Pacific Crest Trail and Donner Peak Trailhead
Enjoy 360 degree views above 8,000 ft while traversing a ridge between Sugar Bowl Ski Resort and Palisades Ski Resort! Climb Tinker Knob (8,949 ft) and enjoy views of Lake Tahoe!
Check out the local history and visit the Benson Hut below Anderson Peak and the Emigrant Pass Monument in Palisades Ski Resort. Cross the headwaters of the North Fork American River.
This route has so many possibilities with so much to see!
Miles
Vert. Ft.
Avg. Elev.
Route Details
Trail Awesomeness: 360 degree views for most of this route. Sensational ridges filled with wildflowers. Cross the headwaters of the North Fork American River. Easy climb up Tinker Knob (8,950 ft) only a 1/4mi off the main PCT trail.
Route Type: Point-to-Point (aka: P2P) or Out-n-back (aka: ONB). No connector trails for loops available.
Trail Type: single track.
Trail Condition: clearly marked. Easy to follow and not technical. Some loose rock and soil in the Palisades Ski Resort sections of the route.
Trail Traffic: busy with backpackers, hikers, and trail runners every day and all the time.
Trail Systems/Areas: Pacific Crest Trail and Western States Trail via Palisades Ski Resort
Water Sources: North Fork American River Springs between Tinker Knob and Granite Chief. If springs are dried up, there is a Mountain Meadow Lake due East of the PCT trail a couple hundred feet behind some woods, and a ¼ mile before the Granite Chief Trail Junction.
Bug Conditions: lots of horse flies in the wooded areas. Lots of gnats and mosquitos near areas with water.
Start Location: Pacific Crest Trail and Donner Peak Trailhead
Finish Location: Olympic Vallery (Palisades Ski Resort Village)
Fees/Permits: no fees required at Donner Peak Trailhead but there is limited parking. No fees required in Olympic Valley and lots of parking available.
Potable Water: none, at Donner Peak Trailhead. Yes, at Olympic Valley.
Bathrooms: yes at both Start and finish locations.
Cell Reception: varies. Reception on ridges, but not in the valley between Tinker Knob and Granite Chief.
Historical Significance: the Pacific Crest Trail needs no introduction. Nor does the Western States Trail. Nor does Olympic Valley, host of the 1960 Winter Olympic Games. Other cool stuff includes the Watson Monument Emigrant Pass Marker (original marker laid down by Robert Montgomery Watson in 1931) atop Monument Ridge in Palisades Ski Resort. The Benson Hut on the north face of Anderson Peak (8,350 ft), built back in the 1950s, has a cool history and can even be booked for overnight use.
Natural Significance: the ridge between Mt. Judah and Squaw Peak is the divide between headwaters of the American Rivers and headwaters of the Truckee River. And Granite Chief Ridge is the divide between the North Fork American River and the Middle Fork American River.
ATTENTION!!
NO WATER SOURCES: no water sources, except for Mountain Meadow Lake, for 13 miles during the dry season!
ISOLATED TRAIL: with no road access for 11 miles.
Route Guide
0.00 mi ⇒ Pacific Crest Trail (aka: PCT) and Donner Peak Trailhead (START)
1.00 mi ⇒ Trail Junction & Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) | follow PCT to the right of the sign.
1.25 mi ⇒ Trail Junction & Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) | Continue on PCT and cross the dirt road. Stay on the single track.
2.25 mi ⇒ Trail Junction & Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) | Continue along the PCT trail.
5.50 mi ⇒ Trail Junction & Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) | Continue along the PCT trail to the right. Left trail goes up to the Benson Hut.
7.50 mi ⇒ Trail Junction & Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) | Continue along the PCT trail to the left. Right trail goes up to the top of Tinker Knob peak.
7.60 mi ⇒ Trail Junction & Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) | Continue along the PCT trail to the right. Left trail goes back to Truckee.
9.50 mi ⇒ Creek Crossing & North Fork American River | The creeks in this bowl are the headwaters of the North Fork American River
11.50 mi ⇒ Trail Junction & Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) | Continue along the PCT trail to the right. Left trail is the Granite Chief Trail and an alternate route back to Olympic Valley that is approximately 6.5 miles.
13.25 mi ⇒ Trail Junction & Western States Trail (WST) | The PCT runs North-South across the WST trail that runs East-West. When the PCT intercepts the WST, take a left onto the WST to Monument Ridge overlooking Palisades Ski Resort and Lake Tahoe.
13.75 mi ⇒ Trail Junction at Monument Ridge & Western States Trail (WST) | Follow the Western States Trail back to the Palisades Village at Olympic Valley.
17.75 mi ⇒ Palisades Village at Olympic Valley (FINISH)
Resources
- Closest Town: Truckee, CA (10mi/15mins) (Google Maps) and Tahoe City (5mi/5mins)
- Nearest Gas: 3 locations in Tahoe Cit (5mi/5mins) (Google Maps)
- Nearest EVgo Charging Station: Truckee, CA (10mi/15mins) and Tahoe City (5mi/5mins)
- Nearest Restaurants: several venues in Truckee, CA (10mi/15mins) (Google Maps)
- Nearest Ranger Station: Truckee Ranger District (Google Maps) and US Forest Service Tahoe City Ranger District
- General info from Pacific Crest Trail Association
- General info and booking info for Benson Hut
- Weather updates for Norden, CA and Olympic Valley, CA
Post-Adventure EATS & BREWS
STOPSTU’s choices for EATS & BREWS near Pacific Crest Trail in Truckee, CA.
“FiftyFifty has a really great menu of Burgers, sandwiches, and more!” -Stu
PIZZA:
“Zano’s is my favorite when I’m hungry.” -Stu
SANDWICH:
“I just love this place! Their food is so delicious and so filling!” -Stu
BURGER:
“Burger Me is so good! Not just great Hamburgers, but some of the best Garlic Fries I’ve ever scarfed down!” -Stu
BBQ:
“The Bar Burrito with Brisket still makes me taste buds jump out of my mouth!” -Stu
CHINESE:
“Wong’s has decent food.” -Stu
MEXICAN:
“Tacos Herrrera has GREAT street tacos! And Taco’s Jalisco has great burritos!” -Stu
BREAKFAST:
“Wild Cherries has good breakfast sandwiches and pastries! Full Belly Deli has the BEST breakfast burritos! The Gnar is spectacular!” -Stu
COFFEE:
“If I just want coffee, I’ll go to Dark Horse. If I need food, Wild Cherries is my first choice, and CoffeeBar a close second.” -Stu
HEALTHY:
“I visit this place for a T-Rex shot whenever I get a Gnar Burrito at Full Belly Deli next door” -Stu
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
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