4385 Loreto Ln, Reno, NV 89502

Donner Party Park

Park Description:

Donner Party Park is a 1-acre Reno park without restrooms.

Park Amenities:

Grassy area and trees.

Park Contact Information:

City of Reno - Parks & Facilities (775) 334-2417

Park Highlights

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Park History

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The Park and Its Surrounding Neighborhoods

Donner Party Park sits on land that was once part of the Short Ranch, a cattle farm which included what is now the Millcreek and Donner Springs subdivisions, as well as Rattlesnake Mountain.

But the real history of the park goes back further than that, as this area is thought by historians to have been part of the Overland Emigrant Trail, where pioneers veered south away from the Truckee River to avoid what was once marshlands and replenish their fresh water from a nearby spring. A trail marker and monument at the park indicate where emigrant wagons traversed through this area, and in particular, the campsite of the Donner Party in 1846.

Donner Party Park is surrounded by the townhomes of the Millcreek subdivision built in the late 1980s, along with the park. The homes were built by Di Loreto Construction Company, who promised to set aside parkland to preserve the last undeveloped stretch of the emigrant trail. The nearby Donner Springs development was constructed in the mid-1970s by Lewis Homes of Nevada.

Image:
Jill Richardson.

Donner Party

“Upon entering the Truckee Meadows along the Truckee River thousands of California-bound emigrants turned their wagons southwest to avoid extensive marshes and uncrossable sloughs. Here at the base of Rattlesnake Mountain the emigrants established a campground which extended nearly two miles to the east and west, one half mile north and south. Numerous local springs furnished quality water and the protected location of the camp provided an ideal locale for a rest stop after hundreds of grueling miles spent traversing the Humboldt River Valley. Once rested, the emigrants turned west to face their last major obstacle, the Sierra Nevada.

In October of 1846, the ill-fated Donner Party spent five days in this area resting and grazing their weary animals. Plagued by a series of unfortunate incidents one member of the party, William Pike, was accidentally shot, died and was buried in the vicinity.”

--Inscription on the memorial plaque at Donner Party Park.

Image: [Link to History Hunters episode: https://youtu.be/swL9IqEKPTw ]
Source: Used with permission of “History Hunters”.

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Donner Party Park on iNaturalist

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Want To Learn More?

References & Further Info:

City of Reno Parks & Facilities Directory - Donner Party Park
(1959, May 14). Airplane warning beacon status is under study , p. 19.
American eagle patrol convenes. (1940, January 23). Nevada State Journal , p. 2.
Beacon land offer is made. (1959, May 2). Reno Evening Gazette , p. 16.
Beacon site owner tells his story. (1956, May 18). Reno Evening Gazette , p. 11.
Biederman, E. (1975, November 7). Hilltop Reno hotel proposed. Reno Evening Gazette , p. 1.
Capurro opposes Rattlesnake hotel plan. (1973, June 20). Reno Evening Gazette , p. 5.
Chamber's ski report for Sierra Nevada area. (1959, February 13). Reno Evening Gazette , p. 10.
DeLong, J. (2000, October 20). Bond to fund library and open space. Reno Gazette-Journal , p. 39.
Frank Mullen, J. (1996, October 20). Controversy surrounds pioneers' path. Reno Gazette-Journal , p. 20.
Frank Mullen, J. (2000, September 17). Judge blocks changes to pioneer trail markers. Reno Gazette-Journal , p. 27.
Frank Mullen, J. (2000, September 22). Judge continues ban on changing trail markers. Reno Gazette-Journal , p. 20.
Frank Mullen, J. (1998, June 16). Landmark may sprout homes in future. Reno Gazette-Journal , p. 21.
Frank Mullen, J. (2000, August 28). Pioneer diaries refute group's theories on local history. Reno Gazette-Journal , p. 23.
Galloway, P. (1983, July 28). Bit of Nevada history victim of area growth. Reno Gazette-Journal , p. 33.
Macias, S. (1979, November 26). People pay, but do they care if parks don't materialize. Reno Evening Gazette , p. 23.
Mountain hotel proposal clarified. (1975, November 8). Reno Evening Gazette , p. 15.
Mountain lions destroyed near Reno's city limits. (1956, June 28). Reno Evening Gazette , p. 21.
Nickles, J. (1985, November 13). Council OKs Rattlesnake project. Reno Gazette-Journal , p. 31.
Nickles, J. (1985, October 3). History wins, develoers lose: Panel nixes Rattlesnake project. Reno Gazette-Journal , p. 1C.
Nickles, J. (1985, October 27). Second 'Donner Party' fights developers. Reno Gazette-Journal , p. 61.
Norris, M. (1985, November 30). Rattlesnake Mountain offering: Dig deeply. Reno Gazette-Journal , p. 16.
Obituaries: Carman Temple Short. (2002, October 22). Reno Gazette-Journal , p. 16.
Plan to cut down hill for gravel proposed. (1977, February 7). Reno Evening Gazette , p. 15.
Reed, M. (1973, June 21). Rattlesnake Mountain hotel plans 'not definite'. Reno Evening Gazette , p. 17.
Ski slide blossoms on barren Reno hill. (1958, December 18). Reno Evening Gazette , p. 21.
Tune, H. (2002, January 27). Dispute continues over pioneer trail markers. Reno Gazette-Journal , p. 22.
Voyles, S. (2000, October 20). Plan calls for new skate rink, northwest parks. REno Gazette-Journal , p. 16.
Wagon ruts in Hidden Valley. (2009, August 30). Reno Gazette-Journal , p. 99.
Wagons reach Truckee Meadows. (1996, October 20). Reno Gazette-Journal , p. 25.
White, L. (1972, March 3). Tannenbaum ski slope. Reno Evening Gazette , p. 38.

Contributor(s):

Jill Richardson (history)

Haley McGuire

Alex Shahbazi

Last Updated:

August 26, 2022 at 6:32:02 PM

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