Boca Cemetery Loop Trail

The Boca Cemetry Trail is a short interpretive trail, located south of the Boca Reservoir at the mouth of the Truckee River and the Little Truckee River in the Sierra Nevada in California. The name Boca (Spanish for mouth) is derived from this junction feature. Here, the town of Boca was established during the Comstock mining days.

Photographs on the display boards along the trail show the Boca Hotel, Boca Brewery and a residential area of the former town. Very few remains are left. The trail loops around some head stones of Boca's graveyard. Odd relics are hiding between rabbit brushes. On my last visit, one rusty and compressed bucket gave off strange noises, indicating that something was active inside. Maybe a lizard? I didn't want to find out.

Whereas other ghost town cemeteries of the west, such as the Rose Hill Cemetery between the Nortonville and Somersville townsites north of Mount Diablo, are accessible and visible all year round, the old Boca cemetery is covered by snow for a variable number of month each winter and spring. There is always a good chance that the first snow storm of the winter season will arrive on an October day before Halloween.

Getting there, getting around
Between Truckee and Reno on Highway I-80, take the Hirschdale/Boca-Stampede exit. Drive north in Boca Reservoir direction. Cross the Truckee river and continue between river and railroad tracks. After crossing the railroad tracks, you'll see the trailhead sign and parking area to your right. The trail is paved and wheel chair accessible. There are two benches and various interpretive boards along the trail.

Reference and more on Boca's history
Boca Cemetery Resoration Project, May 29, 2004. http://www.k9forensic.org/boca.html.