Saturday, August 17, 2013

Downieville: Mtn Bike Sierra


Highway 49 is the Gold Country & this is the far north end of it, where the Yuba River runs wild & the Sierra Buttes are the majestic centerpiece for the Northern Sierra Nevada.

The infamous Downieville Classic is the big annual race for mountain bikers. A huge event for the small historic town. The Downieville Downhill is the longest and most demanding downhill mountain bike race in the country, or so they say. The rest of the year, it's great fishing, camping & hiking all the way around. Lakes Basin Recreation Area is perfect for a day trip, picnic & hike. Sierra Buttes, Gold Lake, Lake Campgrounds are abundant in this region. Goose Lake, Haven Lake,  Packer Lake, Sardine Lake, Snag Lake, Salmon Creek, Frasier Falls are all nearby lake destinations.

downieville ca

Home prices here are almost as high as neighboring Grass Valley & Nevada City, but you are much more remote in this location. Winters can be harsh with snow, ice, power outages and road closures. Smog from the Central Valley may not reach you tucked way back here and the Sacramento heat & bad traffic will be non-existent. Tourists traffic is abundant in summer, and overwhelming sometimes. Seasonal recreation like fishing, hunting, cross country skiing, snowmobiling bring locals here all year long.