You don’t have to fly out to the Rocky Mountains or drive up to the Olympics, if you love being in the mountains, Northern California has plenty! There’s nothing quite like taking a break from it all and cruising along with the windows down and the cool mountain air blowing through your hair. This road trip through Northern California’s scenic alpine areas will have you loving this great state.
Buckle up and have fun on the drive. Remember, it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. There are so many places to stop at in between these towns. Be sure to take your time!
Mt. Shasta
Flickr/ Jennifer Carole
Flickr/ Man Bartlett Located at 3,600 feet in Siskiyou County, the town of Mount Shasta takes it name from the nearby iconic peak. Located in the Cascade Mountain Range, this town has all of the rural charm you will get used to during this mountain drive and is the perfect place to start your road trip.
Burney
Flickr/ DMPhoto
Flickr/ Greg Miller This tiny town has a major claim to fame… it’s the site of some incredible waterfalls and well worth a stop on this adventurous road trip. The elevation isn’t too high (3,195 ft), but it sure is scenic!
Susanville
Flickr/ mlhradio
Flickr/ Ken Lund This Lassen County community is located at 4,186 ft and is actually one of the largest cities in this neck of the woods! Take your time here and be sure to get off the beaten path.
Graeagle
Flickr/ Nicki Dugan Pogue
Flickr/ mlhradio Originally a lumber town, it’s hard to visit this mountain beauty and not fall completely head over heals in love with it. It’s located at an elevation of 4,373 ft.
Sierraville
Flickr/ Orin Zebest
Flickr/ Orin Zebest Sierraville is located in the quiet but beautiful Sierra Valley. The high elevation fields are great place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city at any time of the year. Its elevation is 4,957 feet above sea level.
Truckee
Flickr/ Jacob T. Meltzer
Flickr/ Justin Hall One of the coldest spots in California, Truckee sits at 5,817 feet and sees an average snowfall of 204.3 inches. It’s the fifth snowiest town in the US and is a mecca for skiers and snowboarders.
Homewood
Flickr/ Shawn Robbins Photography
Flickr/ Dave Schumaker If you are interested in stopping in at a mountain town along Lake Tahoe that still has a homey, beach town vibe, check out Homewood. Its a community located right along the edge of Lake Tahoe. It’s elevation is 6,234 feet.
South Lake Tahoe
Flickr/ mtch3l
Flickr/ Alex Proimos This mountain town is positioned right at the bottom of Heavenly Ski Resort, making it a popular destination for winter sports enthusiasts. It might take a little bit to get used to the elevation since it’s located at 6,237 feet. In the summer time, visitors have access to some of the best hiking in the Sierra Nevada. The Pacific Crest Trail goes right through this area. It’s also a great place for lounging next to the lake, though.
Kirkwood
Flickr/Lars Rosengreen
Flickr/Lars Rosengreen Located at 7,690 feet in part of Alpine County, Kirkwood feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere - mostly because it is! All jokes aside, you will love this mountain retreat that is pretty empty this time of year.
Here’s a link to the interactive map, where you can customize this trip to your needs and starting location.
Flickr/ Jennifer Carole
Flickr/ Man Bartlett
Located at 3,600 feet in Siskiyou County, the town of Mount Shasta takes it name from the nearby iconic peak. Located in the Cascade Mountain Range, this town has all of the rural charm you will get used to during this mountain drive and is the perfect place to start your road trip.
Flickr/ DMPhoto
Flickr/ Greg Miller
This tiny town has a major claim to fame… it’s the site of some incredible waterfalls and well worth a stop on this adventurous road trip. The elevation isn’t too high (3,195 ft), but it sure is scenic!
Flickr/ mlhradio
Flickr/ Ken Lund
This Lassen County community is located at 4,186 ft and is actually one of the largest cities in this neck of the woods! Take your time here and be sure to get off the beaten path.
Flickr/ Nicki Dugan Pogue
Originally a lumber town, it’s hard to visit this mountain beauty and not fall completely head over heals in love with it. It’s located at an elevation of 4,373 ft.
Flickr/ Orin Zebest
Sierraville is located in the quiet but beautiful Sierra Valley. The high elevation fields are great place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city at any time of the year. Its elevation is 4,957 feet above sea level.
Flickr/ Jacob T. Meltzer
Flickr/ Justin Hall
One of the coldest spots in California, Truckee sits at 5,817 feet and sees an average snowfall of 204.3 inches. It’s the fifth snowiest town in the US and is a mecca for skiers and snowboarders.
Flickr/ Shawn Robbins Photography
Flickr/ Dave Schumaker
If you are interested in stopping in at a mountain town along Lake Tahoe that still has a homey, beach town vibe, check out Homewood. Its a community located right along the edge of Lake Tahoe. It’s elevation is 6,234 feet.
Flickr/ mtch3l
Flickr/ Alex Proimos
This mountain town is positioned right at the bottom of Heavenly Ski Resort, making it a popular destination for winter sports enthusiasts. It might take a little bit to get used to the elevation since it’s located at 6,237 feet. In the summer time, visitors have access to some of the best hiking in the Sierra Nevada. The Pacific Crest Trail goes right through this area. It’s also a great place for lounging next to the lake, though.
Flickr/Lars Rosengreen
Located at 7,690 feet in part of Alpine County, Kirkwood feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere - mostly because it is! All jokes aside, you will love this mountain retreat that is pretty empty this time of year.
Have you visited all the towns on this road trip? If not, it’s time to hop in the car and head for the hills… or in this case, mountains! Be sure to share your favorite adventures with us on Facebook. We might even feature one of your suggestions!
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