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gold.country

Auburn Downtown

Historic Highway 49

Ahwanhee
Alleghany
Amador City
Angels Camp
Arnold
Auburn
Avery


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Clovis
Coloma
Columbia
Coulterville
Coarsegold
Downieville
Grass Valley
Georgetown
Jackson
Jamestown
Mariposa
Midpines
Murphys


Sierra Villages
Nevada City
North San Juan
North Bloomfield
Oakhurst
Placerville
Plymouth
Sierra City
Sonora
Soulsbyville
Sugarpine
Sutter Creek
Twain Harte
Volcano

Hiking Trails

Gold Country California has it all except the coastal beaches. Plenty of rivers & waterfalls will satisfy your need for water. Dense forest, outdoor recreational, live music, annual events, gold mining history. Small towns with bed & breakfast inns, antique shops, restaurants, cafes, wineries, museums. Gives everyone something interesting to visit. Great backroad camping & tons of lodging make this region of the golden state a popular destination point, all year long. Snow should be expected above 1000' elevation, during winter months (DEC-APR). It is advised to carry chains for your tires and know how to use them.

Canoe or Kayak

Camping Rivers

Fishing

Horseback

Sierra Highways / Sierra Passes

  • California State Route 49 - Gold Country
  • Hwy 120 - Tioga Pass, Yosemite NP
  • Hwy 4 - Ebbetts Pass
  • Hwy 108 - Sonora Pass
  • Hwy 88 - Carson Pass
  • Hwy 50 - US 50 South Tahoe
  • I-80 - Donner Pass, Interstate
  • Highway 20, Grass Valley & Marysville
  • Highway 162, Oroville

    rivers, forest and parks

    gold country lakes & reservoirs

    see all Central Valley Reservoirs

  •  recreation best area Gold Country Reservoirs
    off roading / horseback Eldorado & Tahoe NF
    boating / fishing Stanislaus National Forest
    snowmobiling Plumas NF @ La Porte
    backpacking / hiking Sierra Wilderness Areas
    river rafting / kayaking American River
    wine tasting Gold Country Vineyards
    riverside picnics Consumnes River
    mountain biking Tahoe National Forest

    HIking to Cool California

    Great mellow hikes along American River near Auburn. Mountain bike & hiking trails are everywhere. Stop in to the local ranger station along Hwy. 49 just south of Auburn & ask for maps (or buy them here).

    area activities include:

    Rafting on the many Rivers in the western Sierra is a popular sport. Guided tours offer mellow floating to extreme adreninaline rushes.Rafting River Kayaking

    American River Running

    Gold Country Road Trip - Itinerary Ideas:

    Scenic and historic California Highway 49 spans the Gold Rush Country - in the western Sierra Nevada foothills of California. Starting in Sacramento area & then head northeast on Interstate 80 uphill, to Auburn. Highway 49 will intersect the interstate in Auburn & this is a great town to start your northbound or southbound journey. On the interstate you will see suburban sprawl and heavy traffic all the way up the hill. Be prepared to explore Auburn downtown, cafes and shop; Perfect time to gas up if needbe, since gasoline stations along CA 49 are few and far between.

    CA Hwy 49 North eventually leads to more rugged, wilderness and densely foresrted terrain. Rural mining camps, like Downieville & Gold Lake are a must see. Small, charming, beautiful canyon locations. CA Hwy 49 South from Auburn, CA will wind you thru American River & Stanislaus River Canyons. Small Gold Rush towns crowd the busy 2 lane thoroughfare. Way more developement (here on then south end). Lots of residential and ranch areas, some shopping, many historic little towns. Yosemite National Park is located at the far southern end of this historic region - where Bass Lake can be found, near Oakhurst, CA.
    Southern Stretch

    HWY 49

    The Golden Chain Highway
    Northern Stretch
    expect to see:

    oak canyons
    river rafters
    reservoirs
    horses & ranches
    tourist shops

    Historical California
    expect to see:

    rivers & creeks
    fishing & hiking
    mountain biking
    lakes & camping
    pine forest

    towns along way:

    Georgetown
    Placerville
    Plymouth
    Amador City
    Sutter Creek
    Jackson
    Angels Camp
    Columbia
    Sonora
    Jamestown
    Groveland
    Mariposa
    Oakhurst

    Auburn is the unofficial
    Center of Gold Country

    Plenty of dirt backroads to explore as well. Stock SUVs will have no problems discovering a perfect spot to picnic, camp or just killing a day trying to find the best swimming hole. Spend a whole day getting lost on purpose! Rivers, streams, waterfalls, pine forest, wildflower meadows, granite mountains, scenic views... it all awaits you in Gold Country California.

    gold country California
    CALDOR ROAD
    El Dorado National Forest & Stanislaus National Forest
    are nearby making these small towns very close to nature.
    WILDFIRE: Caldor Fire 2021
    towns along way:

    Grass Valley
    Nevada City
    North San Juan
    North Bloomfield
    Alleghany
    Downieville
    Sierra City
    Gold Lake
    Sierraville

    View of Sutter Town

    Pauley Creek, N Sierra Nevada

    Historic Jackson California

    Historical Places on Back Roads



    Total Escape California Camping

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