Little Truckee Ice Creamery- Quality Ice Cream You Can Taste

40 min. away from downtown Reno

Trailer closed for winter. Donner Lake Shop open year-round. Visit website for hours.

Locations:

*Truck Located in Downtown Truckee (This post)

Directions 

*Donner Lake Shop 
15628 Donner Pass Rd
Truckee, CA 96161

Directions

More reviews, details, and directions on Yelp
Website

The moment I tasted this ice cream, I couldn't wait to tell the whole world about how amazing it is and immediately set out to write a review on Yelp.  

Little Truckee Ice Creamery has all of the basic flavors (made with class, for sure), with some unique gourmet ones thrown in.  

I love that they serve out of a truck located in a parking lot in beautiful Downtown Truckee and also have a charming location close to Donner Lake.  

Though it may get busy during the weekends at their Downtown location, there is plenty of street parking available nearby.

Blueberry Honey Lavender was super delicious and fresh, with the honey and lavender prominent and the blueberry subtle.  Each bite warranted a "YUM!"

Truckee Trails - pecan brittle and brownie in a sweet ice cream- was OUT of THIS WORLD! The brittle was crunchy and so flavorful and paired well with the brownie and sweet ice cream. Not to mention, I've never even had brittle in ice cream.  I could eat a whole tub of this ice cream in one sitting.

I tasted my kid's Mountain Top Mint Chip and Cookies & Cream, both fresh and delicious.  These two flavors are me and my husband's favorite go-to flavors, and I approve of them.  

From cooking at home all the time, I know that something simple could be elevated just by using the best ingredients. Here they do just that, but also do it in a way that's perfectly balanced (something not easy to achieve).  

In addition to flavor, they've achieved the thing I look for in every ice cream - great texture.  Full-bodied, smooth, creamy with a cool mouth feel, and soft enough to enjoy. 

Topping options include: brownies, cookies, coconut, chocolate/caramel sauce, nuts, cherries, chocolate chips.  

There was one vegan flavor available-roasted coconut, which was yummy because they kept it simple, with a coconut milk base, toasted coconut, and chocolate shavings... a flavor combination you can't go wrong with.  Any Almond Joy lovers in the house?

There are a few tables located at the back of the truck and one in front.  

There are also many other places around Downtown Truckee where you can enjoy your ice cream.  The walk downtown is absolutely fun, with lots of ramps, things to climb on (for kids), little shops, great views, and fresh air from the evergreens surrounding the area.  

Me and my family visited the shop after a long and fun day at Donner State Memorial Park ($10 day use fee), which was only a few miles from here.  At the park, it's beyond scenic, with water sport rentals available, happy trails, lots of shaded patches of beach, picnic areas (BBQ), and the option to camp.  Little Truckee Ice Creamery ended up being the little ice cream truck that was the biggest cherry on top of our day.

Update 7/24/2020

I went back and tasted Toffee Chip, Chocolate Brownie, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Strawberry Lemonade, and Spooner Strawberry.  

All the flavors were super clean and fresh with Salted Caramel making a big impression and Strawberry Lemonade tasting super refreshing and yummy.  The chocolate flavor in Chocolate Brownie was super sophisticated with the homemade brownies adding another delectable layer of flavor and texture.  

If you're celebrating a special occasion on your visit or just celebrating life in general, their brownie sundae is the ultimate treat.  It's huge so it's ideal for sharing. 


Notes

-In a single, you are allowed two flavors.  

-They have a mini option, which is great for kids and sampling. 

-If planning on camping at Donner State Memorial Park, make sure to book your visit well in advance as the campsite books up fast. 

-At the Donner location, you can buy tacos on Fridays and coffee is available for purchase (as of 7/21/2022).

Prices as of 2020

categorized under "Good Eats"

Brown's Creek Loop Trail- A Hike with some Breathtaking Views

3584-3694 Joy Lake Road

Reno, NV 89511

Directions

AllTrails Map

I'm always looking for hikes close to Reno that are beautiful and because the kids were getting a little more skillful and interested in hikes, I decided to test the limits and try to do a hike that was a little longer.  Usually, we do 2-mile hikes and 4.8 miles isn't exactly an ideal distance to go on with a 5, 6, and 1-year-old, but if there's one thing I learned (esp. during these uncertain times), it's that humans are capable of so much.

With the help of a few tools (hiking backpack, carrier, and portable potty + Liners), we set off to what ended up being one of the most beautiful, challenging and rewarding hikes.  The trail was filled with so many stunning views and different terrains.  Going through the Galena forest and crossing tranquil Brown's creek was so refreshing.  I would encourage everyone to go on this hike.

The first part of the hike before you get to the loop is through the woods with a gentle upward slope (about 1 mile).  You will come to the 1st fork, which is worth stopping at- The Vista (only a couple of min away).  There you'll find a bench, an amazing view, and an educational sign of a former family attraction named Sundown Town.  The 2nd fork is the start of the loop (not far from the vista).  If  you take the left side, you will be going down the steeper side of the loop.  Go right if you want more of a challenge.

There are 3 small bridges that cross the creek.  We stopped at the first creek so the kids could wet their feet and have some fun.  It was very nice, since there were trees all around to help supply shade. You will cross a 2nd bridge before you get to the third fork.  We took the wrong turn at the 3rd fork and went straight into the "National Forest" (the sign for the loop was a little ways up with back of sign facing us) and ended up going up another 1.5 miles. This trail was nice and challenging and we ran into lots of people on mountain bikes.  When we realized we were lost, we went back to the fork and found the sign.  Instead of going straight, go upward and to the right to stay on track.  After the 3rd fork, we crossed the 3rd bridge and made our way back to the parking lot.  

My 5-year-old surprised me and walked the whole trail.  My 4-year-old got tired at the 5-mile mark, at which point I carried him with a carrier.  My 1-year-old took naps and enjoyed the views the whole time in the hiking backpack.  At the end, we did a total of 8.5 miles.  It was the most empowering and rewarding  journey we had done as a family.  We met a lot of cool dogs, saw a lot of wildflowers, and met a ton of nice people who stepped to the side for us. 

Notes:

*Dogs, horses, cyclists allowed

*Enter the Galena estates to get to trail entrance parking lot (on left) on Joy Lake Road

*The trail entrance is across the street a little way up from the parking lot going back toward entrance to Galena Estates

*Bring lots of water

*If hiking with kids, pack lots of snacks.  We also packed a portable toilet for the kids and lots of sunscreen and hand sanitizer. 

*There is plenty of shade throughout the hike, but there is also exposed areas.

*have your phone handy for emergencies

*if you download AllTrails, you can bring up their trail maps and track your location at all times with respect to highlighted trail (Next time, I won't forget to hike without it.)

*Both me and my daughter tripped on some rocks and got scrapes.  Next time I will bring alcohol pads and bandages.

*trail is rocky so good footwear is recommended

*I saw a good amount of people with hiking poles, but you definitely can do without them   

*Lots of vegetation, lizards, and insects to look at

*Around the loop is about 2.3 miles.  The total mileage of Brown's Creek Trail is 4.8 miles.

*Spring and early summer wildflowers

Reccomended Gear

-Sunscreen (after trying so many options, this is my family's favorite)

-Water Bottle (definitely a must in Reno's dry climate)

-Portable potty & Liners (priceless gadget that makes any hike with kids a breeze)

-hiking backpack (great view for kids, storage, nap friendly, shade)

-carrier (more afordable, light weight, shade, storage for keys)

*As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.  The products I suggest are products I use myself. 

 Pick right side for more of a challenge to go up steep left side at end of loop. Left side to go down steeper side.

Cetagorized Under Family Friendly Hikes and Scenic Overlooks