Portola is the only incorporated city in Plumas County, California, United States. The population was 2,100 at the 2020 census. Portola is located on the Middle Fork of the Feather River in the Sierra Nevada mountain range and was named after Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portolá, although he did not explore this area. The headwaters of the Middle Fork of the Feather River originate just east of Portola in Sierra Valley, near Beckwourth.

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.

Being on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada, Portola has a continental Mediterranean climate with dry summers characterized by extreme diurnal temperature swings, and cold (though not severe) and snowy winters. 

Lake Davis is located approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) north of Portola, and is a popular fishing and camping location. About 15 miles (24 km) to the west and southwest of Portola, Plumas-Eureka State Park and Lakes Basin Recreation Area feature granite peaks, glacial lakes, streams, and temperate coniferous forests, which make them popular destinations for outdoor enthusiasts.