Located within Donner Memorial State Park in the Sierra Nevada, the Donner Trail Museum is the destination for learning more about the people who settled in the area during the 1800's. The local history is quite rich – a wide assortment of emigrants came to the area during this time period, including settlers from the eastern United States and the Donner Party. There are several displays in the museum on the travels of the Donner Party, the earliest pioneer wagons to reach Donner Lake in the winter of 1846-47, during which time the party endured many hardships and lost many people to the harsh conditions.

Situated very close to Reno, Nevada, Donner Memorial State Park is about 100 miles east of Sacramento on Interstate 80 in the town of Truckee, west of downtown on the south side of the freeway.

If you plan to visit the museum, set aside one hour so that you have enough time to make your way through the museum's displays and information. The history of the area is full of amazing personal stories and suffering, and involves a wide array of characters, including Native Americans, the Donner Party, and even the people who built the transcontinental railroad.