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Gold Country
Columbia State Historic Park
HOLGER LEUE / GETTY IMAGES ©
'Go west, young man!' could have been the rallying cry of tens of thousands of im-
migrants who invaded during California's Gold Rush era, which kicked off in 1848.
Today, these rough-and-tumble Sierra Nevada foothills (
Click here
) are a strong-
hold of Golden State history, thrillingly tainted by banditry, bordellos and bloodlust.
Slowly wind past sleepy townships and abandoned mines on Hwy 49, also a gate-
way to swimming holes, white-water rafting, downhill mountain-biking bomber runs
and tasting wine made from some of the state's oldest grapevines.
