Between Lake Tahoe And Sacramento Is California's Unsung Mountainous Outdoor Playground

There are more outdoorsy towns in the Sierra Nevada than you can shake a San Franciscan sourdough at. This 250-mile range of skyscraper-high sequoias and glacier-carved granite domes has the high desert city of Bishop on its eastern flank and the fabled 'Gateway to Yosemite' that is Mariposa over in the west. The list could go on and on and on, but pause just a moment to appreciate one outdoor playground in particular: The off-radar outpost of Pollock Pines.

The location says it all. Pollock Pines sits along the serpentine courses of US-50, a highway that actually runs all the way from the West Coast to the East Coast. However, the section in question here is the ultra-scenic bit that goes through the Sierra Nevada from Placerville to Lake Tahoe, giving gorgeous mountain vistas the whole way along. Hikes, mountain biking, climbing, and shimmering alpine lakes are abundant there, and Pollock Pines sits neatly in the middle of it all. As if that's still not enough, the spot has a charmingly historic downtown core that can trace its days back to the Gold Rush. It's perfect for cozying up at the end of the day!

Aim to jet into the big Sacramento International Airport if you can. It's just over an hour's drive down the road from Pollock Pines, and offers stacks of domestic flights and even some international arrivals, along with plenty of car rentals. Alternatively, the major international aviation hub in San Francisco is only a 2.5-hour drive from the west.

Welcome to the very center of the western Sierra Nevada. Pollock Pines is plumb in the midst of the foothills of that iconic range, so you'd be right to think that there's a smorgasbord of outdoorsy pursuits on the menu. The Eldorado National Forest sprawls all around the town, extending across the ridges to the east. It'll be your main playground during your visit.

But before you venture too far, be sure to check out the Sly Park Recreation Area. It's among the top draws of Pollock Pines, sat only a 10-minute drive south of the downtown. You'll find it anchored on the glimmering waters of Jenkinson Lake, which transforms into a kayaking and boating haven during warm-weather months. Around that, a short hiking route loops over a creek to reveal a waterfall in the forest.

Just beyond is where you can get onto some of the 350 miles of trails that beckon in the vast Eldorado National Forest. They begin with the Fleming Meadow area, where a 5-mile loop promises a quiet escape into the evergreen woods. Those willing to go further could cruise the US-50 out to Lover's Leap and Twin Bridges. The first is a mecca for rock climbers — think a near-vert ascent up classic Californian granite. The latter has trailheads that access roaring waterfalls and summits within the breathtaking land of peaks and glistening lakes that is the Desolation Wilderness.

Pollock Pines — like so many other towns on the western edge of the Sierra Nevada — rode the wave of the Californian Gold Rush. But, unlike its nearby compadres on the wildly scenic Highway 49 through Gold Country, which passes through Placerville just 15 minutes' drive down the road, this one wasn't a boomtown for prospectors. Instead, it cut its teeth as a lumber mill and a stop on the old Pony Express mail route.

There are still whiffs of that long past. Check out Sportsman's Hall, an erstwhile inn for riders that's been around since the 1850s. You can still dine in that piece of history today — the breakfast menu is a hearty offering of ribeye with eggs, lobster benedict, and biscuits with gravy. Just what you need for a long day's galloping on the postal trails!

All filled up? Good, because some of the most enchanting historic towns in California await just down the road. Join the aforementioned Highway 49 route, and you'll cruise through several of them within an hour of leaving Pollock Pines. The 'Jewel of the Motherlode' of Sutter Creek is 50 minutes away, offering antiques shops and wine tasting galore. Coloma, the spot where gold was first discovered in California, is just 30 minutes to the north. Go there to wander a preserved historic district complete with a blacksmith shop and a vintage lumber mill.