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Hollywood draws the dreamers and Silicon Valley lures fortune-hunters, but this isn't the first time droves of aspiring young folk have streamed into the Golden State. After a sparkle in the American River caught James Marshall’s eye in 1848, more than 300,000 prospectors from America and abroad started digging for gold in the Sierra foothills. Soon California entered statehood with the official motto 'Eureka' solidifying its place as the land of opportunity.
The miner forty-niners are gone, but a ride along Hwy 49 through sleepy hill towns, past clapboard saloons and oak-lined byways is a journey back to the wild ride that was modern California’s founding: umpteen historical markers tell tales of gold rush violence and banditry. Many travelers hardly hit the brakes while rushing between California’s coasts and mountains, but those who do are rewarded with a taste of the helter-skelter era that kick-started the heartbeat of this state.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Gold Country.
Historic Site
This state park comprises a fascinating collection of buildings in a bucolic riverside setting at the site of James Marshall's riot-inducing discovery. Buy your ticket at the museum to display on the dashboard, return to the museum for some background, then explore a replica of Sutter's Mill, mosey round the blacksmith's and Chinese store and even try panning for gold.
State Park
An otherworldly testament to the mechanical determination of the gold hunt, Malakoff Diggins is a place to get lost on fern-lined trails and take in the raw beauty of a landscape recovering from brutal hydraulic mining. There is a mesmerizing ghost town here, with a barber shop, ice-cream parlor and saloon, abandoned and now frozen in time. Join a tour of the town at the museum or stay at the campground or in one of three humble miners' cabins.
Historic Site
Atop 367 miles of mine shafts tunneling almost a vertical mile beneath the surface, Gold Country’s best-preserved gold-quartz-mining operation is worth a solid half-day’s exploration. From 1850 to 1956 the miners here, mostly Cornish, produced 5.8 million troy ounces of gold (worth about $8 billion today). The visitor center has maps and leads guided tours (schedules vary). See the website for events.
Historic Site
Two miles southwest of Volcano, this sacred area for the local Miwok comprises a museum in a traditional wooden roundhouse, a village site, a limestone outcrop covered with petroglyphs – 363 originals and a few modern additions – and over 1000 mortar holes called chaw’se, used for grinding acorns and seeds into meal.
State Park
Cool off with a dip at South Yuba River State Park, which has popular swimming holes and hiking trails. It's near Bridgeport, which has the USA’s longest covered wooden bridge (temporarily closed for restoration at the time of research), a 30-minute drive northwest of Nevada City or Grass Valley.
Park
This is a park of deep gorges cut by the rushing waters of the North and Middle Forks of the American River, which converge below a bridge on Hwy 49, 4 miles south of Auburn. In early spring, when waters are high, this is immensely popular for white-water rafting, as the rivers are class II to V runs. Late summer, calmer waters allow for sunning and swimming, especially around the confluence. Numerous trails are shared by hikers, mountain bikers and horses.
State Park
Home to giant sequoia trees that reach as high as 250ft with trunk diameters of over 25ft, these leftovers from the Mesozoic era are thought to weigh upwards of 2000 tons, or close to 10 blue whales. The giants are distributed in two large groves, one easily seen on the North Grove Trail, a 1.5-mile self-guided loop, near the park entrance. On the more remote South Grove Trail, it's a 5-mile round-trip hike to Agassiz Tree, the park's largest specimen.
State Park
Five blocks east of Jamestown’s Main St, this 26-acre collection of trains and railroad equipment is the photogenic sister to Sacramento's rail museum. It's served as a backdrop for countless films and TV shows, including Back to the Future III, Unforgiven and High Noon. On some weekends and holidays, you can ride the narrow-gauge railroad that once transported ore, lumber and miners.
Historic Site
You can't miss the ominous steel headframe of the mine from the road, rising to 125ft. Its pulleys lifted ore and miners from the bowels of the earth. Guided tours last about 90 minutes and take you past the stamp, gold recovery mill and massive tailing wheels. The parking lot is off North Main St.