California Official Visitor's Guide 2023 - 103

camping, horseback riding, and boating, with 75 miles
of shoreline, campgrounds and picnic areas along the
water. A 32-mile-long bicycle path stretches all the way
to Old Sacramento. 916/988-0205; parks.ca.gov
Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park. Tour this
1895 generating facility, which looks much as it did
more than 100 years ago, overlooking Lake Natoma
from atop a bluff. See the massive transformers and the
system that brought water from the dam. 916/9880205;
parks.ca.gov
Folsom Tourism Bureau. 200 Wool St. River town near
Sacramento is famous for its historic district, bike trails,
boating, outlet shopping, and Folsom Prison Museum.
800/377-1414; visitfolsom.com See ad, p. 99
Johnny Cash Trail. Honoring the legendary musician
who once spent time in the town's notorious penitentiary,
this almost three-mile trail goes from the Folsom
Historic District toward the Folsom Lake Crossing Trail.
You'll see artwork, architecture, and bridges along the
way. folsomcasharttrail.com
GRASS VALLEY
Empire Mine State Historic Park. Learn about the
history of one of the oldest, deepest, and richest gold
mines in California. Guided tours of the mine yard,
restored gardens, and owner's estate are offered
throughout the day. The park also offers 856 acres
with more than 14 miles of trails for easy hiking and
mountain biking. 530/273-8522; parks.ca.gov
JAMESTOWN
Railtown 1897 State Historic Park-Jamestown.
Home to the famous Sierra No. 3®, newly restored No.
28 steam locomotive, historic Roundhouse and more,
Railtown 1897 is a perfect Gold Country getaway that
offers weekend excursion train rides (April-Oct).
railtown1897.org See ad, p. 135
MARIPOSA
Yosemite/Mariposa County Tourism Bureau.
Mariposa County, home to Yosemite National Park: a
year-round destination! Outdoor recreation, Gold Rush
history and natural beauty are all here. Visit yosemite
.com, the #1 Yosemite planning site. See ad, p. 92
MOUNTAIN RANCH
California Cavern State Historic Landmark. Find a
Trail of Lights and the Trail of Lakes cave walking tour
through this limestone cavern. Groups learn about
the history and geology of the cavern as well as the
surrounding countryside. Take a professionally guided
cavern spelunking trip. 888/488-1960; cavetouring.com
MURPHYS
Mercer Caverns. Descend 160 vertical feet to see
this subterranean wonderland discovered by Walter
J. Mercer in 1885. Take a 45-minute walking tour and
learn about the history and geology of the caverns.
209/728-2101; mercercaverns.net
NEVADA CITY
Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District. These
twin cities, famous for their Gold Rush pasts, have
transformed into cultural hubs with more than 100
arts-related organizations. 916/322-6555;
caculturaldistricts.org/grassvalley-nevadacity
Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park. Site of
California's largest " hydraulic " mine. View cliffs carved
by mighty streams of water, the result of the goldmining
technique of washing away entire mountains to
find the precious metal. 530/265-2740; parks.ca.gov
Miners Foundry Cultural Center. Discover a California
Historical Landmark at this cultural arts and community
events center, the first manufacturing site of the Pelton
wheel. Check website for events. 530/265-5040;
minersfoundry.org
Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum.
Learn about local transportation history and view
artifacts from the narrow-gauge railroad era. Visit on
Saturdays to take a ride on the railbus. 530/470-0902;
ncngrrmuseum.org
Tahoe National Forest. Located northeast of
Sacramento in the Sierra Nevada, this national forest
offers rivers, snowcapped peaks, and dense forests that
make for outstanding recreation year-round. 530/2654531;
fs.usda.gov
Yuba-Donner Scenic Byway. Winding through the
Tahoe National Forest, follow this stunning 160-mile
loop through the Sierra foothills and mountains, along
the North Yuba River, into pine forests, and across the
valley north of Lake Tahoe. sierranevadageotourism.org
PENN VALLEY
South Yuba River State Park. Swim, bird-watch, and
pan for gold along 20 miles of the South Yuba River's
rugged canyon. Throughout the park, look for various
bridges dating back to the Gold Rush era through the
mid-20th century. 530/432-2546; parks.ca.gov
PINE GROVE
Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park. This park
gets its name from 1,185 mortar holes ground into the
marbleized limestone by early Native Americans. Don't
miss the Chaw'se Regional Indian Museum. 209/2967488;
parks.ca.gov
PLACERVILLE
Boeger Winery. Established in 1972, Boeger Winery
is a family-owned winery located in El Dorado County.
Father/son duo Greg and Justin Boeger produce wines
made from 33 grape varieties with a distinctive focus
on Italian and Spanish varietals. boegerwinery.com See
ad, p. 101
Downtown Placerville. Placerville's history,
architecture, small-town charm, and easy access from
Sacramento, South Lake Tahoe, and the Bay Area make
it an ideal weekend getaway. Shop till you drop or stroll
the street. Historic Main Street features unique shops,
antiques, fine art galleries, and restaurants. Enjoy
small-town charm with a backdrop of Gold Rush history.
visiteldorado.com/downtown-placerville See ad, p. 92
Gold Bug Park. Step back in time and pan for gems
at this gold mine and museum, which also features
a historic stamp mill and working blacksmith shop.
530/642-5207; goldbugpark.org
Visit El Dorado. Located between Sacramento and Lake
Tahoe, El Dorado is overflowing with outdoor adventure,
a welcoming wine and agricultural scene, family fun,
and a proud Gold Rush history. visiteldorado.com See
ad, p. 99
RANCHO CORDOVA
Sacramento Children's Museum. With hands-on
exhibits designed for children from infants to age 8,
SCM engages youngsters in meaningful discovery. Bring
the kids for a few hours of imaginative play. 916/7305079;
sackids.org
Visit Rancho Cordova. Located on the American River,
Rancho Cordova offers outdoor adventure, delicious
libations from the Barrel District and Sierra Foothills
Wine Country, and diverse cuisine.
visitranchocordova.com See ad, p. 92
SACRAMENTO
Aerospace Museum of California. Find a world-class
opportunity to learn about and celebrate aviation's past,
present, and future. Discover more than 40 historic
aircraft and get hands-on by piloting your own STEM
adventure. 916/643-3192; aerospaceca.org
California State Capitol Museum. Explore the history
of the State Capitol building, home to the California
state legislature since 1869. Visit restored offices of the
governor and enjoy a picnic in Capitol Park. 916/3240333;
capitolmuseum.ca.gov
California State Railroad Museum-Old Sacramento
Waterfront. A Smithsonian affiliate, the Railroad
Museum is a " museum without walls " that offers
weekend excursion train rides (April-Sept.), full-scale
vintage locomotives, toy trains, interactive exhibits, and
more. californiarailroad.museum See ad, pgs. 153-155
Crocker Art Museum. The first public art museum
founded in the western United States, the Crocker
Art Museum is still one of the leading museums in
California today. The collection includes international
ceramics, sculpture, and works by contemporary
California artists. 916/808-7000; crockerart.org
Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park. Tour
the opulent 19,000-square-foot mansion, built in
1856 for Gold Rush merchant Sheldon Fogus and later
purchased by the soon-to-be governor of California,
Leland Stanford. 916/324-0575; parks.ca.gov
River Fox Train. The River Fox Train, sister of the worldfamous
Skunk Train, traverses the countryside of Yolo
County west of Sacramento with multiple experiences
offered weekly, including Railbikes. 800/866-1690;
riverfoxtrain.com See ad, p. 16
Visit Sacramento. In America's Farm-to-Fork Capital,
enjoy Michelin-rated restaurants, a vibrant downtown
and great family fun along the Old Sacramento
Waterfront for an authentic Sacramento experience.
visitsacramento.com See ad, p. 157
SIERRA CITY
Sierra County Chamber of Commerce. Where
meadows meet forests and rivers run wild: Sierra
County is a recreational playground. Visit historic towns,
go shopping, and enjoy fine dining. 800/200-4949;
info@sierracountychamber.com; See ad, p. 99
SONORA
Stanislaus National Forest. Marked by more than 800
miles of rivers and streams, this nearly 900,000-acre
forest is a popular spot to fish, swim, canoe, and
whitewater raft. 209/532-3671; fs.usda.gov
Visit Tuolumne County. Wander Freely in Tuolumne
County. Explore uncrowded Yosemite, authentic Gold
Country, and scenic High Sierra in one amazing road
trip, 2.5 hours east of the San Francisco Bay Area. Find
lodging for all budgets. 209/533-4420; visittctoday.com;
See ad, p. 101
SUTTER CREEK
Visit Amador for world-class wineries, unique hotels,
Main St. shopping, outdoor adventures, fine dining, art
galleries, music, events, and casino gaming. 209/2679249;
hello@visitamador.com; visitamador.com See
ad, p. 99
YUBA CITY
Sutter National Wildlife Refuge. This 2,600-acre
refuge, consisting primarily of wetland impoundments
and riparian and grassland habitats, typically supports
wintering populations of more than 175,000 ducks and
50,000 geese. fws.gov/refuge/sutter
VISITCALIFORNIA.COM | 103

http://parks.ca.gov http://www.minersfoundry.org http://www.aerospaceca.org http://parks.ca.gov http://www.ncngrrmuseum.org http://capitolmuseum.ca.gov http://www.visitfolsom.com http://fs.usda.gov http://www.californiarailroad.museum http://www.sierranevadageotourism.org http://www.folsomcasharttrail.com http://www.crockerart.org http://parks.ca.gov http://parks.ca.gov http://parks.ca.gov http://parks.ca.gov http://www.riverfoxtrain.com http://www.railtown1897.org http://www.visitsacramento.com http://www.boegerwinery.com http://Yosemite.com http://Yosemite.com http://www.visiteldorado.com/downtown-placerville http://fs.usda.gov http://www.cavetouring.com http://www.goldbugpark.org http://www.visittctoday.com http://www.visiteldorado.com http://www.mercercaverns.net http://www.visitamador.com http://www.caculturaldistricts.org/grassvalley-nevadacity http://www.sackids.org http://parks.ca.gov http://www.visitranchocordova.com http://www.fws.gov/refuge/sutter http://www.VISITCALIFORNIA.COM

California Official Visitor's Guide 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of California Official Visitor's Guide 2023