Gold Country - California - page 850

WORTH A TRIP
APPLE HILL
In 1860, a miner planted a Rhode Island Greening apple tree on a hill and with it estab-
lished the foundation for bountiful Apple Hill, a 20-sq-mile area east of Placerville and
north of Hwy 50 where there are more than 60 orchards. Apple growers sell directly to
the public, usually from August to December, and some let you pick your own. Other
fruits and Christmas trees are available during different seasons.
Maps of Apple Hill are available online through the Apple Hill Association (
530-644-7692; www.applehill.com ), or use the El Dorado Farm Trails Guide ( www.visit-eldor-
ado.com ).
A great place to hunker down while touring the farms is the Camino Hotel (
530-644-1800; www.caminohotel.com ; 4103 Carson Rd, Camino; r incl breakfast $60-150), a former
lumberjack bunkhouse - every bit as creaky as you'd hope - with rooms (some are very
small) that have been recently redone. The rates are a steal (as low as $60 on weekdays)
and room 4 is perfect for families with two rooms adjoined by a central sitting room. The
breakfast is made to order.
Sutter Creek
Perch on the balcony of one of the gracefully restored buildings on this particularly scenic
Main St and view Sutter Creek, a gem of a Gold Country town with raised, arcade side-
walks and high-balconied buildings with false fronts that are perfect examples of Califor-
nia's 19th-century architecture. This is another option for staying the night when visiting
Amador and El Dorado County wineries.
Begin the visit at volunteer-operated Sutter Creek Visitor Center ( 800-400-0305,
209-267-1344; www.suttercreek.org ; 71a Main St) to collect a walking-tour map of historic traces
left by Cornish, Yugoslavian and Italian arrivals, or pick up the excellent, free driving-tour
guide to local gold mines.
Sights
Monteverde General Store HISTORIC BUILDING