Avery, CA

Tucked into the Sierra Nevada foothills along Highway 4, Avery offers a quiet, pine-shaded setting halfway between the bustling wine town of Murphys and the mountain community of Arnold. The area originally grew around a 19th-century stagecoach stop known as the Half-Way House, which eventually became the historic Avery Hotel. Today, Avery has retained that relaxed waystation feel. It is primarily a peaceful residential pocket where homes sit nestled among tall trees, giving residents easy access to foothill conveniences down the hill and high-country adventures just up the road.

Living in Avery puts year-round outdoor recreation practically in your backyard, starting with the towering giant sequoias at nearby Calaveras Big Trees State Park. Summer weekends bring hiking, river swimming, and camping throughout the surrounding Stanislaus National Forest, while winter offers skiing and snow play higher up Highway 4 at Bear Valley. Sitting around 3,400 feet in elevation, Avery enjoys four distinct seasons with mild winters that dodge the heaviest mountain snowfall. For anyone looking for a slower pace surrounded by nature, it serves as a comfortable, scenic home base in the Sierra foothills.