10 Gorgeous California's Sierra Nevada Towns To Visit In 2023
California's Sierra Nevada mountain range, with the gorgeous nickname Range of Light, is a must-experience for everyone visiting the state. Its vast expanse, primarily through California, offers delights for every active outdoors person and respite seeker on a city getaway. Enjoy quick access for a romantic getaway with the best views into a small mountain town, wholesome family fun, cute cafes, and a local spirit that will embed deep nostalgia in your soul forever. The small towns amid the lofty summits offer the best alpine scenery through their cozy hearts—your best nature and history lesson. These towns in the Sierra Nevada Mountains are the gold rush scenes of the past and span eighteen counties for best access to year-round pursuits, including 24 river basins.
Bass Lake
Set at the south entrance to Yosemite National Park, Bass Lake is a delicious slice for all outdoor lovers to discover in every season. The charming small town is an excellent base for natural exploration, like now for lakeside pursuits and strolls in the fall colors of the magnificently towering trees. The world-famous park and the stunning Sierra National Forest transform seasonally into a spectacular backdrop for adventurous escapades and scenic relaxation that recharge the weekenders on a getaway before jumping back into work. The mountain town, with many trails around, offers its natural beauty for all levels of active sightseers, like going up to Goat Mountain with its historical lookout building.
Tackle the Spring Cove trailhead from the campground, perfect to call home next summer when you return for all the water fun in town at its lake/reservoir constructed in 1902. Choose a woodside cabin for now and wake up in the morning glory of the crisp air and the few wisps of white clouds serenely reflecting in the clear blue waters that come aglow every evening under the colorful sunset. Check out the gamut of antique shops, restaurants, boutique clothing shops, and welcoming bars to relax after nature—great for stocking up on collectibles and perhaps some unique holiday gifts.
Bishop
Bishop's natural scenery is so unreal that you must experience it to believe the tales of this fisherman's dream and bouldering heaven, so make your way over here this year. The thriving, unique town embraces the past while looking ahead into the future, including consistent movie appearances in nearly 400 films and its Mule Days on Memorial Weekend, the world's largest non-motorized Main Street parade. Perhaps the best town on the list for truly year-round activities, you can enjoy your favorite rock climbing and hiking activities, even in the wintertime's pleasant weather, with the best views of the spectacular snow-covered peaks. Visit the Laws Railroad Museum to learn about the lives of the first settlers in the Owens Valley.
Take a fun family stroll around the scenic downtown with old-timey store facades, cool bars, and cafes for a pastry with a morning coffee. From bouldering at the Buttermilk Boulders to scrambling in Bishop Creek Canyon, there's also camping here with access to Lake Sabrina or Intake II for all your favorite water and land pursuits nearby. The town welcomes you through every season with several museums, art galleries, and a variety of restaurants and shops you can enjoy after river rafting or fishing in the warmer months. Sightsee the petroglyphs, a little-known pleasure to enjoy without crowds for the lack of advertisement.
Bridgeport
Bridgeport, a year-round playground for outdoor recreation, is a lovely town against the backdrop of the jagged Sawtooth Mountains range. Come now for fishing and hiking in the spectacular fall foliage, and return to your favorite place for some of the best wintertime downhill and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing along the same trails. The small town offers everything from canyons, peaks, lakes, streams, and hot springs in the next-door High Sierra range.
Enjoy easy access across the border from Nevada and visit Mammoth Lakes just to the north, or check out the relaxing Travertine Hot Springs with many natural hot springs for dips and relaxation. Bridgeport feels crafted just for you to conquer the peaks of the Sawtooth Ridge, relax on a stroll along the Pacific Crest Trail, or head lakeside to unwind with a bottle of wine on a sunset picnic. Visit the old abandoned gold-mining town turned Bodie State Historical Park just outside for strolls through the virtually unchanged late 1800s—a memorable family day outing amid a state of arrested decay.
Burney
The small town at the north end of the Central Valley is a real rural paradise. Burney, a sought-after destination for travelers from near and far, is a must-visit this year for outdoor activities with stunning views. Come in the fall for the leaf-peeping strolls along the lakeside and to the shores of the river—perfect for swimming, fishing, and boating in the warmer months. The national parks have an array of hiking trails that attract snowshoers just as much as hikers, with awesome camping spots to multiply your outdoor ventures next season.
Immerse yourself in the small-town charm any season over regular events and local festivities to experience the true Burney spirit. From fun-filled attractions to peaceful lifestyle strolls, minutes' access to big city amenities, and the gateway to adventure in the Intermountain Area, it doesn't get more wholesome than this small town. Utilize the great RV camping on your road trip this year for quick access to all the painting-like views around town. Just check out the nearby 120-foot cascade over a rocky cliff into a beautiful pool below in the lush green forest's embrace, with several hiking trails through towering pines, including seasonal meadows full of wildflowers, and you'll be head over heels in love with Burney.
Grass Valley
The small city with a pretty name welcomes new curious faces and returning visitors seeking something exciting this year to find in the foothills of the spectacular Sierra Nevada mountain range. Grass Valley is surrounded by all kinds of beautiful scenery through every season that blends marvelously into its historic vestiges from the rich Gold Rush heyday. Home to both the Empire Mine and the North Star Mines, the two most prolific California mines, you can literally step back into the past.
Visit the Empire Mine State Historic Park to see the over a century-old mine that enriched the state with 5.8 million ounces of gold, spurring businesses and the thriving town today. Take a museum stroll through some great historic and natural samples, including museums on the Gold Rush. Immerse yourself in the small mountain town culture through unique shopping places and quality cafes, along with wine-tasting rooms, to truly unwind amid the Sierras. Return for the wildflowers bloom through all six months of the warmer season over spectacular outdoor recreation, like at the South Yuba River State Park with hikes and water pursuits.
Mammoth Lakes
This town with history and nature abounding dates back thousands of years, first housing the Mono peoples. Mammoth Lake boomed through the 1870s and the ongoing Gold Rush, quickly expanding small businesses to become a popular year-round outdoor destination in the state. Come now for the daily perusal at 7800 ft. and hikes in the shadow of the domineering Mammoth Mountain, with some of the best ski slopes around at the iconic Mammoth Mountain Ski Area.
Explore the charming mountain town through and through with meandering strolls and scenic drives around its many beautiful lakes with snow-peaked views. From outdoor hiking, biking, and kayaking for the active to the locally brewed beer scene at the Mammoth Brewing Company, Mammoth Lakes is the place to unwind from the city in your favorite way. Enjoy thrills over the best panoramic mountain views with "Minaret Vistas," a popular romantic destination to enjoy between hand-in-hand serene lakeside strolls.
Mariposa
At the doors of the world-famous Yosemite National Park, Mariposa is a must-visit getaway this year while the weather is still holding or during the leaf-peeping season like no other. Mariposa's gold and logging past lent itself to the prospering and attractive mountain getaway of the day. Immerse yourself in all of the other small town charms, like cozy cafes and shopping in some vintage architecture. The charming mountain town in the foothills of the spectacular Sierra Nevada range is a real joy on a stroll amid a ton of interesting old buildings, perhaps before the holidays.
Spreading mostly within Mariposa County, the town and the park call for an atmospheric season of cheer with the glorious blanket-covered landscape and snowcapped peaks. Stop by the county courthouse from 1854, one of the oldest continuously operating in the US to this day and open for tours. Just when you thought you'd seen it all, Mariposa's Spanish translation of "butterfly" speaks for the famed flocks of Monarch butterflies. Thousands of Monarchs winter here for a truly spectacular sight, so speaking of being meant to be!
Nevada City
This quintessentially NorCal town was settled during the Gold Rush era in the 1850s. Its big name, telling of its thriving status ever since, is a year-round reason to visit. With tourism at the backbone of its economy, you can expect a wholesome small mountain town culture with a wide array of attractions. Immerse yourself in the small-town charm with cute businesses amid the glorious historic buildings at the finest Sierra backdrop on this side of the range. Find plenty to see and engage in on a family getaway in Nevada City to unwind over a special mountain lifestyle while the little ones have fun.
Start each morning in a cozy cafe amid historic sights backed by wild vistas, and venture out as the locals do to the Tahoe National Forest, filled with natural treasures to scavenge along scenic trails for all levels. Come in the winter to some of the best skiing areas in the mountains and the town, getting dressed up after shaking off the colorful foliage in wintertime attire. Just stroll through the Old Town district, with artifacts from the Gold Rush era and countless shops and businesses, for the perfect and truly unique holiday gifts. Stop by some of the fascinating museums and extend your stay with accommodations, including RV parks and camping facilities nearby for the summer.
Placerville
There's literally no wrong time to visit this pleasantly named town, so make it now and seize every moment on a memorable getaway from the city into the Sierras! The quintessential town is not just another Gold Country town but a California Historical Landmark in its entirety to explore every treasured sight interwoven with nature in the heart of the majestic Sierra Foothills. Come now for the few-mile hike to the nearby Apple Hill, known for its glorious fall season treats. The lovely foliage of the Sierras will follow you on daily ventures through the colorful apple picking, farm visits, and wineries around.
The rustic, woody-faced town of Placerville calls you to unwind amid the sights and your favorite pursuits before the busy Christmas season knocks at your office door. Return for the festivities in the real Christmas town to join the spirited locals going about their holiday shopping against the Sierra backdrop. The picturesque downtown is worth a visit at any time for strolls along the decorated streets with art and bakeries against the same awe-inspiring backdrop. Grab a morning coffee with a pastry for a treasure hunt through the town's aspiring former resident artist's works by Thomas Kinkad. Delightful equestrian pursuits await the horse fans, like trotting amid the gold rush sights that their history-loving friends will truly appreciate.
South Lake Tahoe
The lovely small city of just over 21,600 at the southern end of the eponymous lake greets year-round visitors and delights all age groups with the namesake lake vistas. The mountain town perched on the shores of Lake Tahoe in California offers easy access from the west to the east end of its border with the Stateline. Despite its larger size and popularity, South Lake Tahoe holds dearly onto its hidden gem status, particularly for off-season getaways without crowds to discover this unique side of the Sierras with fun for everyone. The charming resort city feels like a cozy small town while leaf peeping through the rural hills before the worldwide vacationers descend for skiing and then waterside recreation along the lake's shores.
Check out the thriving town's wealth of tourist shops, restaurants, bars, and other outlets amid hotels and B&Bs. Explore the whole region from above the lake waters at Lake Tahoe Balloons, and come back to experience the spellbinding wintertime charm of skiing at Heavenly Mountain Resort. This major skiing location with a great apres-ski scene offers 97 runs and 60 lifts with slopes for all levels. Discover the region's unique history, inspired by the Nevada gambling boom, through a number of interesting old buildings with many photo opportunities against the scenic backdrop of the lake.
Formed through the collision of tectonic plates some 40–100 million years ago, the Sierras were former volcanoes after faulting and subduction. Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the continental US, greets you above the clouds, overlooking over 5,300 sq mi (13,727 sq km) of protected wilderness. The above mountain towns offer the best way to explore this gorgeous mountain range and the exciting attractions associated with it.
