Belden Town Seeks $4.75 Million Buyer as 87-Year-Old Owner Exits After 4 Decades

Q: Who will step up to be the new mayor of this legendary Pacific Crest Trail oasis before it potentially changes hands forever?

No new “mayor” has been identified yet. Belden Town is on the market for $4.75 million, and the next person to take over would simply be whoever buys the property from Ivan Coffman. The “be your own mayor” line is marketing language, not a formal political title. Belden is an unincorporated community in Plumas County with about 15 residents, so a buyer would not literally become an elected mayor. What they would acquire is the commercial and symbolic heart of the enclave: roughly four riverfront acres with an 18-room hotel, seven guest cabins, 16 RV spaces, a restaurant, full bar, owner’s quarters, and event areas. That makes the likely successor less a politician than an investor or hospitality operator. The property has been pitched as a boutique resort, retreat center, festival venue, glamping site, RV resort, or outdoor recreation hub along the Pacific Crest Trail and Feather River Canyon. Its appeal lies in its rare whole-town feel, Gold Rush history, and long-standing role as a stop for hikers, tourists, and eventgoers. Coffman, 87, who bought Belden in 1989 after first arriving in 1970 to prospect for gold, is stepping away after nearly four decades of ownership. He has said personal loss and age are part of the reason he is ready to hand over control. For now, the answer is simple: the next “mayor” is still unknown, and the title goes to the buyer willing to take on one of California’s most unusual real estate offerings.

2 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 25

$4.75 million would buy Belden Town, a tiny Northern California enclave that owner Ivan Coffman has put on the market after nearly 40 years.
Coffman, 87, is selling because he is ready to hand over the keys, pitching the purchase as a chance to “be your own mayor.”
Belden sits along the Pacific Crest Trail in rural Northern California, giving the sale a niche appeal tied to its location and identity as a full town with its own ZIP code.

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The Washington Post2h ago

Belden Town, California, For Sale for $4.75 Million by 87-Year-Old Owner

New York Post 2h ago

California town sitting on top of gold mine hits market for $4.8M

Could buying a $4.75 million California town with its own zip code be the ultimate real estate dream, or a wildfire-prone nightmare?

What hidden legal responsibilities await the buyer brave enough to purchase an entire remote Northern California town outright?

Who will step up to be the new mayor of this legendary Pacific Crest Trail oasis before it potentially changes hands forever?

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2 total

The Washington Post2h ago

Belden Town, California, For Sale for $4.75 Million by 87-Year-Old Owner

New York Post 2h ago

California town sitting on top of gold mine hits market for $4.8M

Belden Town Seeks $4.75 Million Buyer as 87-Year-Old Owner Exits After 4 Decades

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