A Local's Perspective

Why Peterson Road and not Prather, Tollhouse, Auberry or Shaver Lake? Of course, it is a matter of personal preference however it is also helpful to make an informed decision.  So here is a local’s perspective; it may be biased but I hope you will find it informative as well.

93651, Prather can best be classified as a foothill community (approximately 500’ - 1500’ elevation).  It is the region between Clovis/Fresno and Tollhouse/Auberry. 
Pros:  There are several very nice properties in Prather and the commute to Clovis/Fresno is relatively short - 15 to 30 minutes.  The appeal of Prather is that is is very country while still in close proximity to town. 
Cons:  The main disadvantages to Prather are:  #1-it is as hot as town in the summer and #2-it is still a long way to Shaver Lake.

93667, Tollhouse is a mid-mountain community (approximately 1000’ - 2000’ elevation).  It stretches from the bottom of the four lanes down to Humphrey’s Station and up to Tollhouse Rock and is the home of Sierra High School.
Pros:  Several nice areas with picturesque scenery.  Check out Black Mountain and Tollhouse Rock.
Cons:  Still hot and dry in the summer.  Most roads are very windy and access to town can be more difficult than Prather.

93602, Auberry is primarily a mid-mountain community.  The actual town of Auberry boasts a post office, library, market and several shops. 
Pros:  Much of Auberry is easily accessed from SR168 or Auberry Road making the commute to town relatively easy.  There are several nice areas with a country setting.
Cons:  Mid mountain is hot and dry in the summer. 

93664, Shaver Lake is a mountain community (approximately 5000’-6000’ elevation).  This is an entirely different environment - pine forest and much cooler temperatures.
Pros:  Shaver is a beautiful resort town with excellent summer and winter activities.
Cons:  Homes are generally on lots, very expensive, and require considerable maintenance.  It is common to have 3’ or more of snow on the ground from late October through early April.

Peterson Road is located at the top of the four lanes.  It is on the 93602/93664 border but is in 93602, Auberry.  At an elevation of approximately 4000’ Peterson is in the pines above the valley fog and haze.  Summer temperatures are typically 20 degrees cooler than the valley.  Snow is common during the winter however because it is on the southern slope it melts off quickly in between storms unlike Mile High or Meadow Lakes which are also part of Auberry above 4000’  Also unique to Peterson Road, properties are 4 acres or more with most homes barely visible from the street.  If you reference the USGS 7.5 Minute Topo Maps, you will find Peterson Road on the Shaver Lake Map; Mile High and Meadow Lakes are on the Auberry Map.

Here is a handy link to the maps:  https://www.pickatrail.com/topo-map/s/7.5x7.5/shaver-lake-ca.html

So do your homework, check realtor.com or zillow.com by zip code, compare it with the map in the link above, and with the information here then go see for yourself.  Happy house hunting!! 😀