Little Bear Cottages (Gone)
Kings Beach, CA Photo courtesy Justin Montano
The sign for Little Bear Cottages in Kings Beach looked as cozy as the name sounded. Two friendly bears on the marquee welcomed travelers along North Lake Boulevard, where a little cabin among the trees sounded like a fine place to stop.
The old sign had the simple charm of a Tahoe roadside getaway. It didn’t need much more than those bears to make the cottages easy to remember.
UPDATE: Little Bear Cottages is now listed as residential apartments, and the vintage bear sign is gone. 09-26
Richards Motel
Donner Lake, CA Photo courtesy Justin Montano
Following Donner Pass Road toward the west end of Donner Lake, the sign for Richards Motel still stands tall beside the highway. Its stacked panels are easy to pick out against the mountain scenery. After a day of winding roads, a sign pointing toward a room can be a welcome sight.
Richards is a small motel with cabin-style rooms rather than a big lakeside resort. The lake is close by, and West End Beach is within walking distance if there is time for a look around before settling in. Some rooms have fireplaces, a nice touch when the mountain air turns chilly.
The road out front follows the old Lincoln Highway route, giving the motel a fitting roadside setting. It is easy to imagine generations of travelers spotting the sign on their way through the Sierra, whether they were headed for the lake or continuing over the pass.
UPDATE: Richards Motel remains open, and its vintage sign is still standing along Donner Pass Road. Travelers may call this the Donner Lake area, while the motel’s official address is in Truckee. Either way, the sign is still there to help mark the stop. 09-26
Lake View Motel
Donner Trail, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Here's an old motel sign for the Lake View Motel in Donner Trail, CA. This sign is surrounded by trees.
Nestled along the scenic shoreline corridor of Donner Lake near Truckee, the Lake View Motel served travelers venturing through the rugged Sierra Nevada along historic transcontinental mountain routes. Dating back to at least the mid-1950s, the cozy mountain lodge offered seasonal visitors and road-trippers a tranquil stay amid the pines, capturing the quintessential rustic spirit of post-war Donner Pass automobile tourism.
Lake View Motel (Closed)
Donner Lake, CA Photo courtesy Justin Montano
Positioned right off the road, the vintage roadside sign stands as a nostalgic relic of the highway's past, framed naturally by the surrounding mountain forest. While the original lodging operations have since slipped into history and the property's modern status remains uncertain, archival photography has kept the classic wooden-framed sign preserved for highway travelers and roadside enthusiasts alike.
UPDATE: The original Lake View Motel lodging operations are no longer active, but its classic roadside sign was documented surviving nestled among the trees along the Donner corridor. 09-26
Donner Trail Cabins (Closed)
Donner Lake, CA Photo courtesy Justin Montano
Along Donner Pass Road by the lake, the neon sign for Donner Trail Cabins advertised vacancies and kitchens to travelers looking for a mountain stop. Wire mesh covered the glass tubing, a practical touch for a sign spending its winters beside a Sierra highway.
The cabins later served as longer-term housing, but the sign kept its roadside appeal. In 2022, a caretaker plugged it in for a passing photographer, and the old neon lit right up.
UPDATE: The sign was standing and functional in 2022. Reports that the cabins and sign have since been removed could not be confirmed, so their current status remains unclear. 09-26
Caesar's Cottages (Gone)
Kings Beach, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Along North Lake Boulevard in Kings Beach, the sign for Caesar’s Cottages gets straight to the point: sleepers, kitchens, and TV. No grand promises or fancy artwork, just the things a traveler might want to know before pulling off the road. Behind it, the cottages sit among the trees, looking like a peaceful place to unpack for a few days.
The little cabin setting is part of the appeal. After a day of driving around Lake Tahoe, a separate place to sleep and a kitchen of your own might sound better than another large hotel. The sign’s plain lettering fits the place: simple, useful, and easy to read from the car.
Caesar's Cottages
Kings Beach, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Caesar’s Cottages is listed at 8123 North Lake Boulevard, where current rental directories advertise one-bedroom apartments under the same name. The cottages appear to have taken on a longer-term residential role, though the available listings do not establish exactly when that change happened.
UPDATE: Caesar’s Cottages is now listed as housing rather than an overnight motor court. The cottages still have an address on North Lake Boulevard but the sign is gone. 09-26
Falcon Lodge (Closed)
Kings Beach, CA Photo courtesy Justin Montano
Along North Lake Boulevard in Kings Beach, the sign for the Falcon Lodge has its own lookout posted at the top. A falcon perches above the old roadside marquee, giving passing drivers something to notice even before they see the rooms. It is a good bit of motel signage on a busy stretch near Lake Tahoe.
The Falcon Lodge was built in 1958, during the years when a roadside room made it easy to pull over and spend a few days at the lake. For decades, travelers could spot the bird, turn in from the highway, and settle into one of the lodge’s rooms. The sign gave the place an identity beyond its address.
The lodge closed in 2014 and has stood behind fencing for years. The falcon and its sign have remained at the roadside, though the neon’s working condition is uncertain. It is still worth a look when passing through Kings Beach.
UPDATE: Plans call for renovating the existing buildings into a smaller hotel, but the project has not broken ground. As of August 2026, the developer was weighing construction costs before deciding whether to proceed. The falcon is still perched above the sign while the lodge waits for its next chapter. 09-26
Little Bear Cottages (Gone)
Richards Motel
Lake View Motel
Lake View Motel (Closed)
Donner Trail Cabins (Closed)
Caesar's Cottages (Gone)
Caesar's Cottages
Falcon Lodge (Closed)
