Truckee Donner Land Trust’s Frog Lake Backcountry Huts offer a new overnight backcountry experience offering comfortable accommodations in truly rugged, wild terrain . Join us to enjoy the splendor of the northern Sierra with comfortable accommodations set on the edge of an alpine lake nestled in pristine forest.

The Frog Lake Backcountry Huts are located near Donner Summit just northwest of Truckee, California. Sacramento is 1.5 hours west; San Francisco and the Bay Area about 4 hours away. The closest commercial airport is Reno, Nevada – 35 minutes to the east.

Set at 7,600 feet, Frog Lake sits on a lateral granite moraine, surrounded by late-seral red fir and Jeffrey pine. The 1,000-foot-high Frog Lake Cliff overlooks the huts from across the lake, lighting up with the sunrise each morning.

Accessible on foot or bike in the snow-free months and by ski, snowboard or snowshoe in the winter (with appropriate fitness, experience and avalanche education), these huts offer a new, previously unavailable option for overnight adventures in the northern Sierra.

In the winter months, Donner Summit receives an average of 411.5 inches of snow (10.45 m) per year, making Frog Lake one of the snowiest places in the western hemisphere. The skiing is varied from steep chutes to mellow glades and open bowls. With multiple aspects and a range in elevation, good snow can nearly always be found during winter months for experienced backcountry travelers.

The sleeping huts are modern and comfortable in the tradition of European huts. A commercial grade kitchen is available for preparing meals.

The Land Trust and its partners – The Nature Conservancy, the Trust for Public Land and Northern Sierra Partnership – acquired Frog Lake as part of a larger 3,000-acre conservation effort in 2020. Before that, the property was closed to the public for nearly a century.