Road Trip 3

After heading out of Bodie we drive up to Highway 108 which took us back over the Sierra's. Although this road did not take us up quite as high as Tioga Pass did (around 9,300 feet compared with 9,943 feet) the climb was much steeper on Highway 108 which as a 26% grade.

We drove to Columbia where the the gold rush era buildings in the town are a State Park. All the buildings have been preserved and restored compared with Bodie Ghost Town.

This part of the town is pedestrian only so visitors can stroll along focusing on the buildings rather than the traffic.

 We booked to stay in one of the two hotels within the State Park area so we could wander around the streets after the day visitors had left for the day.

As well as museum exhibits, there are real shops open and run by people in period dress.

We stayed at the Fallon Hotel which has recently been rennovated.

 The lobby.

The corridor to our room.

The following day we drove up Highway 49 to another old town that was built around the place where gold was actually discovered at the Marshall Gold Discovery Site State Park Visitors Centre.

Here is a representation of the event.

A replica of Sutter's Mill which was near the discovery site.

This is the place where the discovery of gold set off the California Gold Rush.