China Cove Beach

China Cove Beach is a beach on Donner Lake in Truckee, California with access from within the Donner Memorial State Park. I could not find an "official" name for this beach, however, the cove that the beach is located on is named "China Cove", and so for the purposes of this website, I'm going to call it China Cove Beach! It might be just known as the Donner Memorial State Park Beach, but I personally think that China Cove Beach has a nicer ring to it! If I ever discover an official name, I can change it!

Location of China Cove Beach

Donner Memorial State Park is located next to Donner Lake, in Truckee, California and the Entrance is at 12593 Donner Pass Road, with a handy exit close by on Hwy 80. China Cove Beach is located on the right hand side at the end of the Day Use area of the Park (South Shore Drive).

You can check out my Truckee Beaches page for a map of all the Donner Lake beaches.

Amenities of China Cove Beach

• Parking and Restroom Facilities - There is limited Parking on the side of the road across from the beach, and just past the restrooms which are directly across from the beach, there is a parking lot where South Shore Drive ends at the Park Boundary. You can continue through to South Shore Drive by either walking or riding a bike.

• Picnic areas and Shade!: There are some picnic tables and BBQ areas within the trees behind the beach that provide great shade. Great place to pull your beach chairs and sit when you have had too much sun! The great thing about this area, is it is close to the beach area, so you can still watch your kids.

• Swimming area: There is a defined swimming area at the beach, but there is NO Lifeguard on Duty. Also, signs warn that the water can be extremely cold.

What I liked about this beach, was that I came through and took the pictures for this page on Thursday, July 14, 2011, and the beach was not crowded at all. While it will be more crowded on weekends, when more people are at the park camping, and visiting the park on the weekends, it is still a nice place to hang out!

China Cove Beach Rules

• Animals - Do not feed the chipmunks, squirrels, marmots or any other animal that you might see in the State Park.
• Dogs - Permitted in the campground and picnic areas (max 6ft leash), and in your tent or motor vehicle at night, if you are camping in the Park. Not Permitted on the trails or the beach.
• FIRES are only permitted in the established fireplaces
• No DIVING within the State Park System.
• No Lifeguard on Duty at the Beach.

Cost of Admission

There is no cost for the beach, however, there is a Day Use parking fee per car to enter the Donner Memorial State Park. 

The cost during the peak-season of May 1 - September 30, is $10.00 per vehicle for the day.  During the non-peak season of October 1 - April 30, the cost is $5.00 per vehicle for the day.

Hours & Operating Schedule

The beach is part of the Donner Memorial State Park, so the Park hours on my Donner Memorial State Park page are in effect. Typically, the hours are sunrise to sunset.

Contact Info

For additional information, please contact the Donner Memorial State Park at:

• Address: 12593 Donner Pass Road, Truckee, CA 96161


• Phone: (530) 582-7892


• Website: http://www.parks.ca.gov

• Donner Memorial State Park Brochure - The last page has a great map of the park and the campgrounds.

See Also

• Donner Lake
• Donner Memorial State Park
• Lake Tahoe
• Truckee Beaches
• Truckee Lakes
• Truckee Parks
• Truckee Summer Activities
• West End Beach

China Cove Beach in Donner Memorial State Park
Photo Credit: All pictures on this page were taken by Leigh, Owner of Truckee-Travel-Guide.com.