Tag Archives: gold rush

Murphys Irish Day

gocalaveras.com
photo credit Jim Last

Murphy’s Irish Day

3rd Saturday in March

#MID-  MURPHYS IRISH DAY

One of the premier annual events, where thousands of people gather in the historic gold rush town of Murphys Camp to honor its Celtic heritage – and to celebrate as only the Irish can.

Parade, live music, jugglers, antique cars, horses, bagpipes, with village shops and restaurants all open. The picturesque Main Street is filled with booths offering handcrafted items, original art, photographs, tasty food, wine, and beverages.

Sponsored by the
Murphys Business Association

Annual event: March
One day event

Murphys, CA

visitmurphys.com/murphys-irish-day

 

Irish Day parade
photo credit Jim Last

#gocalaveras
#visitgoldcountry

Waterfront Days Old Sacramento

Sacramento Waterfront Days

Sacramento Gold Rush Days in Old Town is now
“Waterfront Days Old Sacramento”

3-day event takes place on Front Street, The Embarcadero, and the 1849 Scene all along the wonderful Sacramento River. The heritage celebration features a wide variety of crowd-favorite entertainment, all free to experience and enjoy.

Annual event: May

oldsacramento.com/event/waterfront-days

 

Old Sac Waterfront Days

Black Cowboy Parade

I do believe in black cowboys!

Black Cowboy Parade

The Oakland Black Cowboy Association is best known for the Black Cowboy Parade & Festival, the only celebration of its kind in the U.S.A. This parade is held in memory of the black cowboys that helped to settle the American West.

Annual event; October
One day event

Oakland CA

blackcowboyassociation.org

 

califrepublic

Gold Country Fair

Auburn Gold Country Fair - 7 September 2007

Auburn Gold Country Fair

California Gold Country Fair

Auburn is home to the Gold Country Fair every September. 4-day event w/ parade, pony rides, carnival rides & games, entertainment.

1273 High Street
Auburn, CA 95604

Annual event; September
530-823-4533

Auburn CA

goldcountryfair.com

20070907 Cowgirl

Country Christmas Festival

Old Town Country Christmas 2006

Old Town Auburn Christmas Festival

Old Town Auburn’s Country Christmas Festival

From 5-9pm the whole community is invited to share in the holiday fun. Crafters and artists will have their wares on sale for that special one-of-a-kind Christmas gift. Great food and entertainment, pictures with Santa. Shops and restaurants open. Holiday Open House in all the old town village shops!

Annual event; December – multiple days
(2 different Saturday nights)

Old Town Auburn
Auburn, CA
530-888-1585

oldtownauburnca.com

 

Auburn California

 

Auburn California

Silver Lake @ Carson

silkysilver

Silver Lake @ Carson Pass

(Alpine Co)

7250′ elev.
on Highway 88 near Carson Pass, California
El Dorado National Forest
near Kirkwood Ski Resort & the Bear River

Large, granite, alpine lake in the Central Sierra Nevada Mountains. Abundant trout fishing, swimming, camping, boating, hiking, floating, kayaking, picnic sites, and high altitude backpacking trailheads. Shoreline fishing is just as good as by boat. Fishing boats can be rented at Kit Carson Lodge.

granitesilver

The high altitude location makes this a winter wonderland half the year w/ snow ski resorts nearby! It is an awesome summertime family vacation destination as well. Fishing is excellent through Autumn months. Campgrounds close up shop in October, generally when the snow starts. High Sierra – Deep snow pack means they will not reopen until May (at the earliest).

Carson is major Sierra Pass highway, but it closes for big snows, so always check CalTrans before you make the drive up the mountain. Carson Pass is California State Route 88, which connects the Gold Country (on the western slopes) to the South Lake Tahoe region (on the eastern border), near Nevada.

Check Current Highway Conditions for HWY 88
roads.dot.ca.gov
Cal Trans 800-427-7623

Silver Lake Day Use Areas

fishing lakes picnic grounds fishing lakes boat ramp

These areas listed below are operated by El Dorado Irrigation District and they do charge a day-use fee for many of the amenities provided. Boat Launch fee? Yep. Parking fee? Maybe. Picnic stop! How much? Eat fast!

  • Ferguson Point is located on the north shore of Silver Lake: 10 picnic tables & vault toilets.
  • Sandy Cove is on NW shore of Silver Lake: Wheel-chair access to lake edge, 5 picnic tables, piped water & vault toilets.
  • Oyster Creek Rest Area, up along Highway 88, 1 mile NE of Silver Lake: 10 picnic tables & vault toilets.

kaysresortsign

Historic Memories: Camp Minkalo, Camp Silverado & Kays Silver Lake Resort are all closed now.

Many small businesses come and go in the rural mountains of California. Throughout the decades, some do survive, but many change hands, change names, or have a difficult time ‘making it all work’ in the off-season. Always call ahead (real phone w/ real person) before you make a big drive to a remote location.

National Forest Campgrounds in this lake vicinity:

East Silver Lake Campground – 62 sites
West Silver Lake Campground – 42 sites
Kirkwood Lake Campground – 12 sites

campground RV campground

Silver Lake Campground NFS

• Elevation: 7200′
• Number of Sites: 62
• Vehicle Accessibility: RV 30′
• Campsite Reservations: Yes
• Camp Fee: Yes
• Toilet: Vault
• Length of Stay: 14 Days
• Season: June – October
• Trailheads: Hidden Lake, Sandy Cove

NFS
El Dorado National Forest
Amador Ranger District
26820 Silver Drive
Pioneer, CA 95666
209-295-4251

silver from highway

Older lodges, resorts, camps and cabins at Silver Lake were mainly built in the 1920s, while the oldest resort dates back to the mid 1800s. Wow, how cool is that! Much history in this mountain region w/ Kit Carson Emigrant Trail, all stories totally worth exploring.

Kit Carson Lodge
Rustic Silver Lake Cabins & Restaurant
kitcarsonlodge.com
209-258-8500

Historic Plasse’s Resort
One of the Oldest Camps in the USA
plassesresort.com
209-258-8814

Gold Miners

See all Silver Lakes in California

Gold Country RV

camptruck
RV
RVdump

49er RV Ranch
Columbia State Historic Park
Columbia CA
209 532-4978

Angels Camp RV & Camping Resort
3069 Highway 49 South
Angels Camp, CA 95222
209-736-0404
888-398-0404

American River Resort
6019 New River Rd
Coloma, CA 95613
530 622-6700wildflower

Coloma Resort & RV Park
American River
6921 Mt. Murphy Road
Coloma, CA
800 238-2298
530 621-2267

Colusa Sacramento River SRA
Farming Town w/ Fishing
N of Sacramento, CA

Far Horizons 49er Village RV Resort
Plymouth, CA
800-339-6981

Glory Hole Campground
Glory Hole Recreation Area

Gold Country
New Melones Lake, CAcanoe

Golden Pines RV Resort & Campground
Camp Connell, CA
209 795-2820

Harmony Ridge Resort
10492 Harmony Ridge Rd
Nevada City, CA
800 273-0556
530 265-9313

High Sierra RV Park & Campground
40389 Hwy 41
Oakhurst CA
559 683-7662

Columbia State Historic Park
11255 Jackson Street
Columbia CA
209-588-9128

Lake Francis Resort
Northern Gold Country
Dobbins, CA
888 993-7344
530 692-1700

Rollins Lake / Rollins Reservoir –boatramp

Long Ravine Resort
Rollins Lake Campground

530 346-6166

Orchard Springs Campground
530 346-0073

Peninsula Camping & Boating Resort
530 477-9413

melones flora
New Melones Reservoir, Angles Camp, CA

Lake Tulloch RV Campground & Marina
Lake Tulloch
Jamestown, CA
800 894-2267

Plasse’s RV Resort
30001 Plasse Rd.
Sutter Creek, CA 95685
209 258-8814

Scotts Flat Lake Camping
530 265-530

Tuttletown Campground
Tuttletown Recreation Area

Gold Country
New Melones Lake, CA

Willow Creek RV Campground
North Gold Country
17548 Hwy 49
Camptonville, CA 95922
530 288-0646

Yosemite Pines RV Resort & Campground
20450 Old Highway 120
Groveland, CA 95321

colfaxtraindepot
Colfax Train Depot

El Dorado Campgrounds

El Dorado Camping

Kirkwood Lake
Kirkwood Lake, California

El Dorado National Forest
Carson Pass Hwy 88, Ebbetts Pass Hwy 4, Gold Rush Country
Sierra Nevada Mountains, Alpine Lakes

campground elev spots veg toilet water notes
Airport Flat Campground 5300′ 16 vault no Ice House Reservoir
Azalea Cove Campground 4900′ 10 vault lake Union Valley Reservoir
Big Meadows Campground 5300′ 54 pines flush piped handicap access
Blue Lake Lower Camp 8100′ 16 vault piped PG&E; fish, boat, camp
Blue Lake Dam Upper 8200′ 25 vault piped PG&E; fish, boat, camp
Caples Lake Campground 7800′ 35 pines vault piped fishing lake
Capps Crossing Campground 5200′ 12 pines vault piped gold panning
China Flat Campground 4800′ 25 vault piped Silver Fork Rd
Dru Barner Campground 3200′ 16 flush piped equestrian trails
Gerle Creek Campground 5300′ 50 pines vault piped handicap access
Fashoda Campground 4900′ 30 vault piped handicap access
Hell Hole Campground 5200′ 10 vault piped walk-in
Upper Hell Hole Campground 4600′ 15 vault lake Hell Hole Reservoir
Ice House Reservoir Camp 5500′ 83 vault lake handicap access
Jones Fork Campground 4900′ 10 vault lake Union Valley Reservoir
Kirkwood Campground 7600′ 12 pines vault piped narrow road; fishing
Lone Rock Campground 4800′ 5 vault lake Union Valley Reservoir
Loon Lake Campground 6500′ 62 pines vault piped equestrian; group site too
Lovers Leap Campground 5800′ 21 pines vault piped rock climbing
Lumberyard Campground 6500′ 5 pines vault RV access
Middle Creek Campground 8200′ 5 pines vault piped fishing creek
Middle Fork Cosumnes River 6780′ 5 vault crk PG&E, swim, fish
Mokelumne River Camp 3200′ 8 vault crk swim
Moore Creek Campground 3200′ 8 vault crk swim
Northshore Campground 6378′ 15 vault lake Loon Lake Campground
Northwind Campground 5500′ 9 vault lake Ice House Reservoir
Pardoes Point Campground 5900′ 10 pit no Bear River Reservoir Rd
Pipi Campground 3900′ 51 pit no handicap access
Sand Flat Campground 3900′ 29 pit no fishing
Silver Fork Campground 5500′ 35 vault piped fishing
Silver Lake Campground 7200′ 62 pines vault piped boating lake
South Fork Campground 5200′ 17 vault piped fishing
South Shore Campground 5900′ 22 vault piped Bear River Reservoir
Strawberry Point Camp 5500′ 10 vault lake Ice House Reservoir
Stumpy Meadows Campgr 4400′ 10 vault lake handicap access
Sugar Pine Campground 6000′ 10 vault no boating
Sunset Campground 4900′ 131 vault piped boating
Wench Creek Campground 4900′ 100 vault crk boating
Wentworth Springs Camp 6200′ 8 vault crk 4WD recommended
West Point Campground 4875′ 8 vault lake Union Valley Reservoir
White Azalea Campground 3500′ 6 vault crk Mokelumne River
Wolf Creek Campground 8200′ 42 vault piped boating, fishing
Woods Lake Campground 4900′ 25 vault pump handicap access
Yellowjacket Campground 4900′ 40 vault piped boating, fishing

see more about El Dorado National Forest

waterfalls

nearby towns –

El Dorado Forest Maps –

Gold Country California

Gold Country Sierra Nevada

historic murphys hotel

1849:
California Gold Rush began

These foothill regions below are the rivers & mountains of the infamous California Gold Rush of the mid-1800’s. Many mountain dirt roads will lead to your secluded, private camp site, near a creek or river. Or plan on camping in a developed Campground near a recreation lake lined with amenities, pine trees & oaks. River rafting & kayaking can be found throughout this area, as well as backpacking, mountain biking and hiking trails. Fishing is very popular as well.

Waterfalls, back roads, granite features, historic mining camps, big fishing rivers all abound. Wilderness backpacking in the High Sierra can be accessed by Hwy 108 (Sonora Pass) Hwy 4 (Ebbetts Pass) Hwy 88 (Carson Pass), Sierra US Route Hwy 50 & Interstate 80. Numerous small towns populate Historic Highway 49 for every tourists need – meals, laundry, grocery, coffee, lodging & shopping.

waterfalls Sierra Nevada

Gold Country California forest & parks –

Hwy 4 Ebbetts Pass & Hwy 108 Sonora Pass

Stanislaus National Forest
Columbia State Park

Arnold, Columbia, Dardanelle, Jamestown, Long Barn, Mi-Wuk, Murphys, Pinecrest, Sonora, Strawberry, Twain Harte

Sierra Nevada

Hwy 4 Ebbetts Pass & Hwy 88 Carson Pass, US Hwy 50

El Dorado National Forest

Amador City, Bear Valley, Georgetown, Jackson, Kirkwood, Meyers, Placerville

Sierra Nevada

Interstate 80 Donner Pass

Tahoe National Forest

Alta, Colfax, Foresthill, Grass Valley, Norden, Sierraville, Soda Springs, Tahoe City, Tahoma, Truckee

Sierra Nevada

North Hwy 49 Yuba River

Malakoff Diggins State Park

Downieville, Nevada City

red brick alley

Victorian Christmas, Nevada City

Nevada City Victorian Christmas

Victorian Christmas
in Gold Country California

This annual, festive holiday tradition takes place 2 Wednesday evenings and 3 Sunday afternoons in the month of December. Features holiday activities for all ages:  carriage rides, live entertainment, savory yuletide treats and libations, and Father Christmas!

It’s a magical setting of hilly streets outlined with twinkling white lights and authentic gas lamps, wandering minstrels and carolers dressed in Victorian attire, and a myriad of visitors sharing holiday cheer and good tidings.

Annual event: December
Nevada City, CA
530-265-2692

nevadacitychamber.com/nevada-city-events/victorian-christmas/

Nevada City Victorian Christmas

Victorian Christmas Tree