On the road to gold: A Highway 49 driving tour from Angels Camp to Jamestown
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About the Tour
About the Tour
Take in some of California’s amazing natural wonders and the southern Gold Rush towns of Murphys, Sonora and Jamestown on this driving tour along Highway 49. While traveling from Angels Camp to Jamestown, you’ll hear the stories of some of the era’s most headstrong women, including innkeeper Jennie Megquier, who caught gold rush fever three times without any success.
On this drive, you’ll have the opportunity to visit Calaveras Big Trees State Park, Columbia State Historic Park and Railtown 1897 State Park. You’ll also be able to explore several of the majestic wonders of the California Mother Lode, one of the state’s best-known mining districts.
At the Calaveras Big Trees State Park, you’ll find the largest trees in the world, the Sierra Redwood which is also known as the Giant Sequoia. Well-preserved western streets await at Columbia State Historic Park where you can experience the sights and sounds of a working gold rush town and try your hand at gold panning or take a ride on the stagecoach. You’ll be stepping back in time to the late 1800s with a visit to Railtown 1897 State Park in Jamestown where you can explore the railroad museum, roundhouse, and machine shop. In summer, on the weekends, you can enjoy a ride on the Sierra #3 steam engine which sits proudly on the tracks in front of the station.
You can also look forward to:
- Learning how Jennie Wimmer knew that the mineral that James Marshall found at Sutter’s Mill was indeed gold
- Visiting wine rooms in the charming town of Murphys, known as the Queen of the Sierra
- Seeing the unusual stalactite and stalagmite formations in the Mercer Caverns and Moaning Caverns
- Hiking to see the unique ecological wonder of the Natural Bridges
- Finding out what it means to “see the elephant”
- Wandering the pedestrian-only streets of Columbia, a historically preserved western-style gold rush town
- Exploring the Railtown 1897 State Park and learning about the railroad and its connection to Hollywood
This tour is the final 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!
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Voice acting credit:
Voices of Dutch Carver, Dell Fallon, advertisement in the Nevada Journal, and newspaper critic by Brandon Baumann
Voices of Jennie Wimmer, Harriet Ward, Margaret Frink, Elizabeth Gunn, Jennie Megquier, Lola Montez, Madam Mustache, and Lotta Crabtree by Robin Baumann
Please review the “PRECAUTIONS” section for important information on driving and hiking.
Souvenir Brochure of tour: Please visit this here for a souvenir brochure of this tour. On this brochure look for the QR code this will direct you to a hiking map of the area.
Music:
Redwood Trail by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Front Porch Sitter by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Travel Light by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Plantation by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Redwood Highway by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Tour Producer
Tour Producer
Lynn Momboisse
Hi! My name is Lynn. I am a native of California and have resided in Northern California for most of my life. I have a love for discovering the hidden treasures in my own back yard. For many years I lived in beautiful Carmel-by-the-Sea where I co-authored the book Historic Homes and Inns of Carmel-by-the-Sea. During my time in Carmel-by-the Sea, I served on the Carmel Heritage Society, and Historic Resources Board. My love of history and passion for discovering the beauty of the Golden State has led me to create a fun little blog titled "Adventures of a Home Town Tourist" where I recount many of my walking tours and hiking adventures throughout the world. I currently live in the majestic Sierra Foothills and have written several walking and driving tours of the Lake Tahoe area as well as the California Gold Country. I am so excited to continue to share my travel adventures through the power of VoiceMap. I can't wait for you to join me. Happy Adventures!
Preview Location
Preview Location
Location 9
Murphys the Queen of the Sierra
View locations and route
How VoiceMap Works
Major Landmarks
Major Landmarks
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Angels Camp
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Utica Mine
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Angels Camp Museum
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Murphys
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Mercer Caverns
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Hovey Winery Tasting Room
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Red Apple
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Hathaway Pines
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Calaveras Big Trees State Park
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Moaning Caverns Adventure Park
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Natural Bridges Trailhead
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Stanislaus River
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Columbia State Historic Park
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Sonora
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State Historic Park Railroad 1897
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Jamestown
Getting There
Getting There
Route Overview
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Start locationS Main St &, Birds Way, Angels Camp, CA 95222, USA
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Total distance106km
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Final locationNE corner of Main and, Donovan St, Jamestown, CA 95327, USA
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Distance back to start location16km
Directions to Starting Point
Starting point: The Parking Lot next to the Utica Building 1278 Main Street, Angels Camp. The bronze and stone historical marker for Angels Camp stands at the entrance to this parking lot.
From the North
Take Highway CA 49 S. At the outskirts of Angels Camp Highway CA 49 becomes the Main Street of Angels Camp. Follow past the Angles Camp Museum, Serbian Orthodox Church into Old Town Angels Camp. After the Utica Building turn right into the parking lot. There will be a bronze and stone historical marker at the entrance. This is before you get to the intersection of Highway 4 and Main Street.
Show Directions
Tips
Tips
Places to stop along the way
All listed opening and closing times are as of April 2022 and subject to change at any time.
THE FOLLOWING STOPS ARE OPTIONAL. Parking fees for stops are not included in the price of this audio tour.
For basic information of individual California State Parks visit their website.
If you enter and pay for parking at a California State Park, keep your parking receipt as it is good for parking at any other California State Park you visit on the same day.
ANGELS CAMP: See self-guided walking tour in companion brochure
ANGELS CAMP CITY MUSEUM: (753 S Main Street, Angels Camp) / Open Daily 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
MURPHYS: See self-guided walking tour in companion brochure
MERCERS CAVERNS: (1665 Sheep Ranch Road, Murphys) / Open Memorial Day to Labor Day 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. First tour departs at 9:30 a.m. / Tours are 45 minutes / The rest of the year Caverns are open 10:00 a.m. / $20 for adults, $13 for children ages 3 to 12 years
RED APPLE FARM STAND: (Highway 4 at Darby Russell Road, Murphys) / Open Thursday through Monday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
CALAVERAS BIG TREES STATE PARK: (1170 CA Highway 4, Arnold) / Open daily at 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. / Visitor Center Open 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. / $10 entrance fee to park/ Public Restroom near parking lot
MOANING CAVERNS ADVENTURE PARK: (5350 Moaning Cave Road, Vallecito) / Open Thursday through Monday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. / 45 minute Spiral Tour $22 / 3 Hour Spelunking Tour $112/ Restroom on site
NATURAL BRIDGES TRAILHEAD: (Parrotts Ferry Road, Vallecito) / Open daily 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. / Restroom near parking area
COLUMBIA STATE PARK: (22708 Broadway Street, Columbia) / Park exhibits open daily 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas / Parking and entrance to Columbia State Historic Park are Free / Some additional fees apply for special events or activities in the park / Restroom in park
STATE HISTORIC PARK RAILTOWN 1897: (Sierra Avenue, Jamestown) / Open April to October Daily 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. / November to March Daily 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. / Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas / Admission $5 adults / Weekends April to September the Steam Train runs there is an extra cost to ride
Souvenir Brochure of tour: Please visit this here for a souvenir brochure of this tour. On this brochure look for the QR code this will direct you to a hiking map of the area.
Best time of day
This area of California may be enjoyed at any time of the year. But if you have an option, visit in the spring, summer, or early fall. Spring and fall because of the cooler weather. Summer, though more crowded and much warmer than other times of the year, has the largest open hours for parks, and museums. See PLACES TO STOP ALONG THE WAY for current museum and park hours.
Precautions
Speed limits on the highway during this driving tour average between 35 and 50 miles an hour. Take your time, be cautious and mindful as you drive these winding backroads. Pull over at turn-outs if you find cars piling up behind you. Obey the speed limit and any California Transportation workers instructions.
When we are touring through the old towns along this tour please keep your speed limit at or under 15 miles per hour.
If you park and leave your car for any reason, cover all your valuables, securely lock your car doors and take your keys with you. Cars are too often broken into, so it is best to take ALL valuables with you.
If you take any of the optional hikes along the way, stay on the paths and be careful as you walk, as the paths are uneven. Avoid touching poison oak which is prevalent near most paths.
When walking in any of the towns on this tour please be careful when crossing the street. Make sure cars coming in any direction have seen you and stopped before proceeding across the street. Watch for tripping hazards and be mindful of your surroundings.
CELL RECEPTION
This tour relies on GPS, not cell reception, so your tour will run well even on back roads, however you will not have reliable cell reception in some areas along this driving tour, so you will not be able to send or receive texts or receive calls along various stretches of this highway.
USING VOICEMAP
Search for VoiceMap AUDIO TOUR on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Download the free App. Sign Up for a new account with your email and a password of your choice, go to the EXPLORE option and search for “CALAVERAS COUNTY” and purchase the tour you are interested in.
Download the tour while you have good WiFi reception. Click on the gear icon on the lower right corner and put the tour into yd/mi mode and turn off Tour Player Autolock and Audio Lost Alert.
Then, select the “ACCOUNT” option, select the tour you are going to take and read the information in the “ABOUT” option in the upper right. If you need directions to the starting point select “DIRECTIONS”. It will open another window in Apple Maps. You will need to close that window or use your phones interface to go back to the VoiceMap app to start the tour.
Go to your starting point, press “START” and follow the instructions of the narrator. Place your phone in a hands free holder on your car dashboard as there is a map on your screen that will show our travel route.
We also suggest that you have your phone plugged into an external charging port so that your tour isn’t interrupted by a dead battery.
You may pause this tour at any time using the pause button and resume it at any of the locations along the tour. If you decide stop along the way and take a meal break, or take one of the optional hikes, you should exit your tour by pressing the “END TOUR” downward facing arrow on the top right, then just restart it from the closest location by restarting the tour using the “RESUME” button. You will be prompted with 3 stops. Chose the stop closest to your location.
PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES
Using the Video setting on your phone will shut down the VoiceMap app (and every other open app) and you will need to reload your tour. So, if you are using your phone for photos, try to use the Photo setting.
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Questions and Reviews
Questions and Reviews
