The spectacular countryside of the Sierra Nevada’s western foothills was the backdrop to the California Gold Rush. On this California driving tour, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the charming western towns of Grass Valley and Nevada City during a 50-mile loop. As you enjoy the peaceful backroads and rustic gold rush towns of Rough and Ready, North San Juan, and French Corral, I’ll weave together stories of the California Gold Rush using excerpts from diaries of early California pioneers. The tour starts in front of Northstar Mining Museum, where you can see mining equipment and items that were used by miners and their families. I’ll tell you the story of how roughly 300,000 migrants – known collectively as 49ers – descended on Coloma California after James Marshall’s gold discovery at John Sutter’s Mill in the mid-1800s. On this tour, you’ll have the opportunity to: • Learn about the hardrock method of gold mining at the Northstar Mining Museum • Take a look at the historic Wells Fargo Bank building, one of the only pieces of architecture to have survived from the gold rush years • Hear a synopsis of early Californian history from the Native Americans to the Gold Rush • Walk across the Bridgeport covered bridge, one of the longest covered bridges in the world • Hike along the South Yuba River and explore its scenic vistas in the South Yuba River State Park • Discover how early pioneer women made an honest living in the rural Old West • See Holbrooke Hotel, one of Grass Valley’s most recognized landmarks The tour ends at the Empire Mine State Historic Park, a Sierra Nevada state-protected mine and park in Grass Valley, where you’ll have the opportunity to view the magnificent stone Bourne Mansion or hike one of its peaceful trails. All stops along the way are optional. Fees to visit parks, trailheads, wineries, or museums are not included in the price of this tour. This 50-mile driving tour can be completed in about two 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! +++ Voice acting credit: Voice of John Doble, Dutch Carver, and Mark Twain by [Brandon Baumann](https://brandonbaumann.com/) Voice acting credit: Voice of Lotta Crabtree, Jennie Wimmer, Virginia Reed, Margaret Frink, Mary Jane Megquier, Eleanora Dumont, and Lola Montez by Robin Baumann Please review the “Precautions” section for important information on driving and hiking. +++ Journals Used for quotes in this driving tour: Across the Plains in the Donner Party by Virginia Reed Murphy John Doble’s Journal and Letters from the Mines 1851 - 1865, Volcano Press Margaret Frink, Journal of the Adventures of a Party of California Gold-seekers: Under the Guidance of Mr. Ledyard Frink During a Journey Across the Plains from Martinsville, Indiana, to Sacramento, California, from March 30, 1850, to September 7, 1850 Apron of Gold: The Letters of Mary Jane Megquier from San Francisco, 1849-1856, edited by Polly Welts Kaufman