Reno → Donner Pass → Mountain View | September 2026
The plan was so perfect. just hop on I-80 and head over Donner Pass to the land of tech and music….except it wasn’t that easy. A new fire erupted in the hills of Floriston just west of the Nevada state line in California four days before our trip. This is sad and concerning at any time, but it also caused road closures on the route we planned to take.
Luckily, we are seasoned travelers in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and we were able to plan several backup routes if I-80 remained closed. Highway 50 through Lake Tahoe and westward into California would be fun…and a great continuation of our Highway 50 trip to eastern Nevada but it adds at least an hour to the trip. Highway 89 through the ski resort area of Kirkwood was also possible and about the same ETA, but it is a curvy mountain pass that can be a nausea-inducing road for those who suffer from car-sickness.
We planned on the longer Highway 50 alternative and watched the progress of the Floriston fire.
Donner Pass rest area
One rule of road travel I always adhere to: Never pass up an opportunity to use the restroom! Even if you aren't quite ready to go...stop anyway. We've encountered closed rest stops, dirty restrooms and long stretches of highway with no facilities at all. Use them when you have them.
The day before the trip was to begin, the roads opened (at least most of the lanes), and we decided to risk the 80 and enjoy the journey. It was perfect ! The scars from the fire could be seen on the hillside but the containment was at a point that traffic, such as it was, was moving easily. The drive over Donner Pass was so smooth, we decided to stop at the rest stop on the summit and enjoy the view. Unfortunately, our view was...not exactly stellar on the north side of the road. But what the rest stop lacked in scenery, it made up for in history.”
The Donner Party, sometimes called the Donner–Reed Party, was a group of pioneers who left the Midwest in search of opportunity and a better life in California. Delayed by a series of mishaps along their journey, the party became snowbound in the Sierra Nevada during the winter of 1846–1847, near what is now known as Donner Pass—named for the group.
It is a tragic story, and one that still lives in the historical memory of Northern Nevada and Northern California.
The drive through Northern california was uneventful in the best way. I have always loved driving trough the historic communities of Colfax and Auburn and planned a short drive to explore them more thoroughly soon. I don’t always plan another trip at the beginning of the one I’m one…but let’s just say it’s not unusual 😂
We arrived in Mountain View with plenty of time to rest a bit, have some dinner and get ready for our night of fun! We didn't try any local restaurants this time, but instead bought some sourdough bread at Boudin's Bakery in Vacaville, made sandwiches and had a carpet picnic. Boudin's, if you don't know, makes the world's best sourdough bread. (This might be a slight exaggeration, and I may be biased, but it really is fantastic!)
And if you want to follow the adventure in real time, come find me on Instagram @thehollyabroad and TikTok @hollyabroad for photos, videos and all the little moments that happen between blog updates.
See you soon! ❤️
