Nevada County stretches through the foothills, across the Sierra and all the way to the Nevada border. It encompasses Truckee, Grass Valley and Nevada City, which serves as the county seat. Most of the communities are small towns dating back to California's earliest settlers and have retained their intimate and historical charms for more than a century.

While having once beckoned miners, the area now attracts families, retirees and those looking to bask in the mountain lifedata-style. The tech industry has also flourished in recent years and has drawn legions of tech professionals and remote workers looking to escape sprawling cities and cement suburbs. Whether it's calm mountain streams and lakes or intense back country trails and ski slopes, Nevada County offers endless opportunities for exploring and adventures.

Homes range from quaint family-friendly neighborhoods to plush developments amid golf courses and ski areas in the highly coveted resort town of Truckee. Lakefront homes can be found on Scott's Flat, Donner Lake, Lake Wildwood and Lake of the Pines. Smaller communities, such as North San Juan, Washington and Rough and Ready, offer more remote and even off-the-grid living.

Seasons in the foothills are mild, with lush springs, warm summers and resplendent autumns. Western Nevada County winters can see occasional snowfall while Truckee, situated at an elevation of 5,800 feet, generally sees an abundance of snow. Highway 20 features numerous campgrounds, lakes and trails. The scenic thoroughfare leads to Interstate 80, which takes travelers up and over Donner Summit to lake Tahoe and Reno.

Truckee is home to a handful of renowned golf courses and ski resorts, including Sugar Bowl and Boreal, as well as Royal Gorge Cross Country Ski Area. Northstar sits adjacent to the county line in Truckee. Most flock to Nevada County, however, for its wild and open landscape, where the Yuba River thrills, calms and cools and endless miles of trails can be explored again and again.