Alta Sierra, California
Alta Sierra is a community of 7,361 people in Nevada County, California.
Why visit Alta Sierra
Townapedia lists 3 parks and trails and 1 attraction in and around town.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; December lows average 33°F.
Weather in Alta Sierra
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Alta Sierra
Alta Sierra (Spanish for "Upper Range") is a census-designated place (CDP) in Nevada County, California, United States. The population was 7,204 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Alta Sierra, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Churches and places of worship1
Shopping1
Alta Sierra Market
Grocery · 1.5 mi
10182 Alta Sierra Drive, Grass Valley
Mo-Su 08:00-21:00
History
Alta Sierra was laid out by property developers in the 1960s. Alta Sierra is a golf course community, with homes built around the Alta Sierra Country Club, a semi-private 18 hole course built in 1964. The community has a member-owned airport with a 2800-foot runway. The community is located just east of California State Highway 49, at an elevation of approximately 2300 feet, between the cities of Grass Valley, California to the north and Auburn, California to the south. There is a small commercial district with several restaurants, a gas station, a market and personal service businesses. There is also an elementary school and a motel.
From the History section of Alta Sierra, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries17
Chicago Park Community Charter
School · 4.0 mi
15725 Mount Olive Rd., Grass Valley
Map of Alta Sierra
24 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°F | 33°F | 9.3 in | 0.7 in |
| Feb | 55°F | 34°F | 9.0 in | 3.0 in |
| Mar | 58°F | 37°F | 8.2 in | 3.0 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 40°F | 4.4 in | 0.5 in |
| May | 71°F | 47°F | 2.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 53°F | 0.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 58°F | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 87°F | 57°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 52°F | 0.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 72°F | 44°F | 2.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 60°F | 37°F | 5.5 in | 0.2 in |
| Dec | 53°F | 33°F | 10.5 in | 1.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Grass Valley #2 (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Nevada County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-03-10: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2021-08-24: Wildfires (Fire)
- 2020-08-22: Wildfires (Fire)
- 2020-08-18: Jones Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Auburn Municipal Airport (AUN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 12 miles away.
- Colfax 6 mi southeast, about 9 min by car
- Grass Valley 7 mi north, about 10 min by car
- Meadow Vista 8 mi south, about 14 min by car
- Nevada City 9 mi north, about 15 min by car
- Penn Valley 9 mi northwest, about 15 min by car
- North Auburn 14 mi south, about 22 min by car
- Foresthill 14 mi southeast, about 23 min by car
- Auburn 16 mi south, about 26 min by car
- Auburn Lake Trails 17 mi south, about 27 min by car
- Lincoln 22 mi southwest, about 35 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Brachycybe rosea and Brachycybe producta 256877067, Jeremiah Degenhardt, CC BY 4.0
- Steak au poivre 2025, Cullen328, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lapel pin collection, Cullen328, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Compact Oxford English Dictionary, Cullen328, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Emile Henry emblem, Cullen328, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Portuguese made tagine, Cullen328, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Emile Henry ceramic casserole dish, Cullen328, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Compact Oxford English Dictionary 2, Cullen328, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cullen328 December 2024, Cullen328, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Open tortilla press, Cullen328, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Closed tortilla press, Cullen328, CC BY-SA 4.0
- DrewieStewieandCullen328, DrewieStewie, CC BY 4.0
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