Grass Valley resident Sam says, “Overall, Grass Valley is a wonderful horse community... There are some wonderful facilities/boarding farms that host clinics…You can see a colt starting clinic with Joe Wolters or a Richard Winters clinic or even Klaus Berger for a dressage clinic.” This rings true for much of Nevada County.
Nevada County Land and History
Immigrant Gap and Pioneer Trail pass through Nevada County, and there are many mountains and lakes—including Donner Lake, one-time settlement of the Donner Party. You will find everything from grassy valleys to snowy peaks in Nevada County. However, it is not all mountains by any means, and you will find many beautiful horse ranches there. The median home price in the county is between $500k and $600k, although the ranches go as high as $2.5 million.
The county seat, Nevada City, was formed before the state of Nevada, and the “City” was added after theformation of the state to allay confusion. In 1850, the town of Rough and Ready seceded from the Union for all of three months, naming Nevada City the capital. Although Nevada City is now a small town, it was once the third largest city in California with a whopping population of 10,000—compared to today’s population of a little over 3,000.
Things to Do in Nevada County
For the nature lover or history buff, you cannot go wrong by visiting Nevada County. Just driving along the highways will afford you beautiful views of the mountains and the many horse ranches. Along Highway 20 on Washington Ridge lies Lone Grave, the final resting place of a child who was tragically burned to death in 1858. Continue driving up 20 toward Reno to see some breathtaking views of the forest and mountains before meeting Highway 80.
If you enjoy camping and water sports, there are plenty of places to do them—Donner Lake being the most well known. There are also campsites at Rollins Lake, Malakoff Diggins State Park and many other places throughout the county. For an education on the history of mining in the county, take the tours at Empire Mine in Grass Valley.
Donner Pass Road in Truckee, Mill Street in Grass Valley and the entire downtown district of Nevada City are fun places to go shopping. During the Christmas season, Cornish Christmas takes place every Friday night, beginning the day after Thanksgiving, from 6-9PM on Mill Street in Grass Valley. Every Wednesday during the same time period, Victorian Christmas takes place on Broad Street in Nevada City. Both feature craft and treat vendors dressed in period costumes, wandering carolers and other entertainments.
Places to Ride your Horse
Nevada County is popular among both endurance riders and those who just go out for a relaxing afternoon. You can ride for a couple of hours in the Empire Mine State Historic Park, with many clear and easy trails and a small parking lot that is easy to get in and out of. Trail riders can go for miles at Scotts Flat Lake—in fact, there is a 25/50 endurance ride there in May. There are also some wonderful trails around Bowman Lake.
Skillman Horse Camp is located about 13 miles above Nevada City in the Tahoe National Forest and offers miles of trails with beautiful scenery in addition to horse camping. Little Lasier Meadows does as well, located at the Pacific Crest Trailhead in Jackson Meadows, about 20 miles north of Truckee off of Highway 89. These are just a few of the many opportunities for trail riding in the area, and the county is very close to more, including the Western States Trail.
Places to Be in Nevada County
There are a number of events for horse lovers to attend in Nevada County. There are schooling shows, gymkhana, team penning and rodeos throughout the year at the Nevada County Horsemen club grounds just outside of Grass Valley, and the Mother Lode Fair Circuit show takes place at the Nevada County Fairgrounds (also in Grass Valley) in May. The Northern Mines Pony Club offers events year-round for its members.
The Nevada County Fair runs the first week of August and is a walk back in time. It is an old-fashioned fair with crafts, homemade treats and horticulture exhibits, 4H and FFA competitions and horse exhibitions. There are dozens of food vendors that serve as fundraisers for local organizations, selling food that is worth making the trip for, no matter how far away you are. Kids of all ages enjoy the midway games and rides. There is also a fair on the Fourth of July, where you can get your corn dog fix and listen to bands before you settle in for the fireworks.
In September, the Nevada County Fairgrounds are dedicated to the Draft Horse Classic & Harvest Fair, the premier Draft Horse show in the country. Every year, the stands are filled with Draft Horse enthusiasts from around the world, who watch driving classes (everything from singles to eight horse hitches), log pulls and all manner of other demonstrations and entertainments. Between performances, wander the grounds to visit the many vendors, attend the art show, listen to bands, watch the lumberjack and horseshoeing shows and enjoy your favorite fair food. You can even visit some of the performers up close and personal in the barns. Although you must pay to get in to see the actual show, access to the Harvest Fair is free. There is so much to see and do, you might consider getting a season pass so you can attend all four days—there is even a campground available.
Nevada County is a wonderful place for any horse lover, whether you are going to visit for a day, a month, or to live.
