The Donner Memorial State Park is a state park in Truckee, California. It is created in memory of what historians consider as one of the “most spectacular tragedies” in the history of California and western migration, the Donner Party.

As most folks would know, the infamous Donner Party is one of the most unfortunate attempts to settle in California back in the 1840s. The group, composed by family members, were met by ill fate that only half of the original number survived to reach Sacramento.

The Donner Memorial State Park commemorates the tragedy. It is also home to the Emigrant Trail Museum which contains exhibits and displays about the area’s history. It is also where you’ll find the Pioneer Monument.