Chester ~ Graeagle ~ Lake Almanor ~ Portola ~ Quincy
Situated in the Sierra Nevada Mountains where it meets the Cascade Range, Plumas County has some of the most spectacular scenery in the entire Shasta Cascade region. With more than a hundred lakes, a thousand miles of rivers and streams and over a million acres of national forest — and an average of nine people per square mile — it’s the ideal spot to get away from the pressures of the rat race. Plumas County offers four distinct seasons with year-round recreational opportunities as well as beauty, solitude and clean mountain air. Surprisingly, for as off the beaten track as Plumas County is, it offers a remarkably generous array of such civilized amenities as golf courses (10 of them), marinas, spas and first-rate lodgings.
Things to Do
One of the most popular vacation destinations in Plumas County is Lake Almanor, which sits at an elevation of 4,500 ft. It is famous for water sports, great fishing and gorgeous scenery. Lassen Peak is often visible to the northwest. Chester, on the northwest shore of Lake Almanor, is just south of Lassen Volcanic National Park, and offers a wide range of accommodations, making it a perfect base of operations for exploring the national park and enjoying the lake.
South of Lake Almanor the Feather River National Scenic Byway traverses Plumas County east to west, roughly following a spur of the Old California Trail that covered wagons took when crossing the Sierra Nevadas through its lowest mountain pass. The Feather River Canyon portion of the byway runs along the North Fork of the Feather River and is one of the most popular scenic drives in all of California
East of Feather River Canyon along the scenic byway lies Quincy, the county seat. It features an airport, theater, museums, galleries and retail shops. Like many towns in the county, Quincy takes pride in its historic downtown, which is highlighted by its four-story courthouse on Main Street. Nearby are Bucks Lake and La Porte, popular for fishing, hunting and other outdoor activities.
Further east the scenic byway passes near Eureka Plumas State Park, then passes through Graegle followed by Portola on the Middle Fork of the Feather. Portola is home to the renowned Western Pacific Railroad Museum, where visitors are permitted to climb aboard and explore the trains from engine to caboose. The easternmost end of the Feather River National Scenic Byway is at Hwy 395 near the Nevada state line.