Truckee, California: Donner Party Monument: Cannibals!

A wagon train of pioneers got stuck trying to cross the mountains during winter, in what turned out to be the World's Worst Road Trip.

Plan about 30 to 45 minutes and read the exhibit. It is very well put together and rivals any big city museum. Informative and charming. Our first road trip in years with our 4 yr old, we decided to take our cue from the movie Cars: "Cars didn't drive to make good time, they drove to have a good time." So on our 3,000 mile road trip, we took in "the cheesy" stuff and had a great time -- imagine my complete delight to discover part of the exhibit dedicated to The Road Trip!

About 200 yards from the monument is a marker on the site of a cabin where the bodies were buried. These were found by a military party passing through later.

Movie at the Donner Party museum is great. You can read the book "Ordeal by Hunger" before visiting, based on diaries of those stranded. Awesome read. Also petroglyphs nearby on Old Hwy 49 heading up towards Soda Springs found at end of Donner lake. Nice views too.

I'm a bit of a history buff, so when I saw "Donner Camp Picnic Ground Historical Site" my jaw dropped, I started laughing, and just had to pull over for a picture. Did the designer of this park have a sick sense of humor? I perused the grounds, reading over the signage, and it appears there was some glossing over of the more sensationalized aspects of the story. Very interesting, and not a bad place to stop for lunch. I won't be surprised if some entrepreneurial soul starts coming by with a gourmet lunch truck serving Donner Camp themed dishes.