Portola

City in Plumas County, California

View of Portola, California
Photo: Roger Puta · Public domain

Portola is a city in Plumas County, California, with 2,100 residents (2020 Census). It sits at 4,856 ft (1,480 m) above sea level. The nearest town is Delleker, 1.0 miles SW.

About Portola

Portola ( por-TOH-lə) is the only incorporated city in Plumas County, California, United States. The population was 2,100 at the 2020 census, down from 2,104 at the 2010 census. Portola is located on the Middle Fork of the Feather River and was named after Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portolá, although he did not explore this area.

Portola is a crew change site on the Western Pacific Railroad (now Union Pacific Railroad) Feather River Route over the Sierra Nevada. The city is also home to the Western Pacific Railroad Museum (formerly Portola Railroad Museum), one of the largest railroad museums in the Western United States. The museum is famous for its Run A Locomotive program, where the public can participate in a "fantasy experience" program allowing them to run a railroad locomotive on the museum grounds. The railroad tradition also extends to a yearly local event called “Railroad Days”.

Portola was in the national media spotlight in 1996–1997 when a conflict occurred between the local community and the Department of Fish and Game over how to deal with an invasive species of northern pike in Lake Davis. The lake was chemically treated in 1997 to eradicate the fish, but they reappeared in 1999. In early September 2007, the California Department of Fish and Game eradicated the pike using CFT Legumine, a new liquid formulation of rotenone.

Text: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Portola weather: 7-day forecast

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Live webcams in Portola

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Living in Portola

Median household income
$44,492
Median home value
$231,300
Median rent
$819/mo
Median age
40.6
Cost of living and demographics of Portola ›

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Map of Portola

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Portola, CA population

Portola had 2,100 residents in the 2020 Census.

2020 Census2,100
Density388 per sq mi (150 per km²)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Census.

Portola at a glance

StateCalifornia (CA)
CountyPlumas County
TypeCity
Population2,100 (2020)
Land area5.41 sq mi (14.0 km²)
Elevation4,856 ft (1,480 m)
Coordinates39.8208° N, 120.4743° W
ZIP code96122
Official websiteci.portola.ca.us
Census code (GEOID)0658352

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Gazetteer, ZCTA), USGS GNIS, Wikidata.

Towns near Portola

Straight-line distance between town centers.

Frequently asked questions about Portola

What county is Portola in?

Portola is in Plumas County, California.

What is the population of Portola, CA?

2,100 people lived in Portola at the 2020 Census.

What is the ZIP code of Portola, CA?

The ZIP code of Portola is 96122.

What is the elevation of Portola?

4,856 feet (1,480 m) above sea level.

What towns are near Portola?

Delleker (1.0 mi), Lake Davis (2.3 mi), Iron Horse (2.8 mi), Beckwourth (3.6 mi), Gold Mountain (4.7 mi).

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