The Best Cities To Retire In California's Sierra Nevada
Clovis calls itself the Gateway to the Sierras, and from its Old Town the drive to the giant trees of Sequoia National Park takes about an hour and a half. The larger communities near California's Sierra Nevada all share that kind of easy reach. They sit low in the foothills or at the edge of the valley floor, where daily errands and doctors stay close. Lakes, trails, and ski slopes are never far away. Each one adds its own mix of history, community, and time outdoors.
Folsom
Folsom sits between two lakes. Folsom Lake is a large foothill reservoir within a state recreation area, with beaches, boat ramps, and miles of shoreline trails. Lake Natoma, just downstream, is calmer and popular with rowers and paddlers. The paved American River Bike Trail starts here and follows the river for more than 30 miles, flat enough for easy rides at any pace. On hot summer days, the sandy beaches at Beals Point and Granite Bay fill with swimmers and picnickers. Evening walks along the dam offer wide views of the water and the foothills beyond.
The city's history is close at hand. Historic Sutter Street is lined with Gold Rush era buildings, restaurants, and shops, and the nearby railroad block preserves the old depot and a small train museum. The Folsom Prison Museum tells the story of the prison made famous by Johnny Cash, and the Johnny Cash Trail, a paved path with large public art pieces honoring the singer, runs past it. Each Fourth of July weekend, the Folsom Pro Rodeo draws big crowds. Just downstream, Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park preserves an 1890s hydroelectric plant that was one of the first in the country to send power over long distances. The Folsom History Museum, in a replica of the town's old Wells Fargo office, covers the area's Gold Rush and railroad past.
El Dorado Hills
El Dorado Hills spreads across rolling oak-covered hills just east of Folsom Lake, and it has become one of the most popular choices in the foothills for active retirees. Its Town Center hosts outdoor concerts, farmers markets, and holiday events around a small lake. Several large active-adult communities offer clubhouses, trails, and golf. The El Dorado Hills Community Services District runs parks, a pool, and a senior center with classes, trips, and social events, giving newcomers an easy way to meet neighbors.
The lake's Browns Ravine area, inside El Dorado Hills, has a marina and shoreline trails. Wine country is close by, too. The El Dorado wine region begins just up the road, with dozens of small wineries in the hills. The orchards of Apple Hill, famous for fall cider and pie, are about a half-hour drive east. Lake Tahoe is a little over an hour up the highway, close enough for regular day trips to its beaches, ski resorts, and mountain trails. Closer to home, the oak-shaded trails around the community's open-space preserves are popular for morning walks and birdwatching.
Roseville
Roseville, the largest city on this list, grew up as a railroad town, and Union Pacific's huge rail yard here is still one of the largest on the West Coast. Its older downtown, with Royer Park and historic Vernon Street, has a small-town feel. Newer neighborhoods to the west include a large active-adult community, Sun City Roseville, with its own golf course, lodge, and recreation center. Weekly events, clubs, and classes there give new arrivals a ready-made circle of friends.
The Maidu Museum and Historic Site preserves a natural area with petroglyphs and bedrock mortars used by the Nisenan people for generations, along with an interpretive trail. The paved Miners Ravine Trail follows a creek through oak woodland, one of several green corridors that make Roseville easy to explore on foot or by bike. Downtown, the restored Tower Theatre, an Art Deco movie house from the 1940s, still shows films. The Placer County Fairgrounds host events throughout the year. The city's many parks and community centers offer classes and activities for older adults.
Lincoln
Lincoln, north of Roseville, is home to Sun City Lincoln Hills, one of the largest active-adult communities in Northern California. It has thousands of homes and its own golf courses. For many retirees, that built-in social life is the main reason to move here. The community's Orchard Creek Lodge and Kilaga Springs Lodge host fitness classes, pools, and clubs for everything from woodworking to choral singing.
The town also has an unusual history. Gladding McBean, founded in 1875, still produces terra cotta tiles and architectural pieces that decorate famous buildings across the country, and it occasionally offers factory tours. The annual Feats of Clay exhibition celebrates ceramic art in the factory's historic setting, and Lincoln's small downtown, with its restored storefronts, has a growing number of restaurants and tasting rooms. The trails around the Twelve Bridges neighborhood wind through oak woodland and open grassland with views toward the foothills. The historic Gold Rush towns of Auburn and Grass Valley are a short drive into the hills for antiques, history, and Sierra scenery.
Clovis
Old Town Clovis is packed with antique shops, cafes, and restaurants, and its farmers market and weekly events bring residents downtown. The Clovis Rodeo, held each April since 1914, is one of the largest in the state. Each spring, the Fresno County Blossom Trail winds through orchards just east of town, where peach, plum, and almond trees burst into bloom. The paved Clovis Old Town Trail runs for miles through the city, an easy daily walk or bike ride.
The mountains start just beyond the city limits. Shaver Lake and Huntington Lake are about an hour into the Sierra, and Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks are within about an hour and a half. Closer to town, the Clovis Botanical Garden showcases drought-tolerant plants suited to the region's hot summers. The historic Tarpey Depot, a restored railroad station, serves as the city's visitor center. About a half-hour north, Millerton Lake State Recreation Area offers boating, fishing, and winter bald eagle tours on a foothill reservoir.
Foothill Living
These five cities trade the quiet of the high Sierra for convenience. In return, retirees get hospitals, shopping, and year-round services, along with lakes, trails, and mountain roads that start just outside town. Before choosing, check wildfire risk and insurance costs, which vary widely across the foothills. It is also worth spending time there in both summer heat and winter fog.
