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The Hangtown Marshals act as unofficial ambassadors of the city, performing on Main Street during events in Placerville, California.
Paul cockrell/visit el dorado
Striking Gold:
A Journey Along California’s Historic Highway 49
Discover the heart of the Golden State on a road trip through gold rush towns, scenic foothills and timeless treasures.
By Laura Del Rosso
California’s nickname, the Golden State, is only partly due to its abundant sunshine and official flower, the golden poppy. It’s more because of one monumental year—1849—when fortune-hunters started racing to California for gold.
Today, visitors are taking a slower-paced route through the Golden State, driving the aptly named Highway 49, immersing themselves in gold rush history via delightful 19th-century towns, mines and parks.
Gold Stamp Mill in Mariposa
ADOBE STOCK
One of the best-preserved of those towns is Mariposa, a gateway to Yosemite National Park and one of the southernmost Highway 49 communities.
Mariposa’s wooden buildings and creaky sidewalks look plucked from a Western movie set. But it’s not a ghost town. In fact, its 1850 county courthouse is still in use today. Step deeper into the gold rush past at the Mariposa Museum and History Center, where mining artifacts and replica dwellings are displayed and live blacksmiths demonstrate their craft.
Heading north is blink-and-you-miss Coulterville, with its weather-beaten buildings and small shops full of antiques and works by local artisans.
From here, the Sierra foothills open into uninhabited vastness as Highway 49 winds up and down, crosses rivers and runs along hillsides cloaked in native oaks and, in the spring, swaths of golden poppies.
Visitors can enjoy a stagecoach ride at Columbia State Historic Park
laura del rosso
Two state historic parks, Columbia and Jamestown, lie within a few miles of each other. At Columbia State Historic Park, California’s most perfectly preserved gold rush village, visitors can take authentic stagecoach rides, try panning for gold and chat with townspeople in period costumes. In the evening, the Fallon Theatre stages top-notch productions that rival those in big cities.
A steam locomotive on display at Railtown 1870 State Historic Park
LAURA DEL ROSSO
Train buffs and just about anyone else find enjoyment at Jamestown’s Railtown 1897 State Historic Park. On display are steam locomotives and trains used in hundreds of movies and TV shows. April through October, passengers can climb aboard the Sierra Railway for a 6-mile ride. Spend a night nearby or stop in for fun at Chicken Ranch Casino Resort, which lives up to its theme with an egg-shaped swimming pool.
One of the dozens of 19th-century carriages on display at the Angels Camp Museum.
Farther north is another gem of a town— Angels Camp, whose annual frog-jumping competition Mark Twain made famous. The Angels Camp Museum is a major gold rush museum, offering gold-panning displays and one of the largest collections of centuries-old carriages and wagons in the United States.
Highway 49 also runs through one of California’s notable wine regions. The quaint towns of Sutter Creek and Jackson are lined with antiques shops, cafes and tasting rooms pouring Sierra Foothills wines, including an acclaimed Zinfandel.
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Headframe at Kennedy Gold Mine
Jackson is home to the Kennedy Gold Mine, one of the deepest in the world and open for tours. In Sutter Creek, The Hotel Sutter, one of many romantic 19th-century hotels along Highway 49, maintains a long hospitality tradition with antique-filled rooms, a restaurant and a cozy bar.
Bell Tower in Placerville at sunset
The painter Thomas Kincade famously used the gold rush town of Placerville as his inspiration. It’s easy to see why while strolling through the delightful village.
From Placerville, Highway 49 winds through lovely hills to the actual origins of the California gold rush—Coloma. The native people, the Nisenan, called their village Cullomain. Their lives were upended forever on Jan. 24, 1848, when gold was discovered here. The tiny town, once crammed with thousands of 49ers, is quiet today. The Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park offers guided tours and opportunities to try your luck panning for gold.
More gold rush-era facades and wooden sidewalks await in charming Grass Valley and Nevada City, which straddle Highway 49 as it narrows and curves northward.
Old South Yuba River Bridge is a scenic spot within the South Yuba River State Park.
On warm days, crossing the Yuba River reveals inviting pools of cool water and ideal spots for picnics. Downieville, built at the confluence of the emerald-green Downie and North Yuba rivers, features gold rush-era buildings perched over rushing waters.
Highway 49 then heads farther north into the Tahoe Basin and the Sierra range, where traces of 49er history linger under California’s ever-golden sun.
Hit the road on California State Route 49 and discover Gold Rush towns, scenic byways and unforgettable stops along the way. With AAA Trip Canvas, you can plan your route, purchase affordable audio tours, find things to do and unlock AAA Member savings on accommodations, car rentals and more.
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