Communities : Truckee

If you're a history buff, you'll love downtown Truckee's Commercial Row with its quaint shops, historic hotels, and world-class restaurants. Many of the area's shops and restaurants are still located in buildings that date back to the 19th century. Even now, faded murals can be seen on the brick walls of downtown businesses, one of which, promises heated rooms for $1.50 a night and the other promotes an upcoming Charlie Chaplin performance at the long gone Capital Theatre.

Truckee is a charming place to live from its recreation-loving residents and young families to its retired or vacationing second homeowners. The community has it all. Located at the crossroads of Interstate 80 and Highways 89 and 267 in historic Nevada County, this little community has a whole lot to offer.

Truckee History

As historical stories go (and there are several versions), the name Truckee comes from a mispronunciation by the white settlers of a local Paiute Indian Chief that they believed was saying his name, “Tro-kay.” As it turned out, he was actually saying "everything is all right," because he was concerned that they might think he was unfriendly.

During the winter of 1846, the area became infamous as the site where the Donner Party tried to survive after unsuccessfully attempting to cross the Sierras. The Donner Pass is a tragic tale of bad timing and bad decision-making.

In 1863, Joseph Gray built a home that became known as Gray's Station. By 1865, Gray had been joined by a man named S.S. Coburn, who built several additional buildings to supply the railroad workers and miners crossing the Sierras. In 1868, a fire burned Coburn's station to the ground, but a new town quickly sprung up nearby called “Truckee.”

In the late 1860s, a logging industry was born and the first lumber mill was built in 1867. By 1868, the first train arrived, as well as the Central Pacific Railroad which would become part of the transcontinental railroad. The next industry to come to Truckee would be ice harvesting. It would play a major role in the community's economy for 60 years. Ice ponds were scattered along the Truckee River becoming the most important source of ice for California. The intense cold, plentiful clear water, access to transcontinental railroad and a good labor supply contributed to the industry. The end came in the 1920s, when technology developed mechanical refrigeration.

Truckee Area Communities

The Donner Lake community is at the western end of town, featuring properties for both primary residents and second-home owners. Often referred to as “The Gem of the Sierra,” Donner Lake sits at 6,000 feet in elevation and attracts history buffs and nature seekers to its natural beauty. At the west end of the lake, the Truckee Donner Recreation and Park District maintains the West End Beach for public use with lifeguards, tennis courts, basketball courts, sand volleyball courts, a snack bar, barbecues and playground equipment. The lake also features several public docks for summer recreation.

Tahoe Donner, established in the early 1970's, is a great place for families and second homeowners. The subdivision contains approximately 4,000 acres, 60 miles of public roads, approximately 1,200 acres of greenbelt and recreational areas, some of which adjoin Tahoe National Forest, and ranges from 6,200 to 8,000 feet in elevation.

Tahoe Donner amenities include a campground, equestrian facilities, expansive cross-country ski terrain, downhill skiing, a snow play area, an 18-hole golf course and clubhouse, outdoor pools and lap pool, tennis courts, a private beach club, marina and boat facilities at Donner Lake, hiking and biking trails, as well as a recreation center with weight room, spas, sauna, and a steam room.

The Prosser Creek area stretches north of Interstate 80 along the Highway 89 corridor to the Prosser Creek Reservoir and the Alder Creek Road entrance to Tahoe Donner. Communities in this area often enjoy larger parcels and relatively less snow fall than other Truckee communities.

The Prosser Lakeview Estates community is adjacent to Prosser Creek Reservoir, where fishing, boating, camping, and other outdoor water recreational activities are enjoyed. Prosser Lake Acreage and Pannonia Ranchos are located off Prosser Dam Road to the East of Prosser Lakeview Estates. These communities enjoy the balance of a more relaxed, rural lifestyle and the convenience to town, with multi-acreage parcels that are typically zoned for horses and are close to forestry land. Russell Valley is even further to the East, more remote and pastoral, with large acreage parcels that are on wells and septic. Hobart Mills and Tahoe Timber Trails are communities further north up Highway 89.

One of the Tahoe Mountain Resort communities, Gray's Crossing is a neighborhood that honors the traditions of family and golf. The golf course, scheduled to open in 2007, boasts over 7,500 yards of golfing with Golf Club membership limited to 400, and there is an extensive trail system throughout the community for walking and biking. Homesites range from 1/3 to ½ acres.

The Sugar Pine Estates and Prosser Lake Heights communities are located on the western side of Highway 89 North, where parcels are a minimum of 1-acre and a short drive from town

Pine Forest is a newer subdivision surrounded by 130 acres of permanent open space, with level, premium homesites ranging from ½ to 1/3 acre parcels. This community is conveniently located to town and to Interstate 80, yet has a beautiful forest setting and all underground utilities.

Coachland is a mobile home and RV park that is ¼ mile from Interstate 80 off Highway 89 North that sits on 55 acres, with paved roads and open space throughout the park.

The Glenshire area is very popular with full-time residents in particular, given its proximity to Interstate 80 that allows for a 25-minute commute to Reno. The Glenshire area is made up of the individual communities of Glenshire, Devonshire, The Meadows, Cambridge Estates, Tahoe Boca Estates and Juniper Hills, where lots range in size from ¼ acre to 1 acre. This area has been dubbed the “banana belt” due to less annual snowfall and lots of sun.

The Glenshire and Devonshire subdivisions, located about six miles east of downtown Truckee, are among the more popular family communities. There is a local convenience store and elementary school, making it the perfect neighborhood for young families. Additionally, Homeowner Association amenities include a clubhouse, tennis courts, a basketball half court, and a swimming pool. Zoned for horses, it has equestrian and recreation easements, which allow residents to participate in outdoor activities right outside their back door.

Also located within the larger Glenshire area is Cambridge Estates and the gated communities of The Meadows and Juniper Hills. These subdivisions feature larger sized acreage parcels, and close proximity to Boca and Stampede Reservoirs appeals to water sport enthusiasts.

One of the Tahoe Mountain Resort communities, Old Greenwood is located off Interstate 80 just to the East of historic downtown Truckee. Sitting on 600 acres of towering pines and rolling hills, Old Greenwood boasts an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, a trout stream, 6 lakes, miles of nature trails for hiking, biking or show shoeing, and a full suite of amenities in the Pavilion, including a swimming pool, tennis courts, and a fitness and spa facility. Properties range from custom homesites to luxury villas to shared ownership of furnished resort homes.

Olympic Heights is located between downtown Truckee and Glenshire, on the sunny south-facing hill off Glenshire Drive. Olympic Heights offers views of the Martis Valley, Northstar-at-Tahoe, the Truckee River, and the train route. There is no homeowners association or amenities in this community.

Ponderosa Fairway Estates, Ponderosa Ranchos, Martiswoods Estates and Sierra Meadows are communities all with great accessibility and generous lot sizes. These neighborhoods are within 1-2 miles of downtown Truckee off of Old Brockway Road, just south of the Truckee River, close to the Truckee-Tahoe Airport, and a 10-minute drive to Northstar-at-Tahoe.

Ponderosa Fairway Estates is Truckee's only residential area with a 9-hole public (NCGA rated) golf course. With fewer than 50 homes and close to the Truckee Community Park, tennis courts and baseball fields, Ponderosa Fairway Estates offers an affordable residential and recreational lifestyle. Parcels average 1/4 acre, with golf course and mountain views.

Ponderosa Ranchos and Martiswoods Estates offer the convenience of being two miles from downtown Truckee, while providing more expansive homesites of one to two acre parcels. These communities are adjacent to U.S. Forest Service lands, which offer residents access to trails and wilderness. Ponderosa Ranchos is made up of 70 parcels, most of which are level with wooded settings or view exposures, allowing for larger homes. Many parcels are zoned for horses as well. Martiswoods Estates has approximately 100 parcels, some of which back to U.S. Forest Service land.

The Ponderosa Palisades community is just to the north of Martiswoods Estates, and is a desirable neighborhood because of its balance of proximity to downtown Truckee and its affordability. Properties here are also larger and are nicely wooded. There are approximately 400 homes in this community, where the average lot size is 1 acre, ranging from ¼ to 1.7 acres. Some locations include wooded and mountain views, and there are no homeowner association amenities and fees.

Sierra Meadows is located 1 mile from downtown Truckee, adjacent to Ponderosa Palisades, Martiswoods Estates and Ponderosa Ranchos. The Sierra Meadows community is family-oriented, with a homeowners association that includes tennis courts and a pool. There are approximately 500 homes in this neighborhood, where lot sizes range from ¼ to 1/3 acre.

Lahontan is a newer, amenity-rich gated community located adjacent to Northstar-at-Tahoe off Highway 267 in the Martis Valley and near the Truckee-Tahoe Airport. Lahontan spans 880 acres, almost half of which has been preserved as open space. It offers a beautiful natural landscape with a natural trout stream, mature pines, rolling hills, extensive walking trails and spectacular views. Amenities include a Tom Weiskopf designed 18-hole golf course, a 9-hole Par-3 golf course, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, hot tub, clay tennis courts, workout facilities, a picnic and barbecue area, sand volleyball court, locker rooms with showers, saunas and steam rooms, trailheads to hike and bike, as well as cross-country skiing during the winter months. Or you can spend the day pampering yourself with a massage, facial, manicure, pedicure, aromatherapy or hot rock therapeutic massage at the spa. There are just over 500 homesites that range from ½ to 2 acres, employing architectural elements and design that are in harmony with the landscape.

Northstar-at-Tahoe is located between Truckee and Lake Tahoe off Highway 267, with a base elevation of 6,330 feet. A master planned community with single-family homes, condos, and shared ownership properties, there is a wide range of properties available ranging from modest resort townhomes and condos to new luxury homes and penthouse condominiumns. Northstar-at-Tahoe offers numerous recreational amenities, including a very popular family ski area, an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, recreation center, pools, spas, sauna and a fitness center, a ropes course, climbing wall, hiking trails, an equestrian center with stables, and a mountain bike park. All property owners pay association fees for amenity privilege, and many properties have access to the Tahoe Mountain Club that offers additional amenities to members.