Container: 9-inch square rubbermaid located a short distance off the trail. Find the right route and you can avoid bushwhacking through the bitterbrush.
Extra credit: Be sure to visit the shallow cave just a couple of minutes away. It's uphill but from there you get an even better view of the valley. Just to coax you into doing that extra tenth of a mile, I put a micro cache up there. See Martis Cave Cache for details.
Parking: Turn off Hwy 267 and drive north on Martis Dam Road for about 1-1/2 miles to parking. In winter, the Martis Dam Road is closed to vehicle traffic (but not bikes or pedestrians). Then, an alternative route from the north, via Joerger Drive will probably get you closer.
Cautions:There isn't much shade on this walk. Mornings or evenings are best if it's a hot day. Carry water.
Past & Future: The dam was built in 1972 by the Corp of Engineers and the lake is a designated catch and release wild trout area. Martis Valley was once heavily used by Native Americans and had abundant wildlife. One Truckee local remembers that as late as the 1950s it was often "black with migrating deer". During the 1960s, occasional episodes of the TV show Bonanza were filmed in the western part of the valley. That area is now a gated community. A development plan for over 6,000 more housing units was in the works by 2003. Fortunately, it was drastically scaled back due to successful lawsuits from a coalition of environmental groups. One major result was the preservation of the historic Waddle Ranch, a property of 1,500 acres dating to the 1850s.
Not Tired Yet?: Don't forget the cave cache...there is a hint for it under the lid of this one.