Waddle Ranch Preserve is accessed via Martis Dam Road off Highway 267 by the airport in Martis Valley near Truckee.
Eight miles of trail await you in a maze that wanders through the forest and offers beautiful views of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains and meadow below.
The flowers in late July were spectacular. To hear water running, bees buzzing and the breeze through the trees is always a great change of pace from the lower elevations. A refuge for many species fleeing development in the thriving town of Truckee, the preserve is 1,462 acres of trust land that can never be developed while assuring public access. Thank you to the Truckee Donner Land Trust and the Trust for Public Lands.
Two sets of two cyclists were all I shared the trails with on my hike. Ella Lake was a high point. The marshy soil around the lake was alive with little amphibians I took for frogs, but I'm not an expert. Seep gardens in the meadows were a living bouquet of wildflowers. The variety, some I had only seen pictures of like Ranger’s buttons, were a joy to discover. East Martis Creek runs through the preserve. A beaver had built quite a dam near the meadow.
There is a crispness and lightness to the Sierra Nevada Mountain air I have not found equaled anywhere.
I’m grateful for so many trail options. In the immediate vicinity of the Waddle Ranch Preserve is also Martis Creek Wildlife Area, Glacier Way Trailhead and the Alpine Meadow campground.
Dogs are welcome on leash. No fees collected at the trailhead where I parked outside the Soaring Association at Sailplane Way.
Mary West is author of the book series Day Hiker - Gold Country Trail Guide I, II, III and now IV. All are available on Amazon. The books are a collection of the Day Hiker columns where West shares her longtime love of the outdoors, favorite hikes in Northern California’s Gold Country and beyond. West was the recipient of the 2017 and 2019 CRAFT Award for Best Outdoor Column and the 2020 Craft Award for her second book in the series - Day Hiker Gold Country.
CLICK HERE to see the complete article and more photos in the Gold Country Media page.
Eight miles of trail await you in a maze that wanders through the forest and offers beautiful views of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains and meadow below.
The flowers in late July were spectacular. To hear water running, bees buzzing and the breeze through the trees is always a great change of pace from the lower elevations. A refuge for many species fleeing development in the thriving town of Truckee, the preserve is 1,462 acres of trust land that can never be developed while assuring public access. Thank you to the Truckee Donner Land Trust and the Trust for Public Lands.
Two sets of two cyclists were all I shared the trails with on my hike. Ella Lake was a high point. The marshy soil around the lake was alive with little amphibians I took for frogs, but I'm not an expert. Seep gardens in the meadows were a living bouquet of wildflowers. The variety, some I had only seen pictures of like Ranger’s buttons, were a joy to discover. East Martis Creek runs through the preserve. A beaver had built quite a dam near the meadow.
There is a crispness and lightness to the Sierra Nevada Mountain air I have not found equaled anywhere.
I’m grateful for so many trail options. In the immediate vicinity of the Waddle Ranch Preserve is also Martis Creek Wildlife Area, Glacier Way Trailhead and the Alpine Meadow campground.
Dogs are welcome on leash. No fees collected at the trailhead where I parked outside the Soaring Association at Sailplane Way.
Mary West is author of the book series Day Hiker - Gold Country Trail Guide I, II, III and now IV. All are available on Amazon. The books are a collection of the Day Hiker columns where West shares her longtime love of the outdoors, favorite hikes in Northern California’s Gold Country and beyond. West was the recipient of the 2017 and 2019 CRAFT Award for Best Outdoor Column and the 2020 Craft Award for her second book in the series - Day Hiker Gold Country.
CLICK HERE to see the complete article and more photos in the Gold Country Media page.
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