Meadow Valley, CA

Meadow Valley is a Plumas County census-designated place in northeastern California, with 453 residents in the 2020 census. It lies in the mountain country where the Sierra and Cascade ranges meet, near Quincy and the Feather River’s branching valleys. Forest surrounds the community, while ranchland and open meadow give the place its name and its working landscape. State Route 70 and local roads connect Meadow Valley with Quincy, the county seat, and the larger Plumas network of lakes, rivers, and national forest.

Meadow Valley’s history is tied to the Gold Rush routes that crossed Plumas County. Spanish Ranch was established in 1850, and miners traveling toward the East, Middle, and North forks of the Feather River passed through the Meadow Valley area. Today the community’s identity is carried by cattle country, forest roads, mountain weather, and the nearby public land south of Quincy. Plumas Unified School District serves local students, while the valley remains a small residential and rural pocket. Meadow Valley is a California place where mining-era travel, mountain ranchland, Feather River country, and a forested county landscape meet.