The California 49ers of 1849 had one thing on their mind; find gold and get rich! The land from the southern Sierra to the northern Sierra was picked over and well searched for that precious golden metal. Today, there is still gold in the hills but there is also much more. A number of the old mining towns have seen an increase in prosperity because of the increase in tourism. The mines have long since been shut down and now quaint and … [Read more...]
Gold Country, CA – Caverns
California Caverns are located east of the town of San Andreas near the town of Sheep Ranch at Cave City in Calaveras County (9565 Cave City Road, Mountain Ranch). These caves have been open to the public since 1850. They were California's first show caverns. Early well-known California visitors included Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and John Muir. These are the most extensive and impressive of the California caves. There are miles of winding passages … [Read more...]
Gold Country, CA – Calaveras Big Trees
For beauty similar to the redwood forests on the north coast of California I recommend the Calaveras Big trees. These giant Sequoias (Sequoiadenderon Giganteum) are not quite as tall as the redwoods but they are more massive. For instance some of the lower trunks of the larger trees are incredibly thick. Thirty people could stand next to each other in a circle with their arms extended and the first and last person would still not be able to touch … [Read more...]
Gold Country, CA – Lakes
Several large human made lakes are present in California's southern gold country. During drought years these lakes become extremely low and some of the boat launching ramps are left completely surrounded by dry land. In some cases we have had to drive a significant distance to actually reach the lowered shoreline. Three of the largest and best lakes for recreation are Lake Don Pedro, Lake McClure, and New Melones Dam. Lake Don Pedro … [Read more...]
Gold Country, CA – Angel’s Camp
Angels Camp is the town that inspired the great Mark Twain to write his short story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County". This book was his first success. This annual Jumping Frog Jubilee began in 1928 and continues today from Thursday through Sunday the third week of May. A Frog Hop Walk of Fame is located along South Main Street (Highway 49) and bronze plaques embedded in the sidewalks feature the winning frog names from some 85+ … [Read more...]
Gold Country, CA – Columbia
Columbia is a small mining town in the heart of California's gold country. This town is located on Highway 49 at the intersection of Parrotts Ferry Road and also Big Hill Road. Columbia is between an arm of New Melones Dam and the town of Sonora. This town is well worth a visit. In one month in 1850 after gold was discovered nearby, Columbia grew by 5000 people. In 20 years between 1850 and 1870 over 87 million in gold was extracted from the … [Read more...]
Gold Country, CA – Coulterville
Coulterville is located at the junction of Highways 132 and 49. This old mining town used to be a booming community along the first stage coach road into Yosemite Valley. Now with approximately 115 people it is just barely reaping some of the benefits of the tourist boom that other historic mining towns have seen in more recent years. Coulterville is slightly removed from the main mining tourist town areas therefore not as many people drive … [Read more...]
Gold Country, CA – Groveland
Groveland is a town of about 3,000 people located on Highway 120 about 20 miles from the Yosemite Park entrance. There are several small restaurants, hotels and one hostel in this town. The center of town basically consists of the narrow Main Street with historic buildings located on both sides. Because of its small size, one can easily park and spend some time strolling the picturesque Main Street. The Iron Door saloon (one of California's … [Read more...]
Gold Country, CA – Jamestown
Jamestown is located about 3 miles south of Sonora on Highway 108. This mining town has had its share of history. It is named after a Colonel, George James. Nearby Wood's Creek was extremely rich and provided some sizable nuggets over the years. This creek is named after an Oregon miner Benjamin Wood who first discovered gold in the area in 1848 (one of the earliest gold mining related settlements in this part of California). The town has a … [Read more...]
Gold Country, CA – Mariposa
Mariposa is the next major gold mining town if you continue south on Highway 49 from Coulterville. Mariposa county used to be the largest county in California in the 1800's, extending all the way to Los Angeles. However, it is much smaller today. Mariposa, meaning butterfly in Spanish used to be called Logtown. It used to be a central mining town in the area. Today it is centrally located to Yosemite National Park and is a stopover for many … [Read more...]
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