Lakeside Campground at Prosser Creek Reservoir sits on the shores of the lake and is only a 10-minute drive north of the town of Truckee.
After countless camping trips this summer, the Lakeside Campground at Prosser was high on the list as the next place to car camp.
Beginning our journey from Sacramento, we quickly stopped at REI for a few dehydrated-meal favorites. Some of the best from the Mountain House brand include the Breakfast Skillet, Chicken Pad Thai, and Yellow Curry.
Loaded and ready to head down the road, it was a two-hour trip, and we made it to the Prosser Recreation Sites — which includes Lakeside Campground, Prosser Family Campground, and the Prosser Ranch Group Campground.
Site 006 at Lakeside Campground at Prosser Creek Reservoir
We stayed at campsite 006 at the very south end of the campground.
After checking in with the campground host, we drove down to our campsite and found it was quite large and had lots of space. Campers before us left a large stack of wood that looked like it was once lashed together as a teepee.
I was prepared for the worst when it came to sunlight but was pleasantly surprised to see site 006 had lots of shade. We had some summer morning sun and shade in the late afternoon.
With lots of room for multiple tents, we placed our large 12’x13’ tent on the left of the side away from our campfire and set up our canopy above the picnic table.
After setting up quickly, we were off on some hikes and visited the lake, with plenty of trails to choose from right from camp. Apart from the hiking and lake access right from camp as other pros to site 006, I would say the two cons for the spot are that it’s far from the bathroom and dumpster and next to the entrance road, so there’s ample traffic passing by through the day.
Otherwise, site 006 was the perfect choice amongst the many campsite options at Lakeside Campground.
Things to Do at the Lakeside Campground at Prosser
Sadly, at the time of visiting, the vehicle and body of 16-year-old Kiely Rodni had been pulled from Prosser Creek Reservoir. There was certainly an aura of somberness about the entire campground as I’m sure almost all were aware of what had recently transpired in the lake.
Despite the tragedy, we thought it best to continue with our camping trip in honor and out of respect for a beautiful life lost too soon.
At the time we visited, the lake was reported at 75% full.
We spent some time hiking around the lake on the Commemorative Overland Trail to the Posser Creek Ford and then tried our hand at fishing. No fish caught, but that seems to be a continued theme for me of late.
The views at Prosser Creek Reservoir are spectacular.
With the sunset comes a range of amber colors that play on the evergreen trees and bountiful waters. Geese splash and feed along the shores while kayakers paddle and campers walk their dogs.
After fishing for a bit, we used our blowup rowboat for a while, although much of the shore was a bit muddy in certain areas.
Donner Camp Historic Interpretive Trail
As a huge highlight of my visit to the Prosser area, we went to the Donner Camp Historic Interpretive Trail. We took a meandering 3-mile walk from our campsite to the Donner Camp Historic Interpretive Trail and then took the 0.3-mile loop from there.
Along the trail you’ll find placards and signs telling the story of the tragic Donner party that became stuck in the area in their camp at Alder Creek in 1846.
I’ve always held a fascination for the story of the Donner Party, and it was a privilege to walk the area they once stood, worked, and weathered through a terrible winter.
Overall, we ended up hiking six miles through the day, as there are many OHV trails in the area that make hiking a bit easier when you have a dog.
