California is a microcosm of America and Yosemite Gold Country just 2 1/2 hours east of the San Francisco Bay Area contains three amazingly unique state parks and Yosemite National Park all within short driving distance of each other.
Here are 4 unique and very different parks that are all within a short drive of each other.
1. Located less than an hour from the northern entrance to Yosemite National Park is Railtown 1897 State Historic Park. For anyone who loves old time trains and/or western movies, this park is a must! It's home to the "movie train' (Sierra #3) that's been in hundreds of films and TV programs dating back to the silent era. Productions include familiar titles such as Back to the Future Part III, High Noon, The Unforgiven, and The Petticoat Junction TV series.
Train rides are available as are tours of one of the remaining working roundhouses in the country. The Park offers a number of special events throughout the year and provides a very unique experience attracting rail fans and movie fans from around the world. Costumed docents add to the authenticity and often share stories of the old west and the film stars who've worked there. www.Railtown1897.org
2. Just 10 minutes away from Railtown 1897 State Historic Park is Columbia State Historic Park; the best preserved old-west 1849 Gold-Rush town in California...because the entire town is a state park! Offering a mix of modern businesses and "mini-museums" (old time businesses decked out as they were in the 19th century) it provides a terrific view of life during the gold-rush era. Visitors can ride the stagecoach, pan for gold and participate in a number of special events throughout the year celebrating the wild west history and some of the mysteries of the park.
As with Railtown, costumed docents offer tours and provide a fascinating look at the colorful characters who've resided there. It's also a favorite of Hollywood and was the setting for the classic Gary Cooper & Grace Kelly western, High Noon. In fact during the filming of the picture, Grace Kelly actually stayed in the house (Wilson McConnell house) that she lived in during the film. www.visitcolumbiacalifornia.com
3. About 40 minutes from Columbia is Calaveras Big Trees State Park. It offers the giant Redwoods found in Sequoia and Yosemite without the crowds. This lesser known park features hiking trails and nature-related activities year around and gives visitors and opportunity to see and do things at a much more leisurely pace than it's better known counterparts. Stand in awe as you look up at the largest living things on Earth - the giant Sequoias.
4. And of course, there's Yosemite National Park - the most visited park in California and an icon of beauty and serenity known around the world. It's a must-see for anyone with a love of nature and spectacular mountains, waterfalls, meadows and all season outdoor recreation. Lesser known but equally as beautiful parts of Yosemite include the Hetch Hetchy Valley and Tuolumne Meadows, both accessible via Highway 120.
The Park is celebrating its 150th anniversary of the Yosemite Grant Act, which gave federal protection to this magnificent land and launched Yosemite into being the model and basis for the entire national park system. This year and next, a number of special events are being planned for this remarkable place.