A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Auburn to Placerville (Sacramento)
Thu, Apr 17, 2025 00:00 AM - Wed, Apr 15, 2026 00:00 AM
A Highway 49 Drive: A Self-Guided Audio Tour from Auburn to Placerville (Sacramento)
Thu, Apr 17, 2025 00:00 AM - Wed, Apr 15, 2026 00:00 AM
Overview
About this Event
This self-guided audio tour offers the freedom to explore the Sierra Foothills—home to some of the most iconic Gold Rush towns in California—on your own schedule. With a pre-downloaded map and narration via the VoiceMap app, you’ll travel along Highway 49 from Auburn to Placerville, uncovering hidden gems and fascinating stories tied to California’s 19th-century gold fever.
Highlights include Gold Rush landmarks in Auburn, Coloma (site of Sutter’s Mill), and Placerville, once known as “Hangtown.” You can start the tour at any time, pause to explore towns or scenic spots more deeply, and resume whenever you're ready.
The tour works entirely offline, so there’s no need to worry about losing reception in remote areas. Whether you’re a history buff, road tripper, or just curious about the old frontier, this flexible and budget-friendly option makes for an enriching adventure through California’s golden past.
What to expect:
Explore the legendary Highway 49 on your own time with this self-guided audio driving tour from Auburn to Placerville. This route takes you through the heart of California’s Gold Country, where the discovery of gold in 1848 changed the course of history. You'll drive through the historic towns of Auburn, Coloma, and Placerville, all rich with Gold Rush heritage.
Along the way, you'll pass by key landmarks such as the Gold Rush Museum, the Black Hole of Calcutta Falls Trailhead, Hart 2 Hart Vineyards, and the scenic American River. In Coloma, you’ll see the replica of Sutter’s Mill and the James Marshall Monument at Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park—the exact spot where gold was first found.
The tour also includes optional detours like hiking the Gerle Loop trail at Magnolia Ranch and visiting the Gold Bug Mine, an original 1880s hard-rock mine. With the flexibility to start, pause, or resume the audio at any point, you’ll enjoy the freedom to explore this historic route at your own pace—no cell service required.
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