Grass Valley, California
Grass Valley is a city of 14,113 people in Nevada County, California.
Why visit Grass Valley
Townapedia lists 22 museums and landmarks, 11 parks and trails, 58 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 5 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Nevada Theatre, Del Oro Theater, Empire Mine State Historic Park and Aaron A. Sargent House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; December lows average 33°F.
Weather in Grass Valley
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Grass Valley
Grass Valley is a city in Nevada County, California, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, its population was 14,016. Situated at roughly 2,500 feet (760 m) in elevation in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, this northern Gold Country city is 57 miles (92 km) by car from Sacramento and 88 miles (142 km) west of Reno.
From the Wikipedia article Grass Valley, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do5
Nevada Theatre
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Movie theater and former theater in Nevada City, California, United States
Museums and landmarks22
Empire Mine State Historic Park
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
State historic park in Grass Valley, California, USA
Aaron A. Sargent House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
House in Nevada City, California
Doris Foley Library for Historical Research
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Public library in Nevada City, California, USA
Grass Valley Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Carnegie library in California, United States of America
Martin Luther Marsh House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.0 mi
Nevada City, California
National Exchange Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Hotel in California, United States of America
Nevada Brewery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Commercial building in Nevada City, United States of America
Nevada City Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Historic district in California, United States
Nevada City Firehouse No. 2
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Fire station in California, United States of America
North Star House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
On the National Register of Historic Places, associated with the mine
Ott's Assay Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Office building in Nevada City, United States of America
-L1000285.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Mount Saint Mary's Convent and Academy
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
10 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds11
Nevada County Country Club
Golf course · 0.7 mi
1040 East Main Street, Grass Valley
Restaurants and cafes58
Afternoon Deli
Diner · American · 1.5 mi
101 West McKnight Way, Grass Valley
Tu-Sa 11:00-14:30; Sa 11:00-15:30
Burger & Cream
Diner · American · 1.4 mi
736 Taylorville Road
Mo-Th, Su 10:00-22:00; Fr, Sa 10:00-22:30
Fudenjuce
Restaurant · Coffee Shop, Sandwich, Salad, Juice, Breakfast, Soup, Brunch · 1.6 mi
151 West McKnight Way, Grass Valley
Mo-Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa-Su 10:00-18:00
Lamppost Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.2 mi
137 Olympia Park Road, Grass Valley
Mo-Th, Su 11:00-22:00; Fr, Sa 11:00-23:00
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.3 mi
716 Freeman Lane, Grass Valley
Mo-Fr 05:00-19:30; Sa,Su 05:30-20:00
The Fergon at West Home
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.6 mi
155 Mill Street, Grass Valley
Mo,We,Th,Fr,Sa 10:00-16:30; Su 12:00-15:30
Carolines Coffee Roasters
Cafe · 0.5 mi
128 South Auburn Street, Grass Valley
Mo-Fr 06:00-17:30; Sa-Su 07:00-17:30
Diego's Restaurant
Restaurant · 0.5 mi
217 Colfax Avenue, Grass Valley
Mo 15:00-21:00; Tu-Su 11:00-21:00
46 more on the map.
History
Grass Valley, which was originally known as Boston Ravine and later named Centerville, dates from the California Gold Rush, as does nearby Nevada City. Gold was discovered at Gold Hill in October 1850 and population grew around the mine. When a post office was established in 1851, it was renamed Grass Valley the next year for unknown reasons. The town was incorporated in 1860.
The essential history of Grass Valley mining belongs to the Grass Valley Mining District's main mines—the North Star, Empire, and Idaho-Maryland—for continuous production over a span of years. From 1868 until 1900, the Idaho-Maryland mine was the most productive in the district. From 1900 until 1925, the North Star and the Empire produced the most gold in the county. In 1932, the Empire and North Star were physically connected at the 4600-foot level and 5300-foot level.
From the History section of Grass Valley, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship13
Shopping23
Gas and EV charging11
Schools, colleges and libraries33
Margaret G. Scotten Elementary
School · 1.3 mi
10821 Squirrel Creek Rd., Grass Valley
Healthcare6
Map of Grass Valley
185 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 (1 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, 19 miles away.
- Nevada City 3 mi north, about 5 min by car
- Alta Sierra 7 mi south, about 10 min by car
- Lake Wildwood 8 mi west, about 13 min by car
- Penn Valley 8 mi west, about 13 min by car
- Colfax 10 mi southeast, about 16 min by car
- Lake of the Pines 13 mi south, about 20 min by car
- Meadow Vista 15 mi south, about 24 min by car
- Foresthill 19 mi southeast, about 31 min by car
- North Auburn 20 mi south, about 32 min by car
- Auburn 23 mi south, about 36 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, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Holbrooke Hotel (2025)-L1000285, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nevada City Firehouse No. 2 on Broad Street in Nevada City, California, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nevada City Free Public Library, bormang2, CC BY 2.0
- Nevada Brewery Building, Rifflebox, CC BY-SA 4.0
- National Hotel Nevada City, Tadd and Debbie Ottman, CC BY 2.0
- Nevada Theater-4, Almonroth, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Martin Luther March House, Rifflebox, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nevada City Downtown Historic District-149, Almonroth, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ott's Assay Office-4, Almonroth, CC BY-SA 3.0
- North Star House, 1907, Arthur De Wint Foote, Public domain
- GrassValley CARoyceLibarary, Isaac Crumm, Public domain
- Aaron A. Sargent House 02, Renata Earles, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mount St. Mary's Academy (Grass Valley, CA), Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.