Me being of Japanese decent, I felt the need to visit Wakamatsu Tea and Silkworm Colony Farm in…read morePlacerville, and to pay my respect to all the courageous men and women whom traveled thousands of miles to a foreign land (America) for a dream of a better life. There are no words that can express my heartfelt gratitude for the sacrifices and hardship the " Isei " (First Generation ) must have gone through ! They paved the way for people like both of my grandfathers whom came to the United States in 1906. On May 20th, 1869 a group of 22 samurais and one women arrived in San Francisco on board the SS China with 50,000 (Mulberry Trees) (Silk worm cocoons) (tea plants and seeds) ( cooking utensils) and (swords). Thus the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Colony Farm was established on 160 acres in Gold Hill Placerville on June 8th, 1869. The life of the colony was short lived (1869 -1871) due to inadequate funding and a severe drought in 1871. Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Colony was considered to be the first Japanese Settlement in North America. In 1969 Ronald Reagan (governor at the time) proclaimed the colony to be a California Historic Landmark No. 815. The land is currently owned and operated by the American River Conservancy. The farm is on private property, so visitations can only be made by arranging a private tours, attending certain festivals on the property or schdueled events. Next year (2019) marks its 150th anniversary celebration !!! See web site for more details. Thanks for reading !

Have been to a couple of American River Conservancy events at Wakamatsu Farm. Such an historic &…read moreinteresting place. The volunteers & teachers are impressive. It is always an interesting & enjoyable experience in a beautiful setting.

From my separate City of Auburn review:…read more Auburn is an attractive city, especially Old Town Auburn, which attracts passersby on the highway between Reno and Sacramento with the quaint architecture on a hill flanked by a giant sculpture. Its small-town charm is likely why movies like Rocky and Bullwinkle, Breakdown, Wisdom, and xXx had scenes shot here, but the town relates most to the 1996 John Travolta movie Phinome Phenomin Phenomm Look Who's Talking. The guy who discovered gold here in 1849 was memorialized by Ken Fox with a 45-ton concrete (rebar and wire mesh) statue at the entrance of Old Town. Ken Fox was a dentist able to do this in between teeth cleanings and forcing customers to look at super close-up pictures of their teeth in order to sell "special deep teeth cleaning" by the quadrant. This dentist has more "Great Statues" in the area which you'd likely find ful-"filling". Get it? Anyway, it's right off the highway, so stop there and check out Old Town. (Check my reviews on Edelweis 2 and the California Club)

Quality/Quantity - What a cool active town, see pictures…read more(and/or their website) of some current events. This might be our new pit stop...? Or a designated location? We usually go to downtown Auburn, so I am glad we came to Old Town this time. Atmosphere - Cool historic town. Lots of locally owned shops. Plenty of places to eat. Walk friendly but not sure if ADA friendly. Dog friendly, at least at the brewery. :) Service - Good, everyone we met was friendly. Price - Depends on where you shop, eat, and drink. Owner Comment - What a great fun town, looking forward to coming back soon when I have more time.

So there's not a lot to this location but it's a great piece of history for those wanting to learn…read moreabout the gold rush. When we stopped in here there was a living history actor portrayal of the gold rush times. It went on for about three days. There are several buildings and mining machinery viewing areas. There is also a brick wall in front of the river where the gold was found. It's not huge but there is a decent parking lot. Public bathrooms are available here as well.

1/5/2019: Driving on Cold Springs Road from Placerville is a shorter drive verses driving on…read moreHighway 49 . . . Advice voluntarily given from a local resident. Driving along Cold Springs Road heading towards Coloma CA, I noticed Wakamatsu Farm on the right side but, the Farm was closed-waaaaah~I wanted visiting seeing the silkworms! Well . . . Just a couple miles down the road from Wakamatsu Farm, there's a sign for Marshall Monument and humorously, Highway 153 IS the shortest highway in California and I really found out how short Highway 153 truly is . . . It's about 1/2 mile to 3/4ths of a mile! Now, Highway 153 . . . THAT'S the shortest highway I have ever traversed~LOL! Driving on Highway 153, bearing right, you'll grace the backside of MARSHALL~lol-just check out my photos . . . Just a quick glance of Marshall's side profile will make you smirk. After gazing upon Marshall's Monument on all POVs, you'll continue driving around Marshall, veering left, and you'll notice the cabins on your right side; however, it was raining so, I didn't leave my truck because I didn't want getting wet (Actually, I was lazy-Okay~I admit it-alright? LAZY!)! Highway 153 I guess ends at St. John's Catholic Church where I read couples may hold their wedding here inexpensively: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=26369 FYI: St John's Church: $500.00 for a three-hour time slot reservation; a rehearsal costs an additional $100.00-the church seats 65 guests. Also, there is an additional damage deposit of $250.00 applied to a reservation. This deposit is refundable as long as nothing is damaged; liability insurance is required for events. Notably, Saint John's church is a historic building, built in the 1850's: The church has no ADA (Americans Disability Act) accessibility, there are no restrooms, heaters or air conditioners located in the church either. Incidentally, if you would like to make an appointment to view St. John's or receive a Wedding Packet, please contact the park Special Event Coordinator at (530) 295-2174 or marshallgold.events@parks.ca.gov. Or, you may visit the Gold Discovery Park Association's website (non-profit organization) to download our wedding packet via www.marshallgold.com. I guess it's safe assuming down the street, Emmanuel Church might be retrofitted holding a sizable wedding with possibly ADA compliant landscaping and hopefully, an ADA toilet, a dressing room, and seating for 100 guests or more . . . HOPEFULLY~because St. John's Church lacks serious, dire amenities. Anyway, meandering down Highway 153, you veer left onto High Street. On your right side, there's a family producing organic honey and their next door neighbor is the historical Miller House: This residence is of the oldest surviving structures located in Coloma; this house was built in 1852 for Hugh Miller, proprietor of the Fashion Billiard Saloon on Main Street. Miller House has been renovated several times and from 1964 to 1983, it was the home of noted artist George Mathis and known as the "Friday House"." The building has been a bed and breakfast inn since 1983. BTW: Not too many native Californians truly know the historical background for Coloma CA . . . Here's the breakdown/lowdown backstory behind Coloma CA involving Sutter and renegade Navy man, John C. Frémont, The Pathfinder: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_C._Fr%C3%A9mont John C. Frémont is THE DUDE who named the City of Fremont CA (gee-whiz fact) and he owned a ranch in Mariposa CA, i.e., GOLD was found in Mariposa CA, too but, John got into heated lawsuits for mining rights on his land in Mariposa. John's buddies, Sutter, Lewis, Clarke, Pike's Peak expedition leader, Zebulon Pike, and Kit Carson all hung out together heading WEST from the East Coast in search of a better life and GOLD! John knew so many well-renown people like THE BIG FOUR who founded CA's Railroad System: Composed of Leland Stanford, (1824-1893), Collis Potter Huntington, (1821-1900), Mark Hopkins, (1813-1878), and Charles Crocker, (1822-1888). In addition, Frémont was the first human being setting eyes on Lake Tahoe-cool, eh? Anyway, John helped Sutter establish Sutter's Fort and also, John helped Sutter build Sutter's Mill located in Coloma CA sole purpose was solely procuring gold from the American River just down the street from the Coloma Post Office and Argonaut Cafe. Moreover and actually, President Polk wanted placating John's father-in-law, Senator Thomas Benton (his daughter was Jessie Benton who was John's wife) due to Senator Benton was John's exploration benefactor equalling $$$$$$$$$$-what an egregious lap dog Polk was with his greedy political ploys. From all the gold John and Sutter discovered, both men became very wealthy which President Polk wanted a piece of John's and Sutter's Coloma CA gold discovery-DENIED~LOL! -30-30-30-

If you are ever in the area, be sure to check out one of the tallest bridges in the US. Sweeping…read moreviews and amazing architecture. You can drive walk or bike across. Super close to the Clementine Dam lookout if you want another "instagram " photo op.

Tallest bridge in California. Walk across was hot w/ cars driving past hecka fast. View is amazing…read more Better from the trail view. It a spot u should check out when in the area. "It's cool...."

Fantastic old building from 1859. One of the reasons a quick walk-through placerville is well worth…read moreyour time. I guess the company hangtown leathers now occupies the building.

The Loomis Train Depot is adorably decorated for Christmas. The Loomis Family Christmas Tree and…read morefestive Xmas themed photo cutouts of Santa Claus, elves, reindeer, and gingerbread people make for merry and bright holiday pictures. Tip: If you are at the counter of Taylors diner when a train whistles, you can get a free Kids Cone of soft serve ice cream.

Railroad history is a vibrant part of Placer County and the surrounding gold country towns. I grew…read moreup in Auburn, which has train tracks running all throughout it. I spent a lot of my childhood at my Grandma's house in Loomis, scurrying to the top of the playset to watch as trains flew past. I loved falling asleep to the gentle sounds of steel wheels hitting train tracks as a kid, and now that I live in midtown Sacramento, I still get to hear it, and it makes me happy. I'll stop being a Sheldon Cooper, and get on with it. Although trains have not stopped here for many years, the Loomis Train Depot has recently been restored to its former glory as a historical point of interest train station in the heart of the town of Loomis. You can't miss it. Just follow Horseshoe Bar Road from the Loomis exit off of I-80, past Taylor Road, until it dead ends at Blue Anchor Park, behind Taylor's, where you should also stop for a Golden Eagle Shake. GO DOHS! It is currently the site of town hall meetings, and inside you'll find a gavel and courtroom style chair set up along with a small train museum for enthusiasts. It's also an awesome venue for a small party or in this month's case, a bridal shower. There are plenty of chairs, tables, and a kitchen complete with sink, trash cans, microwave and fridge. I liked this location as a venue so much that I have my eye on it for the future. Folks wanting to reserve this space should contact that business number listed, or check out the facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Loomis-Train-Depot-130172910379866/.

Love this short walking trail! We parked at the Folsom Powerhouse parking lot $10.55 per permit,…read morethen walked across the street using the crosswalk to get to Folsom Tuss bridge. At first I confused it with Rainbow Bridge but please note Rainbow Bridge is the one where it's heavily used by cars and Folsom Tuss Bridge is the walker bridge for people and bikes. It's illegal to use the Rainbow Bridge. The Johnny Cash Trail starts in this area as well. There were lots of people walking during sunset hours. At the end of the bridge, there's another trail that extends to side of the American River. It is also heavily bike trail area. It's a beautiful view to people watch kayaking below or floating along the river. You can access the river on the side of the bridge as well but watch out for steep areas getting down to the river. Not recommended at all for swimming in the area due to large/medium rocks beneath the water that would cause injuries for those wanting to jump into the river. Otherwise, great place to just enjoy the view and go walking with family.

Having lived in Folsom for about half my life now, I just wanted to clear up some things that I…read morefelt were a little unclear in the previous reviewer's description of Rainbow Bridge. Parking: While you can park across the street for a fee at Powerhouse SHP, there are also free public parking lots at the lower corner of Riley and Scott Street. These parking lots are technically slightly further away from the Rainbow Bridge, but are closer to the Truss Bridge, which is the one you can legally walk or cycle across. Walking: It's been illegal to walk across the Rainbow Bridge since shortly after I moved to Folsom for the first time, which was around 2001. The bridge that you can actually walk across is the Historic Truss Bridge (technically part of the American River Bike Trail), the large wooden bridge that is easily viewable from the Rainbow Bridge. Trails: There are indeed many dozens of miles of trails in Folsom, although they aren't affiliated with or connected to the Rainbow Bridge, that I know of. The Johnny Cash Trail runs down from the dam, roughly parallel to East Natoma, until it meets the portion of the American River Bike Trail that runs parallel to Riley/Greenback. From there, one can ride towards Sutter Street to the Lake Natoma Bike Trail, or over the Truss Bridge to the Jedediah Smith Memorial section of the American River Bike Trail (which is also the only section of bike trail to pass directly underneath the Rainbow Bridge). Relaxing: I agree, this is a great place to relax! Just don't do it on the bridge, or under the bridge, since that is, again, illegal. Wildlife: This time of year, it is perfectly normal to see rattlesnakes, king snakes, bunnies, deer, coyotes, hawks, eagles, and bobcats in the area. (Flashing back to this time I was walking across the Truss Bridge on a date with this guy and he said, "Did I tell you I saw a beaver right over there?" And when I said, "Really?" He pointed just down the river and said, "Yeah, right over there at the Folsom Zoo.") Jumping: Don't do it. Many people have been paralyzed or otherwise seriously injured jumping off of this bridge, which is how it became illegal to cross in the first place. The riverbed underneath is relatively shallow, and is full of large jagged rocks and construction waste. Stay safe.

Preston Castle Haunt - what a yearly tradition! My wife, my parents, and I have been making the…read morespooky pilgrimage for years now, and it never disappoints. You just can't beat a haunted house that takes place inside an actual haunted prison. The vibe alone gives you goosebumps before you even step inside. Add in the scare actors (who I'm convinced are local kids living their best creepy dreams), the friendly staff, and the affordable merch, and you've got the full package. This year's haunt felt longer with even more scares tucked around the corners--right up my alley! Preston keeps stepping it up, and I'm here for it. Until next year, Castle... we'll be back.

Came here for the haunted house event about a week ago and I'm not sure if I would come back again…read more Tickets were $35 each (purchased online) and you have to park and walk about 10-15 minutes to the castle or you can take the little van that drives you there which also takes the same amount of time. We took the van to the castle but they don't drop you off directly in front of the castle so you still have to walk down through security and then to the castle. Porte potty's are available right before security and once you walk up the hill to wait in line to enter the castle. There were a couple food trucks when we went, we were expecting a few based on what was said online but not sure if it depends on the time. We waited over an hour in line to enter the haunted house and if you do really believe in ghosts this place is pretty haunted. The event itself wasn't scary, the actors aren't able to touch you but there's obviously loud screaming and they may be a bit too close for comfort to get a reaction out of you. You do have to climb up and down quite a few stairs and then there's a second part lead outside and back in the castle (barely any lighting and it's a dirt road so you have to carefully walk). Many strobing lights as well so do avoid if you are triggered by that. The energy throughout the castle was not pleasant or welcoming, I was very excited for it to be over as the haunted house itself was not very good and I was mostly tired from all the walking. There's a merch truck outside at the end of the castle as well. We also decided to walk back instead of waiting for the shuttle but there absolutely no lighting and many ditches with uneven flooring so you have to be very careful. Overall experience was not my favorite and I wouldn't come back again.

We had out of town family in town last week and we made it back to the Donner (Railroad) Tunnels. I…read morelove the tunnels! It's SO beautiful. And as it was a railroad, it's level and easy, and as it's in the tunnels, you're mostly protected from the weather. Bring good trail walking shoes and a flashlight. (And park across from the Donner Ski Ranch.)

I've lived in Reno since 1979, and I've never been to the tunnels?! It was so fun! Incredible…read moreviews. No snow yet, making the tremendous rock formations visible. A lot of people, and dogs. A few bikers, of which, I was one. Everyone was friendly and courteous with their pups, and kids. Parking was easy in the lot by Sugar Bowl Ski Resort. If biking, I recommend a fat tire bike as the gravel is deep in random spots in the tunnels. Water trickles through in several spots. I recommend a head lamp in addition to your fully charged bike light, some tunnels are really dark, and long!

September 23. 2021…read more Wow now one thousand of any updates. Previous has seventeen votes and has sixteen previous votes. It is a clock. Twenty four hours. Not sure of night hours but day hours will chime on the hour, so nine times for nine am, ten times for ten am, so forth. There been different activities to commerate. As example there been commemorations for Veterans Day, for the Pearl Harbor Day, for the mark of Nine Eleven. There were many USA flags from least September 9, 2021 to least September 19, 2021. One flag for each "HERO" killed in the tragedy. Wow, nice park.