In the heart of the gold country, the Auburn State Recreation Area Auburn SRA covers 40-miles of the North and Middle Forks of the American river. Once teeming with thousands of gold miners, the area is now a natural area offering a wide variety of recreation opportunities to over 900,000 visitors a ........more >

A pleasant forest walk with minimal elevation gain in Burton Creek State Park, this delightful morning or afternoon excursion should be a crowd pleaser. But theres no prominent signage, so the slightly obscure locale remains relatively undiscovered, promising an uncrowded and serene hiking experience. ........more >

Calaveras became a State Park in 1931 to preserve the North Grove of giant sequoias. This grove includes the Discovery Tree, the first Sierra redwood noted by Augustus T. Dowd in 1852. This area has been a major tourist attraction ever since, and is considered the longest continuously operated tourist ........more >

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The town's old Gold Rush-era business district has been preserved with shops, restaurants and two hotels. Visitors have the chance to time-travel to the 1850s, imagining life when gold miners rubbed shoulders with businessmen and the other residents in Columbia. Visitors can experience a bygone era ........more >

The grandeur of the parks and their setting is a product of successive upheavals of the mountain-building processes that raised the Sierra Nevada. From promontories such as Rubicon Point in D.L. Bliss State Park you can see over one hundred feet into the depths of Lake Tahoe. On the crest of Eagle ........more >

Hottest, Driest, Lowest Death Valley is a land of extremes. It is one of the hottest places on the surface of the Earth with summer temperatures averaging well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. At 282 feet below the level of the sea, it is the driest place in North America with an average rainfall of only ........more >

Located in the beautiful Sierra Nevada, Donner Memorial State Park offers the summer vacationer opportunities for camping, picnicking, boating, fishing, water-skiing, and hiking. In winter, visitors can cross-country ski and snowshoe on trails and enjoy the season's beauty. Visitors are welcome year-round ........more >

The Eldorado National Forest first became famous by the California gold rush discovery along the American River and later by the legendary Kit Carson who led expeditions across the Sierra Mountain ranges and through the forests.El Dorado County is the heart of the most diversified recreational area ........more >

In 1969, Emerald Bay was designated a National Natural Landmark for its brilliant panorama of mountain-building processes and glacier carved granite. The natural beauty, geology and history of this unique island make it one of the highlights of any visit to the Lake Tahoe area. The park features ........more >

Empire Mine State Historic Park is the site of one of the oldest, largest, deepest, longest and richest gold mines in California. The park is in Grass Valley at 10791 East Empire Street. In existence for more than 100 years, the mine produced 5.6 million ounces of gold before it closed in 1956. 5.6 ........more >

The Folsom Powerhouse is part of a colorful chapter of Sacramento history and is also an example of the tremendous advance in the commercial application of electricity. H.P. Livermore realized that the water of the American River could turn generators for electricity in Sacramento, 22 miles downstream. ........more >

Fremont Weir State Wildlife Area is a riparian area surrounding part of the Sacramento River north of Davis. ........more >

James W. Marshall discovered gold in 1848 on the South Fork of the American River in the valley the Nisenan Indians knew as Cullumah. This event led to the greatest mass movement of people in the Western Hemisphere and was the spark that ignited the spectacular growth of the West during the ensuing ........more >

Californias executive mansion, popularly known at the Governors Mansion, was built in 1877 for Albert and Clemenza Gallatin. Albert was a partner in the Sacramento hardware store of Huntington Hopkins. The State of California purchased the house from Joseph and Louisa Steffens to use as a home for ........more >

Grover Hot Springs State Park is located on the east side of the Sierra at the edge of the Great Basin Province, characterized by open pine forest and sagebrush. The park has a hot springs, a campground, picnic area and hiking trails. A full range of seasons and weather offer the visitor the opportunity ........more >

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Kings Beach State Recreation Area features Ponderosa Pine and small brush covering the park's 700 feet of lake frontage area. This day-use only area is popular for water sports during the summer.........more >

After a 14-year, $22 million restoration and rehabilitation, the Mansion is now open to the public as a museum. It also serves the citizens of California as the states official reception center for leaders from around the world. The Leland Stanford Mansion is a stunning example of the splendor and ........more >

Manzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten camps at which Japanese American citizens and resident Japanese aliens were interned during World War II. Located at the foot of the imposing Sierra Nevada in eastern California's Owens Valley, Manzanar has been identified as the best preserved of these camps. ........more >

James W. Marshall discovered gold in 1848 on the South Fork of the American River in the valley the Nisenan Indians knew as Cullumah. This event led to the greatest mass movement of people in the Western Hemisphere and was the spark that ignited the spectacular growth of the West during the ensuing ........more >

Lake Mono, situated close to the CA 395, is about 14mi/23km southeast of the eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park and about the same distance south of Bodie. This salt-water lake, 6,240ft/1,900m above sea level, is 13mi/21km wide and 8mi/13km long. Although several rivers flow into Lake Mono, ........more >

Mormon Island Wetlands State Park is a serene natural sanctuary known for its diverse bird population. It features expansive wetland habitats, walking trails and picnic areas. The park offers opportunities to observe wildlife including deer, rabbits and various waterfowl species up close. Its tranquil ........more >

Mount Zion Demonstration State Forest is located in the town of Pine Grove, Amador County, California, United States. It features a ranger lookout station and microwave tower atop Mount Zion, which is accessed via Mount Zion Road from California State Route 88.........more >

Negro Bar State Park, located in Folsom, California is a historic site that was once an African-American mining camp during the Gold Rush era. The park offers various recreational activities such as hiking trails and picnic areas along with water sports like swimming or fishing on Lake Natoma's shores. ........more >

Old Sacramento State Historic Park is a cluster of noteworthy, early Gold Rush commercial structures. Historic buildings include the 1849 Eagle Theater the 1853 B. F. Hastings Building, once home to the California Supreme Court and the 1855 Big Four Building. Old Sacramentos historical significance ........more >

Located in central California, lies the Stanislaus National Forest. You can fish in over 800 miles of rivers and streams, enjoy a comfortable cabin, stay in a campground, or hike into the backcountry seeking pristine solitude. You can swim near a sandy beach or wade into cold clear streams cooling ........more >

In 1969, Emerald Bay was designated a National Natural Landmark for its brilliant panorama of mountain-building processes and glacier carved granite. The natural beauty, geology and history of this unique island make it one of the highlights of any visit to the Lake Tahoe area. The park features ........more >

Lake Tahoe State Park, situated on the undeveloped northeastern shore of Lake Tahoe, comprises more than 14,000 acres, including 12,000 acres of backcountry. The scenery and the variety of available activities make this park an outstanding place to visit.........more >

Yosemite National Park embraces a spectacular tract of mountain-and-valley scenery in the Sierra Nevada, which was set aside as a national park in 1890. The park harbors a grand collection of waterfalls, meadows, and forests that include groves of giant sequoias, the world's largest living things. Highlights ........more >