Nevada County

Nevada County is an administrative district in northern California that includes the towns of Nevada City and Grass Valley along with wide forested areas of the Sierra Nevada. The landscape shifts between wooded slopes, narrow river valleys and open pastures while elevations vary widely between low valleys and mountain ridges.

The area formed in 1851 as a mining district after prospectors began building camps along rivers and creeks. Early settlements grew rapidly as sawmills and trading posts supplied the mine workers.

Volunteers organize weekend festivals and fairs in the downtowns where local musicians and craftspeople show their work. Many residents tend gardens and run small farms in the hills where apples and vegetables grow using traditional methods.

Main roads connect the two largest towns and lead into higher mountain areas where snow covers the ground in winter. Hiking trails along rivers are open in summer while some back roads remain closed outside the season.

The South Yuba River flows through deep canyons with granite rocks that form natural pools where swimmers cool off on hot days. At some riverside spots visitors still find abandoned tools and shafts left from the first prospectors.

Location: California

Inception: 1851

Capital city: Nevada City

Shares border with: Sierra County, Yuba County, Placer County, Washoe County

Website: http://mynevadacounty.com

GPS coordinates: 39.30000,-120.77000

Latest update: December 13, 2025 19:00