7 Adorable Small Towns in California's Sierra Nevada to Visit in 2024
The Sierra Nevada mountain range rises along a long, slender path in central California, measuring about 400 miles north to south and 50 miles east to west. Full of natural wonders like Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon National Parks, Mount Whitney, and giant sequoia trees like the “General Sherman,” the Sierra Nevada boasts dozens of picturesque small communities. Before making your travel plans, check out our list of seven of the Sierra Nevada’s loveliest little towns.
Truckee
While Truckee is located only around 20 miles away from the famous Lake Tahoe, the town has built its own reputation as an epicenter for outdoor adventure in the Sierra Nevada. Set along the beautiful Lake Donner, which is great for boating and watersports, Truckee is surrounded by hiking trails—including the Truckee River Legacy Trail—and ski slopes to suit all skill levels. The town also remembers its past as a logging and railroad town, as well as the endpoint for the tragic Donner Party, with three local museums and guided walking tours. Finish your day of outdoor fun and historic exploration by checking out Truckee’s great restaurants, including Stella and Pianeta.
South Lake Tahoe
While its roots date back to the Gold Rush era of the 1840s, South Lake Tahoe is a true resort town set (as its name indicates) along the southern shore of Lake Tahoe. What South Lake Tahoe lacks in historic charm, it makes up for in glitz, with tourist sites like the opulent Vikingsholm Mansion and a fantastic collection of shops and restaurants. Additionally, the directly adjacent town of Stateline, Nevada, is home to several bustling casinos that keep up the energy into the night. Also, Lake Tahoe and the surrounding mountain peaks offer world-class boating, watersports, and skiing.
Bishop
The Sierra Nevada mountains have served as a backdrop for countless Hollywood films, and more than 400 movies have been filmed in the stunning Alabama Hills outside the town of Bishop. Meanwhile, Bishop itself looks quite a bit like an Old West town from classic Hollywood westerns. But Bishop is a real town with a history stretching back to the Gold Rush era, with the Laws Museum recounting the town’s important connections to the railroad industry. For some truly ancient natural beauty that stretches back 5,000 years, explore the nearby Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, home to the world's oldest trees.
Auburn
Auburn is the seat of Placer County, situated along the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada. You can get a true taste of the Gold Rush era in Auburn’s restored Old Town section, paired with a visit to the Placer County Museum in the old courthouse. Trail-running enthusiasts know Auburn as the finish line for the grueling 100-mile Western States Endurance Run, held each June, but the area also has great hiking trails for all skill levels. Or, if you prefer wine trails to hiking trails, the Auburn region’s reputation for great wineries continues to grow—so be sure to check out the Placer County Wine Trail.
Murphys
The foothills surrounding the town of Murphys once teemed with prospectors hunting for gold. The fine brick buildings from the mid-to-late 1800s that still line Main Street prove that some prospectors struck it rich! Today, those same foothills are covered with grape vines, and Main Street’s brick buildings house tasting rooms and restaurants. Murphys truly comes to life during the autumn wine harvest, with popular community events like the Calaveras Grape Stomp and Gold Rush Street Faire. If you are a skiing enthusiast, wait for the snow to fall and experience the nearby Bear Valley Ski Resort.
Nevada City
You only have to travel about 60 miles from California’s capital city, Sacramento, to reach Nevada City, but it can feel like you are going more than a century back in time. The whole downtown area is on the National Register of Historic Places due to its wealth of Old West Victorian homes and Gold Rush-era structures like the 1865 Nevada Theater. Nevada City also serves as a gateway into the great outdoors, with Tahoe National Forest and South Yuba River State Park close by. The ski areas of Lake Tahoe are also within reach of a day trip, about two hours away.
Quincy
Founded in the Gold Rush era as Elizabethtown, the town of Quincy maintains several nods to its Old West heritage, including its 1905 schoolhouse. The Plumas County Museum is a great resource for Quncy’s history, while a slightly newer downtown addition, the 1936 Town Theater, is a fun place to catch a movie. With its stunning natural setting, Quincy also has a reputation as an artists’ haven, as evidenced by several galleries located in town. And, if you prefer beer to wine, the town’s signature annual community event, the Mountain Harvest Beer Festival, happens in October.
The Sierra Nevada is a region full of superlatives, home to some of the world's oldest trees and largest trees, several world-famous ski slopes, the spectacular Lake Tahoe, three national parks, and much more. The region’s small towns, many from the Gold Rush era, can get lost among all this majesty, but they are well worth visiting. Whether you prefer history tours, wine tastings, or shopping excursions, you will have a great time in the adorable small towns of California’s Sierra Nevada!
