more stats
4,491 ft
Distance
21 ft
Climb
-362 ft
Descent
00:13:09
Avg time
-341 ft
Altitude change
7,376 ft
Altitude min
7,721 ft
Altitude max
7,717 ft
Altitude start
7,375 ft
Altitude end
-7.6%
Grade
-36.9%
Grade max
15.1%
Grade min
407 ft
Distance climb
3,504 ft
Distance down
581 ft
Distance flat
00:13:09
Avg time

Mother Lode (Upper) Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Winter Fat Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Tahoe Donner
    Truckee, California
  • Difficulty Rating
    Black Diamond Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Black Diamond (1 vote)
  • Local Popularity
    95 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 100 in E-Biking
    • 80 in Trail Running
    • 80 in Hiking
    • 5 in Winter Fat Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #42120 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #20422 in Trail Running
    • #62157 in Hiking
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T2 Mountain Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC, Fat
  • Direction
    Downhill Primary[+]
    Popular Direction Shown
    • Downhill Primary for E-Biking
    • Downhill Primary for Trail Running
    • Downhill Primary for Hiking
  • Climb Difficulty
    Black Diamond
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Alpine Trail
    Yes
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • Land Owner
    Tahoe Donner Association

New for 2018, the upper section of Mother Lode drops from the top of Hawk's Peak along steep trail and some very tight, rock-armored switchbacks.

Local Trail Association
  • trail association logo
  • Please consider joining or donating to the local trail association to support
    trail development & maintenance.
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 8 rides
  • 14 miles average
6 Months
  • 194 rides
  • 14 miles avg distance
All
  • 915 rides
  • Last: Sep 27, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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Status:
on Jun 21, 2026
Dry
Avg: 3.68 (13 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (4,794)
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      Directions to mother-lode-upper-141855 trailhead (39.359620, -120.276320)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      21 more »
      mtb
      131 |
      Aug 18, 2024 @ 5:30am
      Aug 18, 2024
      mtb
      114 |
      Aug 18, 2024 @ 5:30am
      Aug 18, 2024
      mtb
      115 |
      Aug 18, 2024 @ 5:30am
      Aug 18, 2024
      mtb
      108 |
      Aug 18, 2024 @ 5:30am
      Aug 18, 2024

      Videos

      5 more »
      Mother Lode Tr
      mtb
      6:46 | 127 | Nov 19, 2024 , Truckee
      Hawk& Peak Upper Mother Lode Upper
      mtb
      4:59 | 194 | Nov 19, 2024 , Truckee
      Striking the Mother Lode of Chill Tahoe Flow |...
      mtb
      28:36 | 228 | Jul 26, 2024 , Truckee
      Tahoe Donner Trails: Mother Lode & True Grit
      mtb
      11:24 | 791 | Aug 9, 2020 , Truckee

      Routes with this trail

      83
      True Grit to Motherlode to Hidden Gem to Cinnamon Twist
      ★ 2.7 • 9 miles • 1,338 ft • 11 •
      Nice mostly single track loop at Tahoe Donner
      124
      Long Loop at Tahoe Donner
      13 miles • 2,104 ft • 18 •
      Up to top of Motherlode then down and across Euer Valley to Mustang Sally. Nice mostly single-track loop...
      51
      Mother Lode/True Grit Donner Loop
      8 miles • 1,380 ft • 12 •
      Climb to Mother Lode and True Grit.

      Trail Products

      3.6 ★★★★★
      13 Ratings
      5 ★ 15%
      4 ★ 54%
      3 ★ 8%
      2 ★ 15%
      1 ★ 8%

      7 Reviews & Comments

      tapes tapes
      Trail needs work. Pretty low reward decent after a big climb and awesome view from Hawk’s. Can we get some berms or at least some bigger turns?
      jjc
      Hawk's Peak is a nice destination, and this is a way down

      Not my favorite trail. Chunky pyramid rocks and tight steep switchbacks.
      buildit-shredit buildit-shredit
      Too flat. Ok as an xc but not worth the climb if you enjoy descents.

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      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Mother Lode (Upper) located?
      Mother Lode (Upper) is located in Tahoe Donner, Truckee, California, United States. It is part of the Tahoe Donner trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 39.35962, -120.27632.
      ▼ How hard is Mother Lode (Upper)?
      Mother Lode (Upper) is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The average grade is 7.6%. The climb difficulty is rated Black Diamond.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Mother Lode (Upper)?
      Mother Lode (Upper) has 21 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 362 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 7,376 ft to 7,721 ft.
      ▼ Is Mother Lode (Upper) a point to point trail?
      Mother Lode (Upper) is not a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Primary. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Mother Lode (Upper)?
      Mother Lode (Upper) is 4,491 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Mother Lode (Upper)?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Mother Lode (Upper). Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ How do I access Mother Lode (Upper)? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Mother Lode (Upper) are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Mother Lode (Upper)?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 16 minutes to ride Mother Lode (Upper). The trail is 4,491 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Mother Lode (Upper)?
      Mother Lode (Upper) is a very popular trail. There have been 4,688 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 4,794 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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