- Sierra Valley
Sierra Valley is a large mountain valley located east of the crest of
California 's Sierra Nevada mountain range in Plumas and Sierra Counties, north of Interstate 80.Natural setting
An intermontaine valley at approximately convert|4850|ft|m elevation, Sierra Valley is surrounded by mountains ranging in elevation from 6 to convert|8000|ft|m. The huge valley, convert|120000|acre|km2, is a down-faulted basin, formerly a lake bed of similar geologic origin to
Lake Tahoe to the south, now filled with sediment up to two thousand feet thick. Average annual rainfall is less than twenty inches, most falling as snow. The valley floor has a grassland and sagebrush ecosystem and is the site of extensive freshwater marshes filled withcattails ,Bulrushes andalkaline flats that drain into the middle fork of theFeather River . Many species of wildlife make their permanent home in the valley, and a great number of migratory bird species stop over in the fall and nest in Sierra Valley in the spring. The Valley also has thermal activity. Marble Hot Springs is located in the north central valley floor.Economy
Sierra Valley is an agricultural and livestock region. Tourism contributes to the local economy.
Access
Entrance from the west is through
Yuba Pass on State Route 49. The valley is crossed by state State Route 89, State Route 70 and State Route 49, (thegold rush trail), which terminates beyond Sierra Valley at theHallelujah Junction with U.S. Route 395.Principal towns
*Sierraville
*Beckwourth
*Graeagle
*Calpine
*Sattley
*Loyalton
*VintonOutdoor activities
From the
Plumas County website: Biking | Birding | Boating and Swimming | Cross Country Skiing | Fishing | Gold Panning | Golfing | Hiking | Horseback Riding | Riding | Hunting | Kids & Family | Mountain Biking | River Rafting | Road Biking | Skiing and Snowboarding | Snowmobiling | Snowplay | Snowshoeing | Wildlife Watchingources
A Biological Baseline Study of Sierra Valley Marsh, California 1976. Dept. of Biology SFSUNSF SOS grant SMI-76-08071
External links
* [http://www.plumascounty.org/Communities/Portola.htm Plumas County Visitors Bureau]
* [http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/plumas/ Plumas National forest]
* [http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/tahoe/ Tahoe National forest]
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