Following the completion of our two-year, $14+ million campaign for Frog Lake, Red Mountain and Carpenter Ridge, NSP and our partners moved full steam ahead on plans to renovate these properties for public use. Below are some of the recently completed and ongoing projects:

Trail to Frog Lake: The first project completed by the Truckee Donner Land Trust (TDLT), the new owner of Frog Lake, was the Red Dot Trail, which enables hikers to reach Frog Lake from Donner Summit. From the north side of I-80, hikers can follow the Pacific Crest Trail to the Warren Lake Trail. Near the Frog Lake Cliff, the new Red Dot Trail turns off to Frog Lake. The hike to Frog Lake is 8-10 miles (round trip), depending on your exact departure point on Donner Summit. Detailed directions to Frog Lake can be found here.

Backcountry Huts: TDLT and its architects, engineers and contractors recently completed renovations on the nearly 100-year-old Eschenbach Stone House and the construction of three new, modular sleeping huts. These facilities are now open to the public via reservations. More information can be found here.

Frog Lake to Independence Lake Trail: TDLT is also starting work on a trail that will link Donner Summit to Independence Lake for the first time ever! The new 11-mile trail stretch –  from the Warren Lake Trail to Independence Lake – crosses lands conserved by our Partnership over many years including: Carpenter Ridge (2006, 2020), Independence Lake (2010), Lower Carpenter Valley (2017), Red Mountain (2020) and Frog Lake (2020). We would like to take this opportunity to thank the many individuals and agencies that contributed to each of these conservation victories. Together, they set the stage for the creation of this wonderful new trail. Because of the challenges of planning, permitting and constructing a trail across private and public lands, the trail will probably not be a reality for another 3-4 years.   

Photo credit: Frog Lake © Truckee Donner Land Trust