Photo of Lower Lola Montez Lake, Nevada County, CA

Lower Lola Montez Lake Fishing
Nevada County


Lower Lola Montez Lake Fishing

Donner Summit - Nevada County

Map

Lower Lola Montez Lake offers convenient access from Highway 80 near Donner Summit. A moderate hour-and-a-quarter hike brings you to its wooded shores where you'll likely find 12 to 15-inch rainbows cruising the shallows. It's a great place to take kids for an overnight of camping and fishing.


Sidetrips

You can follow the trail from the junction to Upper Lola Montez Lake if you wish or you can make a more direct cross-country climb from the lower lake. The upper lake is 400 feet above its lower sister. 4-wheel access to the upper lake has kept me away from it. Just north of Lower Lola Montez Lake is a little pond known as Hole in the Ground. I'd be tempted to go there just to see what it was like. It's part of a popular mountain biking loop, however.

By following the Hole in the Ground loop trail you can also reach Sand Ridge Lake to the north, although it is not known for its fishing.

Lower Lola Montez Lake, Donner Summit, Nevada County, California

Lower Lola Montez Lake

Nearby Featured Trips in Nevada County

  • Crooked Lake - an out-of-the-way lake in Grouse Ridge
  • Fordyce Creek - approached from Eagle Lakes or Lake Spaulding
  • Glacier Lake - fish for golden trout in the Grouse Ridge area
  • Milk Lake - excellent fly fishing only a mile from the parking lot
  • Penner Lake - one of the best fishing lakes in the Grouse Ridge area
  • Round Lake - a quiet little lake you will probably have to yourself

Lower Lola Montez Lake, Donner Summit, Nevada County, California

Lower Lola Montez Lake


In My Creel

  • Needlefish
  • Daredevle Skeeter
  • Rooster Tail
  • Mepp's Spoons
  • Berkley Power Bait
  • Kraft miniature marshmallows

I took a nice selection of spoons, spinners, and bait with me on my sojourn up to Lower Lola Montez Lake.




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Castle Peak, Donner Summit, Nevada County, California

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Getting to Lower Lola Montez Lake

From Interstate 80 west of Donner Summit take the Soda Springs exit. On the north side of the Interstate turn right immediately on Sherritt Road and drive for about one-half mile past the fire station to the well-marked trailhead for Lower Lola Montez Lake on your left.

Parking is permitted along the road near the trailhead, but check the signs. The trail to Lower Lola Montez Lake crosses private property and alternates between dirt trail and gravel road. Although there are many side spurs along the way, the route to the lake is well marked so that it is easy to follow. Naturally you'll want to respect property rights by staying on the trail.

Lola Montez Lake sign

The hike to Lower Lola Montez Lake is 3.25 miles. With a few ups and downs you eventually gain 735 feet. You will start on a dirt trail but soon join a gravel road for a while. After about a mile the route turns up a steep section of trail. (A sign at the bottom of this portion of the trail claims it is 1.75 miles back to the trailhead, but this is incorrect. As I said, you've only come about a mile.)

At the top of the steep section the trail rejoins the gravel road and the grade becomes easier. As you near Lower Lola Montez Lake the road evolves into trail, leading you to a junction. Follow the sign to Lower Lola Montez Lake.


High Sierra Trails

Parker Lake, California

Parker Lake

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Lodging and Camping

After your day of fishing at Lower Lola Montez Lake you can find lodging available at nearby Soda Springs, Norden, or Cisco Grove. For a little more comfort, you may also want to cross over Donner Summit and head down to Truckee.

Campgrounds can be found Donner Memorial Park. A host of National Forest campgrounds are located in the greater Truckee area. The best backpacking campsite at Lower Lola Montez Lake can be found to the right, near a shallow cove at the western end.

California's Best Camping

For complete information about more campgrounds in the Donner Summit area, see

California's Best Camping website logo

Fishing Supplies

A good selection of fishing supplies, camping gear, and food can be purchased in Nyack, only a few miles west on Interstate 80 from the Highway 20 junction. The store is open 24 hours a day. A gas station and Burger King are located there also. If you are coming up Highway 49/20, stop in Grass Valley at Reel Anglers Fly Shop at 760 South Auburn St.

Fishing supplies can also be found at these places on either side of Donner Summit:

  • Will Fish Tackle, 11944 Masters Ct., Auburn
  • Reel Anglers Fly Shop, 760 South Auburn St., Grass Valley
  • SPD Market, 735 Zion St., Nevada City, California
  • Mountain Hardware, Exit 85 to Donner Pass Road, Truckee
  • Truckee River Outfitters and Fly Shop, 10200 Donner Pass Road, Truckee
  • Cabela's, Interstate 80 at Boomtown, Nevada