Native Americans, Boomtowns And Literary Legends: A Highway 49 Driving Tour

Experience California’s historic Gold Country on a driving tour from Jackson to Angels Camp. As you cruise along Highway 49, taking a few detours along picturesque backroads, I’ll tell you about the history of the Miwok Native Americans who lived in the area long before early pioneers swarmed California in search of their fortunes. Along the way, you’ll have the opportunity to visit Indian Grinding Rock State Park, as well as the Gold Rush towns of Volcano, San Andreas, Angels Camp and Mokelumne Hill. Each of these western boom-style towns offers a unique picture into the life of the early pioneers and gold rush miners. While you wind your way through these towns, you’ll hear tales of outlaws Joaquin Murrieta and Black Bart, and find out Mark Twain and Bret Harte’s ties to Angels Camp. On this tour, you’ll also have the opportunity to: • Learn about the California Gold Rush from a miner’s prospective • Explore Kennedy Tailing Wheels Park and learn how miners dealt with the tons of waste product that hard-rock mines produced • Visit Jackson Rancheria Casino and learn the history behind its creation • Take in the awe-inspiring Black Chasm Cavern and view the unusual helictites (a type of cave-formed mineral) that make this a National Landmark • Hear how Angels Camp became known as Frogtown USA • Wander through the old western-style gold rush towns of Volcano, San Andreas, Mokelumne Hill, and Angels Camp with the help of our nifty brochures This tour is the third in a series of four driving tours that explores the California Gold Country and covers the area from Auburn to Jamestown. You can enjoy this tour on its own or as part of the series. All stops are optional. Fees to visit parks, trailheads, wineries, or museums are not included in the price of this tour. For detailed information about the stops on this driving tour, please see “Places to stop along the way” in the tour description. This 65-mile driving tour may be completed in about two and a half hours without any stops. On the other hand, this is your adventure. You may stop where you want, when you want and for as long as you want. It’s up to you. Happy Adventures! +++ The story of gold miner John Doble is recounted during three of my tours spanning the drive from Auburn to Angels Camp. This story is excerpted with quotes from the book John Doble’s Journal and Letters from the Mines. Voice acting credit: Voice of John Doble by Brandon Baumann Voice of Margaret Doble and Lizzie by Robin Baumann Please review the “Precautions” section for important information on driving and hiking. Companion Hiking and Walking Tours of the Gold Rush Country may be found here

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