Markleeville is separated from the rest of California by the Sierra Nevada range. Markleeville traces it's beginnings to the land claim of Jacob Marklee who established a toll bridge across a tributary of the Carson River in 1861.
The city of Markleeville serves as a supply and shipping center for the mining, lumber and ranching industries. Markleeville is near many state parks but due to heavy snow in the winter seasons Markleeville is only accessed by two roads.
Markleeville is situated high in the mountains SE of Lake Tahoe, Markleeville is the county seat of Alpine County, California's least populated county.