | 0.16 | 1974 | $775 | 2 | 111.6% |
| 14470 Donner Pass Road | North hills | Aug 1, 2023 | $1,100,000 | 3/2 | 1,540 | 0.11 | 1978 | $714 | 45 | 110.1% |
| 15779 Cottonwood Street* | West end | Jul 28, 2023 | $505,000 | 1/1 | 988 | — | — | $511 | — | 101.2% |
| 14562 Donner Avenue | North hills | Jul 11, 2023 | $673,000 | 3/2 | 1,292 | 0.11 | 1961 | $521 | 5 | 103.5% |
| 10467 Washoe Road | West end | Jul 7, 2023 | $882,000 | 3/1 | 1,056 | 0.12 | 1963 | $835 | 21 | 98.0% |
| 10101 Gregory Place | West end | Jun 30, 2023 | $1,412,000 | 3/2 | 1,990 | 4.72 | 1959 | $710 | 8 | 101.2% |
| 14359 E Reed Avenue | North hills | Jun 29, 2023 | $1,535,000 | 3/2 | 2,014 | 0.11 | 2004 | $762 | 8 | 102.4% |
| 15334 Donner Pass Road | North hills | Jun 27, 2023 | $950,000 | 2/2 | 1,144 | 0.22 | 1967 | $830 | 12 | 118.9% |
| 14575 Denton Avenue | North hills | Jun 23, 2023 | $1,175,000 | 4/3 | 2,080 | 0.11 | 1985 | $565 | 6 | 102.3% |
| 10219 Washoe Road | West end | Jun 12, 2023 | $1,175,000 | 4/2 | 1,664 | 0.17 | 1973 | $706 | 1 | 100.0% |
| 16255 Cinnamon Ridge Place | West end | May 12, 2023 | $1,595,000 | 4/3 | 2,456 | 0.60 | 2005 | $649 | 5 | 100.0% |
| 14405 Denton Avenue | North hills | Mar 10, 2023 | $900,000 | 3/2 | 1,436 | — | 1977 | $627 | 129 | 94.8% |
| 16570 Salmon Street | West end | Feb 13, 2023 | $1,260,000 | 3/2 | 1,256 | 0.11 | 1962 | $1,003 | 5 | 100.8% |
| 13791 Donner Pass Road | Lakefront | Jan 17, 2023 | $5,500,000 | 4/4 | 3,450 | 0.20 | 1980 | $1,594 | 5 | 102.8% |
| Address | Complex | Closed | Sold price | Beds / baths | Sq. ft. | Built | $ / sq. ft. | Days on market | % of original list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13051 Split Rock Court | Coldstream | Oct 20, 2026 | $830,000 | 3/3 | 1,334 | 2021 | $622 | 155 | 82.4% |
| 15735 Donner Pass Road | Donner Lake Village | Oct 14, 2026 | $2,000,000 | 2/2 | 1,978 | — | $1,011 | 3 | 100.3% |
| 15775 Donner Pass Road | Donner Lake Village | Aug 13, 2026 | $335,000 | 0/1 | — | 1975 | — | 7 | 97.1% |
| 13005 Winter Camp Way | Coldstream | Apr 30, 2026 | $808,000 | 2/2 | 1,225 | 2021 | $660 | 16 | 100.0% |
| 15462 Donner Pass Road | Donner Pines West | Mar 16, 2026 | $685,000 | 3/3 | 1,316 | 1973 | $521 | 89 | 85.7% |
| 15775 Donner Pass Road | Donner Lake Village | Mar 9, 2026 | $299,000 | 0/1 | 364 | 1975 | $821 | 40 | 92.0% |
| 15775 Donner Pass Road | Donner Lake Village | Nov 26, 2025 | $325,000 | 0/1 | 384 | 1975 | $846 | 1 | 93.1% |
| 12889 Ice House Loop | Coldstream | Sep 15, 2025 | $995,000 | 2/2 | 1,476 | 2021 | $674 | 35 | 100.0% |
| 15715 Donner Pass Road | Donner Lake Village | Aug 29, 2025 | $1,400,000 | 2/2 | 1,240 | 1982 | $1,129 | 39 | 93.4% |
| 15775 Donner Pass Road | Donner Lake Village | Jul 24, 2025 | $283,000 | 0/1 | 416 | 1975 | $680 | 12 | 95.9% |
| 13305 Cold Creek Circle* | Coldstream | Jun 19, 2025 | $1,157,000 | 3/2 | 1,476 | 2023 | $784 | — | 102.3% |
| 15470 Donner Pass Road | Donner Pines West | May 21, 2025 | $700,000 | 3/2 | 1,316 | 1974 | $532 | 6 | 96.0% |
| 15775 Donner Pass Road | Donner Lake Village | Mar 5, 2025 | $240,000 | 0/1 | 384 | 1975 | $625 | 6 | 75.2% |
| 15775 Donner Pass Road | Donner Lake Village | Jan 29, 2025 | $285,000 | 0/1 | 312 | 1975 | $913 | 15 | 95.3% |
| 15775 Donner Pass Road | Donner Lake Village | Jan 29, 2025 | $265,000 | 0/1 | 408 | 1975 | $650 | 101 | 81.8% |
| 13269 Cold Creek Circle | Coldstream | Jan 23, 2025 | $1,480,445 | 3/2 | 1,760 | 2023 | $841 | 39 | 102.4% |
| 15775 Donner Pass Road | Donner Lake Village | Jan 10, 2025 | $285,000 | 0/1 | 364 | 1975 | $783 | 33 | 100.4% |
| 12869 Ice House Loop | Coldstream | Sep 20, 2024 | $1,230,000 | 2/2 | 1,476 | 2021 | $833 | 89 | 98.4% |
| 13397 Donner Pass Road | Donner Pines | Aug 27, 2024 | $1,600,000 | 2/1 | 1,192 | 1972 | $1,342 | 13 | 98.5% |
| 15775 Donner Pass Road | Donner Lake Village | Aug 8, 2024 | $299,000 | 0/1 | 384 | 1975 | $779 | 42 | 93.7% |
| 13011 Winter Camp Way | Coldstream | Jun 14, 2024 | $1,183,425 | 3/2 | 1,476 | 2021 | $802 | 7 | 98.9% |
| 12981 Winter Camp Way | Coldstream | Apr 26, 2024 | $1,432,075 | 3/3 | 1,925 | 2022 | $744 | 154 | 98.3% |
| 15482 Donner Pass Road | Donner Pines West | Mar 19, 2024 | $679,000 | 2/2 | 1,184 | 1974 | $573 | 14 | 97.1% |
| 15516 Donner Pass Road | Donner Pines West | Mar 18, 2024 | $639,000 | 2/2 | 1,257 | 1974 | $508 | 34 | 100.0% |
| 15755 Donner Pass Road | Donner Lake Village | Mar 6, 2024 | $295,000 | 0/1 | 410 | 1974 | $720 | 4 | 100.0% |
| 15476 Donner Pass Road | Donner Pines West | Jan 5, 2024 | $648,500 | 3/2 | 1,316 | 1974 | $493 | 40 | 101.3% |
| 15775 Donner Pass Road | Donner Lake Village | Dec 26, 2023 | $240,000 | 0/1 | 364 | 1975 | $659 | 56 | 83.3% |
| 15775 Donner Pass Road | Donner Lake Village | Nov 6, 2023 | $275,000 | 0/1 | 360 | 1975 | $764 | 7 | 100.0% |
| 13287 Cold Creek Circle | Coldstream | Oct 13, 2023 | $1,393,814 | 3/2 | 1,476 | 2022 | $944 | 93 | 107.8% |
| 15518 Donner Pass Road | Donner Pines West | Aug 14, 2023 | $600,000 | 2/2 | 1,257 | 1974 | $477 | 6 | 103.6% |
| 13057 Split Rock Court | Coldstream | Aug 2, 2023 | $1,262,224 | 3/3 | 1,925 | 2022 | $656 | 26 | 100.0% |
| 13074 Split Rock Court | Coldstream | Jul 26, 2023 | $991,908 | 3/3 | 1,334 | 2022 | $744 | 76 | 104.9% |
| 12999 Winter Camp Way | Coldstream | Jun 5, 2023 | $965,000 | 3/2 | 1,476 | 2022 | $654 | 10 | 92.0% |
| 12975 Winter Camp Way | Coldstream | Apr 10, 2023 | $889,000 | 2/2 | 1,252 | 2021 | $710 | 64 | 100.0% |
| 12924 Ice House Loop | Coldstream | Feb 27, 2023 | $850,000 | 2/2 | 1,252 | 2021 | $679 | 9 | 95.0% |
*Recorded in the MLS with 0 days on market, usually a sale with little or no public marketing. Area: the part of the lake (see above); Placer marks a home in Placer County. Donner Lake Village condo-hotel units share one street address. Sales by all brokerages; inclusion in these tables does not imply Cole Mizak represented either party.
For sale on Oct. 30, 2026: 10 homes from $799K to $2.13M, none on the water, and 8 condos and townhomes from $595K to $1.60M, with 7 homes in escrow. See the current listings below this guide.
Ask about any saleLifestyle
Donner Lake is about 2.7 miles long and 0.6 mile wide, 238 feet at its deepest, set between Donner Summit’s granite and the forested ridges above Truckee. In summer it is a boating, swimming and paddling lake, with some of California’s biggest lake trout; in winter it is quiet, with winter fishing and snowshoeing at the state park. Older two-stroke engines (built before 1999) are not allowed.
Public access is unusually good for a mountain lake. The Truckee Donner Recreation & Park District runs West End Beach, the boat launch and 37 public piers along the north shore, and California State Parks runs Donner Memorial State Park at the east end. Owners in most of the neighborhood can also join the Donner Lake Property Owners Association and its private beach, and Tahoe Donner members have their own beach club and marina on the north shore.
| Place | What it is | Access · drive from the middle of the north shore |
|---|---|---|
| West End Beach | The park district’s beach at the west end: lifeguarded swim area in summer, paddleboat, kayak and paddleboard rentals, picnic sites and the Pavilion on the Point; no dogs. Daily or season admission, lower for district residents | Public · 1.6 mi · 4 min |
| Public piers & Shoreline Park | 37 park district piers along Donner Pass Road on the north shore for fishing, swimming and sitting by the water, and Shoreline Park for non-motorized boats and the district’s sailing and kayak programs | Public |
| Donner Lake boat launch | The lake’s only public ramp, 15511 Donner Pass Road: $15 a day or $125 a season for California residents. Motorized and trailered boats need a free Town of Truckee inspection sticker; a state-funded upgrade lengthens the ramp for low water | Public · 1.2 mi · 4 min |
| Donner Memorial State Park | The east end: China Cove beach, the visitor center and Pioneer Monument (1918), 154 campsites and more than 8 miles of trails, with snowshoeing in winter. $10 day use | Public · 1.9 mi · 5 min |
| Donner Lake Rim Trail | The Truckee Donner Land Trust’s trail around the lake’s ridges: about 12 miles open on the north side, and about 4 miles of the south side built along Schallenberger Ridge in 2026 | Public |
| DLPOA private beach | The Donner Lake Property Owners Association’s gated beach at the west end on South Shore Drive, next to West End Beach: two swim areas and three swim platforms, a two-lane launch dock and a small-craft ramp, boat storage, barbecues, courts, a playground and a fenced dog area. Open Memorial Day weekend to early October | Members only (voluntary; 800-member cap) · 1.6 mi · 4 min |
| Tahoe Donner Beach Club Marina | Tahoe Donner’s private beach, marina and pool on the north shore | Tahoe Donner members only · 1.6 mi · 4 min |
| Skiing | Sugar Bowl 6.3 mi · 15 min, Boreal 6.9 mi · 13 min, Tahoe Donner Downhill 7.2 mi · 17 min and Palisades Tahoe 13.9 mi · 23 min | Public |
Details from the Truckee Donner Recreation & Park District, California State Parks, the Truckee Donner Land Trust and Tahoe Donner, October 2026. Drive times without traffic or snow.
There is no mandatory homeowners association around the lake, but many owners join the Donner Lake Property Owners Association, a volunteer-run nonprofit founded in 1957. It owns a gated private beach at the west end, on South Shore Drive next to West End Beach, open from Memorial Day weekend to early October: two swim areas with three swim platforms, a two-lane launch dock and a ramp for kayaks and paddleboards, boat and kayak storage for members, 15 barbecues, volleyball, basketball and ping-pong, horseshoes, a playground, a fenced dog area and summer events from barbecues to outdoor movies.
Membership is voluntary and belongs to the owner, not the house: when a home sells, the seller’s membership ends and the buyer applies as a new member. Memberships are capped at 800, and the cap was reached in April 2026, so new owners go on a waitlist, with heirs of members first. Annual dues were $200 in 2025, with separate fees for boat storage and lake-use stickers. Most of the subdivisions around the lake are eligible; the association’s guidelines exclude the Armstrong, McGlashan and Donner Tracts, Creekside Woods, the Cabins at Donner Lake, lakefront lots in Southside Highlands, lots created after 1998 (which rules out Coldstream), condos, townhomes and lots under 0.06 acre. The association confirms eligibility by address and APN. DLPOA boundaries and exclusions · Cole’s guide to the DLPOA
Donner Lake is natural, but a dam at its east end stores the top 12 feet of water, which the Truckee Meadows Water Authority owns as a drought reserve for Reno and Sparks. The lake is brought up to about 5,940 feet by Memorial Day and lowered after Labor Day; the Town’s records put the historical low-water mark at 5,930 feet. Low water lasts about seven months, which is why the boat ramp is being lengthened and why a pier’s depth matters.
The Donner Party spent the winter of 1846–47 trapped by snow at the lake’s east end, then called Truckee Lake; the state park and its Pioneer Monument, finished in 1918, mark the site. Donner Pass Road along the north shore is the old Lincoln Highway, and the summer-cabin tracts around the lake were laid out in the early and mid 1900s, which is why 39% of the homes on the Nevada County side were built before 1970.
The homes sit at about 5,940 to 6,140 feet, close to downtown Truckee’s elevation, but the west end is at the foot of Donner Summit and catches more of its storms. Nevada County’s design snow loads here are 314 to 354 pounds per square foot, well above downtown’s and second only to Tahoe Donner’s, and the north shore gets more winter sun than the south. The Town of Truckee plows town streets; on the Placer side, check whether the county or a road association plows. Owners clear their driveways, and many hire a snow-removal service.
| Destination | Distance and time |
|---|---|
| Downtown Truckee (Commercial Row) | 4.6 mi · 9 min |
| West End Beach | 1.6 mi · 4 min |
| Donner Lake boat launch | 1.2 mi · 4 min |
| Donner Memorial State Park | 1.9 mi · 5 min |
| Truckee Elementary School | 2.7 mi · 7 min |
| Alder Creek Middle School | 6.4 mi · 12 min |
| Truckee High School | 2.9 mi · 7 min |
| Tahoe Forest Hospital | 4 mi · 9 min |
| Truckee Tahoe Airport | 7.6 mi · 13 min |
| Sugar Bowl | 6.3 mi · 15 min |
| Boreal Mountain | 6.9 mi · 13 min |
| Tahoe Donner Downhill | 7.2 mi · 17 min |
| Palisades Tahoe | 13.9 mi · 23 min |
| Northstar California | 12.7 mi · 21 min |
| Kings Beach, Lake Tahoe | 17.6 mi · 27 min |
| Tahoe City, Lake Tahoe | 16.9 mi · 27 min |
| Incline Village, Nevada | 21.9 mi · 36 min |
| Reno-Tahoe International Airport | 40.7 mi · 53 min |
| Sacramento | 97 mi · 1 hr 57 min |
| San Francisco | 184 mi · 3.5 hr |
Donner Lake is in the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District. Truckee Elementary is 2.7 mi · 7 min from the north shore, Alder Creek Middle School 6.4 mi · 12 min and Truckee High 2.9 mi · 7 min. Confirm the school assignment for a specific address with the district.
View Donner Lake on Google MapsOwnership costs & rules · Last verified October 30, 2026
Owning at Donner Lake is simpler than in most mountain communities, with no mandatory association, but the lake brings its own rules: four state and federal agencies for any pier work, a public shoreline, a lake that drops every fall and, in the southwest corner, a second county. Here is what each rule does.
| Topic | The rule | Who sets it | What it means for buyers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Which government | The Town of Truckee (Nevada County) covers every lakefront home and most of the neighborhood. About 112 homes in the southwest corner are in unincorporated Placer County, and a few lots straddle the line. | Nevada County; Placer County parcels | Check the parcel’s county before you plan a remodel or a rental. |
| Piers & docks | Building, rebuilding or repairing a private pier needs a Town of Truckee building permit plus approvals from the Lahontan Water Board, the Army Corps of Engineers, California Fish and Wildlife and the State Lands Commission (a lease if the pier reaches past the low-water mark). One pier per parcel; no walls or roofs; railings up to 4 feet. | Town of Truckee pier permit sheet | Ask the seller for the pier’s permits and State Lands lease or exemption letter. |
| Public shoreline | A public trust easement covers the lakebed at and below the high-water line (5,940 feet), and new piers must let the public pass over, under or around them. | California State Lands Commission | Lakefront owners own to the water, not a private beach. |
| Lake level | The Truckee Meadows Water Authority owns the top 12 feet of the lake as drought storage; the lake is held full in summer and lowered after Labor Day. | TMWA (KTVN, 2015) | Judge a pier at fall water levels. |
| Boats | Motorized and trailered boats need a Town of Truckee aquatic invasive species inspection sticker (free). Two-stroke engines built before 1999 are not allowed. | Town of Truckee inspections | Get the sticker before launch day. |
| Short-term rentals, Town of Truckee | Stays under 31 nights need a Town short-term rental certificate; the town has capped them at 1,255 since 2022, the cap is full and new owners join a waitlist. Hosts collect 12% transient occupancy tax plus a 1.25% tourism assessment. Donner Lake Village is a condo-hotel that rents through its own management. | Town of Truckee STR program | Don’t count on rental income without a certificate. STR guide. |
| Short-term rentals, Placer County | Homes on the Placer County side need a county short-term rental permit, renewed every year, plus county transient occupancy tax registration. | Placer County STR program | Check the address on the county’s STR map first. |
| HOA & DLPOA | Most homes have no mandatory homeowners association. Membership in the Donner Lake Property Owners Association is voluntary, capped at 800 and sold out for 2026, with a waitlist; annual dues were $200 in 2025, plus fees for boat storage and lake-use stickers. Condos and townhomes have their own association dues. | Donner Lake Property Owners Association | A seller’s membership doesn’t pass to the buyer; check eligibility by address and APN and join the waitlist early. |
| Defensible space | California requires a seller in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone to provide a defensible space inspection from the last six months; otherwise the buyer has a year to bring the property into compliance. Truckee Fire does the inspections. | Truckee Fire real estate inspections | Schedule the inspection before listing; it can take weeks in busy seasons. |
| Property tax | Proposition 13 sets the base tax at 1% of assessed value, which starts at your purchase price and rises no more than 2% a year, plus voter-approved bonds and fixed charges. Expect a supplemental bill after closing. A primary residence gets a $7,000 homeowners’ exemption. | California State Board of Equalization | Budget on roughly 1.1% of the price. |
| State income tax | California taxes personal income, including capital gains, at rates up to 13.3%. Nevada, about 30 miles east, has none. | California Franchise Tax Board | Full-time residency decides which state taxes you; ask a tax adviser. |
| Utilities & insurance | On the Nevada County side, Truckee Donner Public Utility District supplies water and electricity, and Truckee Sanitary District runs the sewer. California insurers price coverage on wildfire risk; many owners combine the California FAIR Plan with a second policy. | Truckee Donner PUD; utility guide | Get insurance quotes in the first days of escrow. |
Rules and fees change; confirm current figures with each agency. This is general information, not tax, legal or insurance advice.
Buyer & seller questions
At the west edge of Truckee, California (ZIP 96161), between downtown and Donner Summit, along Donner Pass Road and Interstate 80. The middle of the north shore is 4.6 mi · 9 min from downtown Truckee and 40.7 mi · 53 min from the Reno-Tahoe airport.
$925,000 for single-family homes from January 1 to October 30, 2026 (29 sales), against $1,215,000 in the same months of 2025. The homes that sold were smaller, and price per square foot rose to $861 from $787. Since 2023 the median is $1,135,000.
Since 2023, 16 lakefront homes sold from $1.95 million to $7.4 million, at a median of $3,246,250 and about $1,390 per square foot. The record is 13351 Donner Pass Road, $7,400,000 in July 2026.
About 205, nearly all on Donner Pass Road along the north shore and South Shore Drive and Point Drive on the south, all in the Town of Truckee. Only 16 sold from 2023 to October 2026, and none were for sale on October 30, 2026. Ask Cole about lakefront homes before they list.
Yes, with a Town of Truckee building permit and approvals from the Lahontan Water Board, the Army Corps of Engineers, California Fish and Wildlife and the State Lands Commission. The town allows one pier per parcel, with no walls or roofs, and new piers must let the public pass along the shore.
The top 12 feet of the lake is water storage owned by the Truckee Meadows Water Authority. The lake is held full from about Memorial Day to Labor Day and released after, and low water lasts about seven months of the year.
Yes. West End Beach, 37 park district piers on the north shore, the public boat launch and Donner Memorial State Park at the east end are open to everyone. Lakefront homes own to the water, but a public trust easement covers the shore below the high-water line.
Mostly. The lake and every lakefront home are in the Town of Truckee in Nevada County. About 112 homes in the southwest corner, on Conifer Drive, Mt. Judah Drive and parts of South Shore Drive, are in unincorporated Placer County.
In the Town of Truckee, only with a town short-term rental certificate, and the cap of 1,255 is full, so new owners join a waitlist. Placer County homes need a county permit renewed every year. Donner Lake Village condo-hotel units rent through the resort. Read the short-term rental guide.
Most don’t: the subdivisions around the lake are older and have no mandatory association. Many owners choose to join the voluntary Donner Lake Property Owners Association for its private beach ($200 a year in 2025), and condos and townhomes have their own association dues.
A voluntary nonprofit, founded in 1957, that runs a gated private beach at the west end of Donner Lake for owners in most of the subdivisions around the lake, with swim areas, a launch dock, boat storage and summer events. A membership doesn’t pass to a home’s buyer, and memberships are capped at 800 and sold out for 2026, so new owners join a waitlist. Condos, lots created after 1998, lakefront lots in Southside Highlands and a few tracts aren’t eligible. Read Cole’s guide to the DLPOA.
A seller’s market: 10 homes were for sale on October 30, 2026, about 4 months of supply, and 2026 sales took a median of 16 days at 97.8% of the first asking price.
Since January 2023, 13351 Donner Pass Road: $7,400,000 on July 14, 2026, on the water and the highest sale inside Truckee’s town limits in that time. Next were 14578 South Shore Drive ($6,800,000) and 13791 Donner Pass Road ($5,500,000).
Yes: the new townhomes of Elements at Coldstream by the state park (median $1,076,000 since 2023), Donner Pines West on Donner Pass Road (median $663,750) and Donner Lake Village, a lakefront condo-hotel whose studios sold for $240K to $335K.
More than downtown Truckee, especially at the west end below Donner Summit. Nevada County’s design snow loads for homes around the lake are 314 to 354 pounds per square foot, against about 190 downtown. The town plows its streets; owners clear their driveways.
Tahoe Truckee Unified School District: Truckee Elementary, Alder Creek Middle School and Truckee High School. The district confirms the assignment for each address.
From the middle of the north shore: Sugar Bowl 6.3 mi · 15 min, Boreal 6.9 mi · 13 min, Palisades Tahoe 13.9 mi · 23 min, Kings Beach 17.6 mi · 27 min and San Francisco 184 mi · 3.5 hr, without traffic or snow.
Donner Lake’s $1,135,000 median since 2023 is close to Tahoe Donner’s ($1,195,000, 765 sales), but the two differ: Tahoe Donner has a large association with its own ski hill, golf, pools and a beach club on Donner Lake, while Donner Lake has public beaches and piers, lakefront homes and almost no association dues. See the Tahoe Donner guide.
Supply is tight (about 4 months) and price per square foot is up in 2026, and lakefront listings are rare. Homes priced right from the start sell in weeks; those that sit lose more. Request a free home valuation from Cole.
Explore
Compare Donner Lake with the rest of Truckee, from Tahoe Donner on the hill above to the golf communities of Martis Valley.
Sources & methodology
Cole Mizak compiled this guide from primary sources and updates it as the market moves. Market figures are as of October 30, 2026.
Definitions: median days on market is the middle value of each MLS sale’s days on market. Sold / original list compares the sale price with the first asking price. Months of supply divides listings for sale by the average monthly sales of the previous 12 months. Medians can move with the mix of homes that sell. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Cole Mizak is the founder of the Mizak Mountain Luxury Team at Compass, #1 in Incline Village by total transactions, January–October 2026 (Incline Village REALTORS® MLS), and is licensed in both California and Nevada. Cole represented the buyers of two South Shore Drive homes, $3,300,000 on the water and $3,399,000 above it. Ask for a private tour, a price analysis by shore and street, a pier and permit check, the county and rental rules for any address, or early access to lakefront homes that sell off-market.
Request listings & off-market homesGet your home’s value(775) 225-2549 · [email protected]
Cole Mizak · Compass · Mizak Mountain Luxury Team · 110 Country Club Dr., #1, Incline Village, NV 89451 · California: Compass, 165 W. River St., #2, Tahoe City, CA 96145
NV RED: S.0179606 | CA DRE: 02126888
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