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Washoe Tribe Closes $6 Million Purchase of 10,274 Acres Near Tahoe in Largest Sierra Land-Back Deal

The acquisition, backed largely by a Proposition 117 wildlife grant, puts the Wélmelti Preserve under a new tribal land trust for restoration-focused care.

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Loyalton Ranch, a scenic 10,274-acre property located about 35 miles north of Lake Tahoe in Sierra and Lassen counties, was purchased on Tuesday Feb. 10, 2026 by the Washoe Tribe from the city of Santa Clara, which had owned it since 1977. (Photo: Elizabeth Carmel / Northern Sierra Partnership)

Overview

  • Title to the former Loyalton Ranch now rests with the Waší·šiw Land Trust, a nonprofit the tribe created to hold and steward the property.
  • State Wildlife Conservation Board funding of $5.5 million combined with private donations facilitated the sale, with partners reporting $6.9 million raised and an additional roughly $2 million sought for stewardship.
  • The tribe will manage the Wélmelti Preserve as open space with restoration of native plants and wildlife, regenerative burns, protection of cultural sites, limited caretaker housing, a native plant nursery, and youth programs.
  • The 10,274-acre landscape lies about 30–35 miles north of Lake Tahoe across Sierra and Lassen counties, borders the Tahoe and Humboldt-Toiyabe national forests, and supports pronghorn, mule deer, wolves, aspen groves, and key migration habitat.
  • Santa Clara bought the ranch in 1977 for a geothermal project that never materialized and opted to sell after damage from the 2020 Loyalton Fire, with the mayor confirming the deal’s close this week.