Gold Country Area Attractions

Tahoe National Forest is bordered to the north by the Plumas National Forest and to the south by the Eldorado National Forest. Throughout each season there are numerous recreational activities such as skiing, snowmobiling, hiking, boating and fishing. The Tahoe National Forest is also the site of many historic and prehistoric sites that date back over 4,000 years ago.

Located 16 miles northeast of Nevada City, visitors to Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park will find California's largest hydraulic mine. The huge cliffs are all that remain of this mining technique that involved washing away the mountain in the search for gold.

The Firehouse Museum features artifacts from the doomed Donner Party, the Maidu Indians and the Chinese Joss House.

The Miners Foundry Cultural Center in Nevada City was constructed in 1856 and is now used as a cultural center and performing arts facility.

Year-round classical, pops, big band and jazz concerts are offered.

Don a hardhat, and jump aboard the Boss Buggy Shuttle to journey deep underground in Sutter Gold Mine in California's historic Gold Country. Learn about gold mining history from ancient times through to today. Walk through the historic Mother Lode - a huge, gold bearing quartz vein and see real gold deposits. Try your hand at gold panning, visit the Gold Store and see free movies in the Gold Theatre.

The Community Memorial Museum was established in 1975 as an historic museum. There are displays of local history including Native American and agricultural artifacts.

The Angels Camp Museum has displays of mining equipment as well as minerals and other artifacts from the Gold Rush. There is a large carriage house.

Until about 1876 large amounts of gold were mined here; then the town of Bodie fell into decay. The remaining 170 houses have not been fully restored, but were kept from further decay by the creation of a state park in 1964. As a result of the efforts to retain the gold digging atmosphere of the previous century, it represents a place of interest unique in California.In the winter months, the unfinished stretch of the approach road is often barred to traffic.

The Amador County Museum is housed in the Armstead C. Brown house, built 1859. The museum features an array of artifacts and collections from the County's early period extending on into this century, including information on present day Jackson. Collections include: A "Gold History Exhibit", "Dressed to the Nines" (fashions of the past), a Sewing and Quilt Exhibit, a Victorian Parlor, a Native American collection, a Chinese American collection, a Victorian Bedroom, and an Old Fashioned Schoolroom.

Within a 13mi/20km radius north of Sonora there are some caves well worth a visit. In Moaning Cavern near Vallecito, discovered in 1849, you can see interesting rock-formations from the vantage-point of a 100ft/30m spiral staircase.Those parts of the caves which have not been built over can be seen in the course of a three and a half-hour guided tour. The other cave, Mercer Cavern, was discovered in 1885. Here you can see stalagmites, stalactites and aragonites.

The Downieville Museum is housed in a building built 1852, the museum features mining exhibits. It was a Chinese store in earlier times.

The Downieville Foundry and Museum has historical artifacts including a collection of horse snowshoes.

Railtown 1897 State Historic Park holds one of two short-line roundhouse complexes from the steam era. It has been in operation as a museum since 1971 and is part of the California State Railroad Museum Foundation.The site has been popular with Hollywood appearing in such films as "Unforgiven" as well as the television show "Petticoat Junction".Steam train rides on a six mile track take 40 minutes and run from April through October.Among the equipment is a steam locomotive built in 1922 for the Hutchinson Lumber Company and a Pullman Coach built in 1910 for the Southern Pacific's luxury service.

The Jimtown 1849 Gold Mining Camp offers tours which show visitors how the 49ers lived and worked. Visitors can watch as prospectors jump each other's claims. Mark Twain will put in an appearance as well. Visitors can pan for their own gold.

The California State Mining and Mineral Museum is located on the Mariposa County Fairgrounds next to Highway 49. It tells the fascinating story of the Gold Rush with an underground mine tunnel and a quartz mill.

The Mariposa County Courthouse is California's oldest courthouse in continuous use. It was built in 1854.

The Mariposa Museum and History Center has mining displays from the Gold Rush. There is an Indian Village, a schoolroom and a miner's cabin.

The Bay Area Western Railway Museum gives visitors the opportunity to ride historic streetcars and interurban electric trains. Over 50 historic cars are on display, as well as railway exhibits, and the Streetcar Theater.

The Alleghany Mining Museum celebrates mining, which since 1855 has produced more than $90 million worth of gold. Visitors can explore the famous Original Sixteen to One Mine, a working underground gold mine.

About 4mi/6km north of Sonora, on the CA 49, lies the Columbia State Historic Park. Here you can admire the once famous gold-mining town in all its old, restored glory. Thousands of hopeful gold-miners lived here at the time. Although restoration is not yet complete you can already visit most of the houses, including an old school-house, a boarding-house, a fire station and a restaurant.

Mercer Caverns in Murphy has been open since 1885. There are ten rooms and one hour guided tours of the caves are available.

Murphys Old Timers Museum on Main Street has mining displays from the Gold Rush. The old stone building was completed in 1856.

Forest Meadows Golf Course is an 18 hole, par 60 public golf course.

The Calaveras County Historical Museum was once the county jail and courthouse. There are mining and American Indian exhibits as well as a garden of native California plants and trees.

The California Caverns in Cave City have been open since 1850. The caves feature miles of passages. The California Caverns is one of the largest public caves in the United States.

Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park has 135 acres of trails, a reconstructed village and a museum.