Damkier's Travels: Malakoff Diggins SHP & Nevada City

Visible Scar of Hydraulic Gold Mining

Not that there is a bad time to head to the mountains, but the summertime is always a nice time to escape the heat of Sacramento and return to the pine forests this time near Nevada City, CA. I have always wanted to visit the Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park and return to Nevada City, so this last weekend was a perfect combination. Nevada City is located in Nevada County - of course - which is generally about an hour north of Interstate 80 heading to Reno and Lake Tahoe. The state park is very remote requiring deft skill to navigate rural Nevada County without getting lost, especially when the GPS routes you down a steep canyon and a rickety wood bridge!

Main Street of Malakoff Diggins SHP

Malakoff Diggins is the site of one of the largest environmental disasters in the United States. While hydraulic mining - using high pressure water to cut into rocks - had been around for a very long time, the application of it on such a massive scale during the California Gold Rush caused widespread damage throughout Northern California as large volumes of rock and earth washed down into the valley. This damage led to the nation's first environmental regulations which shows how monumental the results.

Restored Saloon Interior

Once a day, the park staff conduct a tour of the restored mining town including several restored buildings. Until 1965, the area was still inhabited by residents who maintained the few buildings still standing. The State of California took over the care and restoration of the area to showcase the historical nature of the Gold Rush - good and bad. The town had nearly everything the miners needed and wanted, although the winter snow made things very harsh. Nevertheless, as long as the whiskey and gold were flowing, everyone was pretty happy!

Restored Drug Store Interior

Many state parks have similar buildings, but the extra care shown to the buildings here is unique. After enjoying the history of the town, I drove further to the actual mining site. It is here where you can see the massive scale of the operations. Pictures cannot do justice to the damage done to the area, although modern strip mining and mountaintop removal sites are still doing a great job of destroying the landscape in other states. The juxtaposition of the environmental scars and natural beauty of the recovered forest is pretty cool.

Downtown Nevada City

After a long day at the mine, I retired to the big city similar to miners of old, but a lot faster with modern transportation. Downtown Nevada City tries to recreate their heyday by restoring their historic downtown with wineries, restaurants, and even a few saloons. I arrived just in time to hit one of the wineries for a nice tasting before heading over to a cute restaurant for some cheese fondue. Before leaving town, I found a neat little ice cream shop selling one of the best ice cream cones I have ever enjoyed - lemon custard.

Delicious Lemon Custard Ice Cream

For some reason, the California Department of Transportation put a real freeway between Nevada City and Grass Valley which is weird for a pair of small mountain towns, but convenient for heading back to Sacramento. Our region was built for good or bad on the Gold Rush, so it is important to understand where we came from. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below.