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! +++ Voice acting credit: Voices of Dutch Carver, Dell Fallon, advertisement in the Nevada Journal, and newspaper critic by [Brandon Baumann](https://brandonbaumann.com/) 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. Companion Hiking and Walking Tours of the Gold Rush Country may be found [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y34WUN0SkKRgOZgLH9zGU2vjgkKgwqSt/view) Music: Redwood Trail by [Audionautix](http://audionautix.com/) is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Front Porch Sitter by [Audionautix](http://audionautix.com/) is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Travel Light by [Audionautix](http://audionautix.com/) is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Plantation by [Audionautix](http://audionautix.com/) is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Redwood Highway by [Audionautix](http://audionautix.com/) is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)