Frog Lake Backcountry Huts
Frog Lake Backcountry Huts are a set of modern backcountry huts operated by Truckee Donner Land Trust near Donner Summit, northwest of Truckee. Use is reservation-based rather than first-come, and the huts are set up for overnight backcountry trips in winter and non-snowy months when access is possible on foot routes to Frog Lake.
Reservations are booked in set blocks (Thursday–Sunday and Sunday–Tuesday and Tuesday–Thursday), and groups book the entire unit rather than individual bunks. Pricing is set to cover operations rather than to generate profit; per-person, per-night costs at full occupancy range from $65 to $130. Cancellation terms are strict: cancel within 30 days and all payments are forfeited; with more than 30 days notice, you receive an 80% refund on rental fees (no refunds for weather/snow conditions or early departures).
The huts include a commercial-grade kitchen, bunks with sleeping pads, flush toilets, and hot and cold running water, plus LED lighting and outlets for charging phones. They also provide hangers for drying clothes, boots, and skins, and a gear-drying setup aimed at backcountry use.
Access in winter commonly takes about 2 to 5 hours depending on route and conditions, with winter routes involving avalanche terrain and requiring appropriate education and safety equipment. In the hut area, day use is limited to dawn to dusk, while camping, fires, and motorized vehicles on the property are prohibited; dogs must be under voice command on the property and are not allowed in the huts.