The Complete Guide to North Lake Tahoe's Truckee Neighborhoods

Situated on the farthest north side of North Lake Tahoe is the majestic town of Truckee. This small, charming town is 34 square miles filled with endless bliss. Seven ski resorts, 17 miles of paved paths, and 2,800 acres of beautiful forests and meadows await you. The outdoor options are diverse, and so are the unique communities and real estate offerings, which may be a bit confusing to navigate on your own.

Chris Fajkos, a top-producing Realtor in the Truckee-Tahoe region of Northern California, has provided a quick breakdown of each distinct neighborhood in Truckee, North Lake Tahoe’s fastest-growing town.

Tahoe Donner

One of the most popular communities within Lake Tahoe’s Truckee is Tahoe Donner, which is also one of the largest HOAs in the country, with nearly 6,500 properties and 25,000 HOA members who enjoy over 7,500 acres high atop Truckee. Tahoe Donner homeowners get access to a comprehensive list of amenities inside their community including their ski resort, cross-country center, lodge, swimming pool, and fitness center, as well as private access to Donner Lake just down the road.

Glenshire

Another popular community is Glenshire, distinct from other communities for having the largest population of year-round residents. Breaking away from the Truckee real estate scene of over 60% second-home (or part-time residents) statistics, Glenshire is predominantly a full-timer community that includes a general store, pizza pub and restaurant, deli, gas station, and both a preschool and elementary school. The Glenshire pond is this neighborhood's main attraction that you can take scenic walks around in the spring and summer and ice skate on in the winter. 

Directly behind Glenshire is a gated neighborhood called The Meadows, which is known for its large estate-sized parcels, ranging from five to 15 acres.  This quiet community offers residents privacy set in a scenic au naturel scene. You’ll find custom homes and expansive plots of land within the ideal location accented with a spectacular view of the Boca Reservoir. 

Olympic Heights

Located in between downtown Truckee and Glenshire is the small neighborhood of Olympic Heights perched high above the Truckee River with a south-facing, sun-drenched view of the mountains. Almost every resident has a spectacular view of the Martis Valley and Northstar California Resorts ski slopes. It is also next to a meadow that deer use in their annual migrations and consists of a mix of both full-time and part-time owners.

Sierra Meadows

A quick walk or bike ride from downtown Truckee is Sierra Meadows, with central access to shopping, schools, ski resorts, and all of the area’s recreation.  An ideal neighborhood for full-time residents looking for a larger home that’s close to the heart of Truckee and offers a strong sense of community. And in the back of Sierra Meadows, nestled among the trees and backing to Forest Service land, are the smaller neighborhoods of Martiswoods Estates and Ponderosa Ranchos—these neighborhoods offer large estates in a quiet secluded setting for large and/or multi-generational families looking to settle comfortably and centrally in Lake Tahoe’s Truckee.

Prosser Lakeview Estates

Prosser Heights and Prosser Lakeview Estates is adjacent to Prosser Reservoir and is close to the neighboring Boca and Stampede Reservoirs. Residents enjoy proximity to miles and miles of U.S. Forest Service Land and a well-traveled network of dirt roads and trails for recreation. Prosser Lakeview Estates has just over 500 homesites and is located a mile from downtown Truckee. This is one of the rare neighborhoods in Lake Tahoe’s Truckee without any homeowners association dues or amenities but stepping out your front door; however, living in untamed nature is quite the advantage. 

Martis Camp

Martis Camp is Truckee’s premier luxury community with a private high-speed quad lift to Northstar California’s slopes, a 7,751-yard Tom Fazio designed golf course, and a members-only beach ‘shack’ right on the shores of Lake Tahoe. This family-centered private community has hosted The Beach Boys as well as the USGA Junior Amateur Golf Tournament and is home to a few well-known celebrities. A large swimming pool, bowling alley, movie theater, and exquisite restaurants sit on the 2,177-acre property among the 670+ large homesites. 

Lahontan

When it comes to the Truckee real estate scene, Lahontan was the first of the private, gated luxury communities. You’ll find a wide spectrum of luxury homes, two award-winning golf courses, three pools, three tennis courts, and a 24-hour guarded gatehouse entry for an ultra-private four-season retreat. The best part? Paradise is located just a short 10-minute drive to Northstar California’s doorstep.

Schaffer's Mill

Schaffer’s Mill is the smallest of Truckee’s luxury golf course communities, yet it still has quite the strong community vibe. The Clubhouse Village is the central outdoor meeting place affectionately known as Schaffer’s Square. Here you can find outdoor concerts, watch movies under the stars, and enjoy holiday celebrations throughout the year. Custom homes and townhomes line the impeccable golf course. Golf carts frequent the main roads year round and The Sawyer restaurant is where most homeowners gather during the evening. Homeowners in Schaffer’s Mill also have a private lodge, Basecamp, at Northstar California, plus complimentary shuttle service to and from the resort throughout the winter season.

Old Greenwood

Old Greenwood, or “OG” as we affectionately refer to it, provides panoramic views of the Carson Range to the east and Lookout Mountain to the south. OG is home to a Jack Nicklaus Championship golf course that frequently hosts PGA tournaments. The heart of this family-oriented community is The Pavilion, which includes a restaurant, general store, spa, fitness center, childcare, two pools and so much more. This neighborhood is centrally located just minutes from Downtown Truckee, Donner Lake, and Northstar California Resort. Talk about being the most gorgeous spot in Truckee’s real estate scene.

Gray's Crossing

Gray’s Crossing is another luxury golf community in the ideal Truckee location with easy access to Downtown Truckee, Interstate 80/Highway 267, Northstar California Resort, numerous biking & hiking trails, and just down the road from Donner Lake and over the hill from Lake Tahoe. Here you’ll find a mix of full-time and part-time residents among the townhomes at the entrance and large estate-sized homes spread throughout the rest of the neighborhood. Get excited for 2023: Gray’s Crossing is a brand new “Village” with boutique shopping, restaurants and a small hotel.

Mountainside at northstar

Mountainside at Northstar is Tahoe’s only true ski-in/ski-out community. Nestled in the woods along the slopes of Northstar California and The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, Mountainside comprises five distinct luxury neighborhoods: M25, Trailside, Home Run, Stellar, and The Boulders. For the ski enthusiasts, Mountainside is truly a dream come true with picturesque sight lines of gondolas overhead and ski trails accessible from your back door. 

Northstar includes the village and surrounding neighborhoods, which offer ideal locations next to the slopes with ease of ownership at one of the nation’s premier ski resorts. Just like the diverse neighborhood options around Lake Tahoe and Truckee, the mix of Northstar homes are highly varied to meet any lifestyle—including large custom homes, small slopeside condos, and luxurious ski-in/ski-out estates. Village Walk Skyline is Northstar’s newest village development in over a decade—a luxury development featuring 22 gated townhomes just steps from the Village at Northstar. 

And if that wasn’t enough, there are also a handful of new communities currently in development in Truckee.

New Truckee communities currently in development

The Elements at Coldstream

This 60-unit development located between Interstate-80 and the Cold Creek River is just steps from Donner Lake. Offering five distinct 2- and 3-bedroom homes, all with options for ADU’s for multi-generational living or income potential. 

The Village at Gray’s Crossing

This 24-unit development nestled along the Gray’s Crossing championship golf course features 4 different large and modern 3-bedroom townhome models. 

Village Walk Skyline

The 22-unit development is located just steps from the gondola at Northstar California Resort. This property only has six available units left to own in this exclusive community of oversized 4-bedroom townhomes, which all have unrivaled access to Northstar’s trails year-round for hiking, biking, and skiing.