CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH TOWN PLUS
CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH TOWN FREE

Nearby accommodation: Flume’s End (in Nevada City), Inn Town Campground (in Nevada City) Why it’s worth visiting: You can explore Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park. Sutter Creek’s location is a perfect stop-off on a road trip between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, especially if you’re taking Highway 88 toward Kirkwood.

You can check out Roaring Camp Mining Company for a glimpse of an actual 1850s gold mining operation and pan for gold yourself. Of course, a visit to a California gold rush town would only be complete with a visit to a gold mine. The quaint, well-appointed downtown historic district features buildings from the 1800s and has many boutiques, wine-tasting venues, and restaurants–the most famous of which is Gold Dust Pizza. Unlike some gold rush towns with a reputation for lawlessness, Sutter Creek appears to have maintained a dignified air. Sutter Creek dates back to 1846, just before the big gold mining boom, but it continued to profit from quartz mines into the 1950s.ĭowntown Sutter Creek features many historic buildings, with a walking tour brochure available online. Perhaps one of the most famous gold rush town, Sutter Creek takes its name from its founder, John Sutter, who was responsible the original “gold discovery” mining claim. Sutter Creek calls itself “The Jewel of the Mother Lode.” According to Sunset Magazine, it has the most beautiful main street in gold country, and it’s well worth a visit. Nearby accommodation: The Inn at 161 (in Sutter Creek), Gold Country Campground Resort (11.1 mi) Why it’s worth visiting: It’s the quintessential Gold Rush town.

CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH TOWN FREE

Note: this post contains affiliate links, which help run this site at no extra cost to you so I can keep providing free travel advice and tips. Plus: I’ve found the best places for you to stay in each one. If pioneer history isn’t your jam, these California gold rush towns are still lovely spots for a road trip, with plenty of hiking for nature lovers, and museums and art galleries galore.īelow I’ve reviewed the top gold rush towns in California. Many historic gold mining towns in California celebrate the gold rush era with living history reenactments and unique gold rush festivals.

While some are now ghost towns, others thrived and are still bustling and active cities today. Today you can explore any one of the hundreds of California gold rush towns in Gold Country. This gold deposit was a 150-mile-long seam of gold-bearing rock that produced most of the gold mined during the Gold Rush days.Įven though it lasted less than ten years, the discovery of the Mother forever changed the landscape, demographics, and economy of the United States. Within two years, the population of Americans and other foreigners seeking fortune in the California hills grew from 700 to 300,000.Īs it turns out, the California gold country was blessed (or cursed, depending on your viewpoint) with a geologic rarity called the Mother Lode. The story begins one fateful January day in 1848 when James Marshall discovered flecks of gold in a mill he operated for John Sutter.Īt the time, California was still a part of Mexico.

CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH TOWN PLUS

Find out where the best gold rush towns in California are, plus the best things to do in each one.Įven though I’ve lived in California a long time, I never knew much about the gold rush–and wow, there’s a lot of exciting history!Īside from the Civil War and the Louisana Purchase, the California gold rush ranks as one of the most significant events of the 19th century.