California · Hiking · Near Sunnyside-Tahoe City

Donkey Town

7.3 mi
round trip
568 ft
climb
6,437 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Donkey Town open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists an alert for Tahoe National Forest.

  • Camping and Campfire Restrictions-Truckee and Sierraville Districts

    Agency alert covering Tahoe National Forest · Order 17-25-05 · USFS · Tahoe National Forest

As of · Source: USFS · Tahoe National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Donkey Town is a hard hike of about 7.3 miles in the Truckee Ranger District of Tahoe National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is an out-and-back with a one-way climb of about 568 feet, rising from roughly 5,881 feet to about 6,437 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 82°F with lows near 44°F and only about two wet days, while winter highs sit in the low 40s. Bikes are allowed on the natural-surface trail. The Donkey Town / El Burro mountain biking route and the Gentle Jeffery Trail both start about 0.6 miles away. Granite Flat campground is about 0.9 miles off, and the Memorial Boulder climbing area is about 1.2 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Granite Flat

    Campground

    Campground · 0.9 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Spring Poke & Sushi

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 1 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Sunnyside-Tahoe City

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Donkey Town

    Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      41° / 17°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      43° / 18°

      10 wet

    3. Mar

      48° / 22°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      53° / 26°

      7 wet

    5. May

      63° / 33°

      6 wet

    6. Jun

      73° / 38°

      3 wet

    7. Jul

      82° / 44°

      2 wet

    8. Aug

      81° / 42°

      2 wet

    9. Sep

      74° / 36°

      2 wet

    10. Oct

      63° / 29°

      4 wet

    11. Nov

      49° / 23°

      7 wet

    12. Dec

      39° / 17°

      10 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Donner Mem Sp, CA, 1.7 mi away at 5,937 ft. The station sits about 500 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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