This road trip combines wildflowers and gold rush history at Railtown 1897

Railtown Historic Park’s Steam Engine #3 has appeared in scores of western movies.
Railtown Historic Park’s Steam Engine #3 has appeared in scores of western movies.

Following my article last week highlighting the potential huge wildflower bloom unfolding around Northern California, several Record readers reached me via email or phone. They asked if I could offer a road trip suggestion or two that took in some of my favorite places.

Hence, here are suggestions related to scenic routes, potential wildflower viewing points, and historical stops of significance. Each trip can be made in one day, but if you plan a long stop at Railtown 1897 Historic Park, leave early, which will make for a long day!

Readers Bobbi Xenos and Gerry Pedroncellinoted they were considering visiting Railtown 1897 Historical Park in Jamestown. They wondered if I could suggest a scenic route with wildflowers and historical stops. My route suggestion from Stockton takes one east on Highway 4 to Copperopolis, where a stop at Copperopolis’s outdoor historical park displays massive copper mining equipment and shares the town’s history and its huge production of copper in the war effort.

From Copperopolis, follow O’Byrne’s Ferry Road south, which takes you across picturesque Lake Tulloch with likely wildflower sightings and connects to Highway 108. Go East on 108; consider a short detour south on Highway 49 to the old town of Chinese Camp, a gold rush town established in 1849 when a large Chinese miner and merchant component arrived to make their fortune. Some old buildings remain, such as the old post office, circa 1854. Old homes, a boarding house, and an old hotel; the historic Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church, circa 1855, and adjoining cemetery blocks away.

Poppie fields above Mokelumne River between Jackson and Mokelumne Hill.
Poppie fields above Mokelumne River between Jackson and Mokelumne Hill.

Then, head back to 108, go east, then take the Tuolumne Road to Tuolumne City, founded in 1854, a former mining and lumber mill town of consequence. Many of the remnants of its once grand days remain, including several stout buildings of the vast Westside Lumber Company (which closed in 1960), complete with a small museum. The modern Black Oak Casino is only 1.5 miles distant, by the way.

From Tuolumne City, take Standard Road back towards Sonora, passing through Standard's old lumber mill town, and consider a stop for a snack and libations at a nifty restaurant and brewpub, the Standard Pour, in one of the old mill buildings.

Nearby Sonora has numerous overnight options and restaurants, two museums of consequence, and remains one of the livelier and more fully-preserved gold rush towns. Railtown 1897 Historical Park, the pride of Jamestown, is just a few miles down Highway 108. Railtown showcases a host of old steam and diesel locomotives, rolling stock, a whole roundhouse, and a turntable and offers train rides into the surrounding countryside in season.

Old post office in Chinese Camp dates to 1854.
Old post office in Chinese Camp dates to 1854.

A second road trip suggestion will take you to beautiful scenery and wildflowers above Pardee Reservoir and through gold rush gems, the towns of Jackson and Mokelumne Hill.

Take Highway 26 heading east, to Valley Springs, then take country roads north out of town, Paloma Road to Watertown Road to Sandretto Road to Pardee Dam Road (or dial your GPS to Pardee Dam Road) then cross the old dam impounding Pardee Reservoir and head east, up one of my favorite scenic roads, Stony Creek, which drops into a lovely quiet valley with wildflowers in profusion and takes one to the town of Jackson. Admire wildflowers along the route, then explore Main Street in Jackson, with a vibrant historic district. Stop for snacks and refreshments in the restaurant/pub on the lower level of the historic National Hotel (built in 1852 and the longest continuously operated hotel in California) in this active Gold Rush town on Highway 49.

Then continue south on Highway 49, descend into the Mokelumne River canyon (note the old Butte Store, once a post office and mercantile, dating to 1857, on the east side of the highway), take a left on Electra Road for one of the better short wildflower exploration roads that parallel the Mokelumne upriver for several miles.

The historic Leger Hotel in Mokelumne Hill features restaurant and saloon.
The historic Leger Hotel in Mokelumne Hill features restaurant and saloon.

Then return to Highway 49, continue south up the other side of the river canyon, and stop and walk the four-block-long Main Street through downtown Mokelumne Hill, admiring old gold rush treasures like the Leger Hotel with its restaurant and saloon and other buildings dating from the mid-to late-1800s. From the old town, return to Highway 26 and back to the valley, continuing your search for wildflowers along the highway.

Go armed for such road trips with binoculars and a camera, and consider downloading two apps on your smartphone. AllTrails is a beautiful app for discovering hiking trails in your favorite parts of the Sierra foothills. At the same time, LeafSnap allows you to take a picture of a tree, plant, or wildflower and identify its species, making you a horticultural expert almost instantly! In your hunt for wildflowers, always remember that blooms come earlier in the lower elevations and on south-facing slopes. Also, remember the mantra, “take only pictures, leave only footprints.” When you find that magical field of wildflowers, don’t trample them; stay on trails.

Contact Tim at tviall@msn.comHappy wildflower exploration!

Information

Amador County Visitors Bureau, visitamador.com; Railtown 1897 Historic Park, railtown1897.org; Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau, visittuolumne.com.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Road trips; in pursuit of wildflowers and gold rush history