Project at a Glance

• Year conserved: 2007

• Acres: 1,462

• Project partners: Truckee Donner Land Trust, The Trust for Public Land

• Owned by: Truckee Tahoe Airport District

• Things to do: Hiking, mountain biking, trail running, picnicking

Conservation History & Values

Waddle Ranch, just minutes from downtown Truckee, is a landscape of lush meadows, extensive forests and breathtaking mountain vistas.  A beloved destination for visitors and locals alike, the ranch provides a critical link in the wildlife corridor connecting Martis Valley to the Mount Rose Wilderness.

In 2003, Martis Valley was the epicenter of a fierce fight over the future of greater Truckee. Developers had plans to build more than 6,000 new condominiums and townhouses and five new golf courses in the valley.  A coalition of civic and environmental groups rose in opposition and managed to broker a deal that protected most of the land north of Highway 267 while allowing a reduced amount of development to proceed south of the highway.

The opportunity to conserve Waddle Ranch emerged from that agreement. The Truckee Donner Land Trust and The Trust for Public Land, working together as part of the embryonic Northern Sierra Partnership, got the property under contract and led the effort to secure the $23.5 million needed to complete the acquisition in 2007. 

In 2009, the Truckee Donner Land Trust transferred ownership of Waddle Ranch to the Truckee Tahoe Airport District but retained a conservation easement on the property that prohibits development and assures public access. The Land Trust and the Airport District now jointly manage the property.

In addition to providing important new recreation opportunities for local residents and visitors, the protection of Waddle Ranch has helped to maintain air and water quality in the Truckee area, lessen traffic and secured important habitat and corridors for wildlife.

Recreation & Restoration

The Truckee Donner Land Trust has invested over $2 million to improve Waddle Ranch’s ecological condition and enhance the visitor experience, including implementing forest and meadow restoration projects and constructing an expanded trailhead, interpretative signage, picnic areas and over 6 miles of trail. Today, visitors can hike from Waddle Ranch to the Tahoe National Forest, Martis Creek Lake National Recreation Area and Mount Rose Wilderness.