TAHOE DONNER MB LOOP
The Tahoe Donner Subdivision, just north of Truckee, isnt just for nordic skiing -- it also offers some great mountain biking throughout its 2,000 acres of open space. There are a myriad of trails in the upper section to explore, from smooth fire roads and singletrack to rough, rocky challenging climbs and descents. It is often overlooked by many mountain bike riders, but can be a great change of pace when you are tired of the same Emigrant Trail or JPs ride. You can also use Tahoe Donner to connect to the Donner Rim Trail and the ride to Summit Lake and beyond as well. This route starts at the Alder Creek Campground, climbs up to the trails of the cross country center, and then descends into beautiful Euer Valley before embarking on a very long, sometimes steep climb to the top of Hawks Peak and beyond. Drive to the Tahoe Donner Campground on Alder Creek, about 4 miles west of Highway 89 N. We will use the Tahoe Donner trail marker numbers to help describe the route, but finding all the twists and turns of this route is near impossible to describe. You can download a Tahoe Donner Trail Map (complete with trail markers) from this link: http://tahoedonner.com/media/members/maps/tahoedonnertrailmap.pdf Directly across the street from the campground is a singletrack trail (Marker #7), which climbs steeply at first, and will eventually take you up to the plateau near the nordic center. After a few miles of uphill, you'll reach the main dirt road heading north into Euer Valley (#12A). Just before Euer Pass; you will want to take an obvious left hand fork (the Sundance Trail) through some rocks. Climb this road a short way, and then take the next right hand fork (#14) down Firewalker #34; along a road contouring above the valley. The road will begin to climb again to an obvious saddle. Just past the saddle there will be a trail heading off to the right (#31). Pass this and continue along another quarter mile to Trail Marker #32. Turn right and take a very fun trail down to the valley floor (#32A). (Nordic skiers will recognize this spot as the end of the Coyote Crossing; trail marking the boundary of Tahoe Donner XC). In the Euer Valley, you will follow the main dirt road to another trail intersection (#31A). If you go too far, you will reach a fence/gate marking the Tahoe Donner boundary, so double back a short way to find the trail heading uphill to the south. You will follow this twisty, turny uphill for 15 minutes back to trail marker #31, which you passed awhile ago. Turn left and retrace your route back this road to intersection #14). From here, you can take the short version and head back down to the terminus of Alder Creek road and back to the campground the way you came, or go for the whole enchilada by taking a sharp right and heading up into the higher reaches of the cross country ski trails. Follow the road as it climbs steadily to intersection #15. Turn right and continue another quarter mile to intersection #16, and then continue to the left and climb the steep, rocky section up to intersection #17. Stay to the right here, (Andromeda, for you XC skiers), and it will get quite steep and challenging along the rocky dirt road. After a major hump of a climb, you will be close to the top of Hawks Peak past intersection #17A, and you will enjoy some incredible views and ridgetop riding along the Drifter trail. Continue along the rolling ridge (past intersection #35), and there will soon be a left hand bend heading downhill, but you'll want to take the right hand single track that climbs steeply up to the right. This will take you close to the Drifter Hut of the cross country ski area. Stay to the left and there will be a trail marker for the Donner Rim Trail that heads down to Negro Canyon (and beyond to Summit Lake). Instead of descending, you will want to head left and gradually uphill along the Rim Trail that contours along Donner Ridge, an incredibly fun singletrack section of trail. You will eventually reach the Negro Canyon Overlook picnic bench (#22) and the Rim Trail will end and become dirt road again. Follow this road briefly to Intersection #21A and head left and up to Trail Marker #19A. Turn left and follow the road into Sunrise Bowl, heading gradually downhill, a steep up, and then a very steep down to Intersection #19. Turn right down a very rocky section of road to intersection #38. From here, if you are tired of riding rocky roads and trails, you can make a right hand turn and head quickly to Skislope Way, where you can turn left and ride the pavement all the way back to Alder Creek Road and then to the Campground. If you are a glutton for more punishment, turn left and up at #38 and ride that to #37A, choosing various routes down the hillside back to the TD XC/Equestrian Center on Alder Creek. Once there, you have a choice of heading right, down the pavement back to the campground, or heading left to retrace your original riding that will take you down the winding singletrack to the campground. Good luck finding all the twists and turns without a guide - a 16.1 mi cycling route in Truckee, California
Route Location
Start Lat/Lng: (39.3706665, -120.23593903)
City: Truckee
Country Name: the United States
Country Code: US
State Code: CA
State Name: California
Postal Code: 96161
Route Stats
Activity: Cycling
Distance: 16.1 mi
Max Elevation: 2348.88 meters
Elevation Gain / Total Ascent: 492.1 meters
Data Source: ride:RE
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