The drive here is much more involved than Mercer Caverns with more windy and narrow roads. Once you…read moreget closer the space opens up to a large parking lot and shop you meet at. We were the only ones that signed up for the earliest tour that day and were lucky to have a private tour. The tour has informative history about the caverns with landmarks along the way. The most interesting thing we didn't know about is they have caving adventure tours where you shimny through holes and narrow spaces with a guide but our kids aren't old enough to partake. This was the first show cave in California and townspeople lived in them during harsh winters in the 1800s. There was a bar inside and a church and nails were even given to people to carve on the walls. Because of this there are signs of harm everywhere with soot, broken formations, and dirty coloration from human hand oils and even champagne poured on a rock formation. The caverns are huge and beautiful with some jaw-dropoing rooms. The walking tour is very safe though we loved the slight danger and claustrophobic feel of the Mercer Caverns. When you leave the shop has some cool historical items pulled from the caves on display like glass bottles, etc .. that are worth checking out.

What a cool experience. Got there for the 10:00 am tour, and I was the only guest. The walk to…read morethe cave is only about five minutes, but there's no shade so the earlier the better as the temps heat up. Inside the cave is about 50°. I have no issues with claustrophobia, but if you do there is one tight squeeze that might be a problem. Cash, my tour guide, turned off the lights (after asking my permission) and we experienced total darkness for maybe thirty seconds. It felt like two hours, and I hated it , but still neat and recommend trying if offered. Use the hand rails. They are there for your safety.

Do you know who is Samuel Clemons? If you guessed him by his author pen name, Mark Twain... you…read moreguessed right. Did you know California's historic landmark #138 is no other than Mark Twain's cabin. Well, it's a replica with the original fireplace and chimney. It's in Tuttletown on Jackass Hill Road off Highway 49 in Tuolumne County. It's about one mile up the road. The replica was built in 1922 and again in 2002. The cabin is next to residential homes. I could imagine back in the day, the view must have been awesome! The lot has room for parking. The cabin itself is gated and not accessible. But the door is open and you can peek inside from afar. I couldn't see much because it was dark inside. There are a few information boards on site with historical information. There is not much to look at. I soaked up everything in less than 15 minutes. There are no seating or viewing platforms. From the info boards, I learned that Samuel Clemens happen to be traveling from Virginia City, Nevada, to San Francisco with some friends and stopped here in December 1864. He stayed until the end of February 1865. While there, he wrote "The Celebrated Story of the Jumping Frog of Calaveras County". He got the idea after hearing the story of a jumping frog contest in a saloon in the nearby town of Angels Camp. I goggled this info.. In 1867, he went on to publish that story as the cover story for his book of collective short stories. The book included previously published stories. The book turned out to be a success with rave reviews about the "Jumping Frog". So some may say, his time spent in this area with the colorful townsfolk launched his career.

Unless you are a major Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) fan this is not somewhere you really need to…read morevisit. It's a little over a mile up a residential road that is somewhat steep and very poorly maintained (4wd not required but it's bumpy). The cabin itself is a replica that was built in 1922 and renovated in 2002. The only piece of the original cabin is the stone fireplace and chimney. Even the land around the property has been developed to an unrecognizable state as to when he stayed here. Yes, in this very spot he supposedly wrote "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" but it's more of an idea of what he lived like. There is parking in the lot for about 5-6 cars but even on a weekend you most likely won't see anyone else. You can't get in to the cabin, as there is a fence around it, which seems silly since it's not authentic. It is open sunrise to sunset. There are no seats, tables, or anything to do other than take a quick picture. It's an important footnote in the history of the American West but if you are looking for better preserved structures with historical significance it's better to explore nearby Columbia State Park.

A very Pretty drive out to this cavern Lots of trails to…read morewalkabout around and before the small parking lot with an old yellow fire truck that you can check out too A kids sluice that is pretty cool by the shop and check in for the tour of the cavern. Bathrooms were decent And Faith our tour guide was A+++++++ with her flashlight extra luminescent sight too! Check it out and pack and pick-nick-lunch BooBoo! Get outside

We have drove past this place a million times but just never made time to stop so this year we…read morefinally scheduled a tour. This cavern is fascinating. Our tour guide was Bobbee and she did an amazing job! She was very informative and answered everyone's questions with ease. You could tell she is genuinely interested her job and has spent a lot of time learning about the cavern. We will definitely recommend this tour to all of our friends and family!

This event was a type of searching for spirits, a ghost hunt event. As simple as it was it was also…read morea great experience a bit complex as well but also the environment really made it. The castle itself is historic with some insanely horrific history to it. I'm not going to say much more it's a great experience. The castle does all different types of events throughout the year, they're most popular is the haunt during Halloween season or throughout October. I went one year it was pretty amazing. My family has gone a few times and loved it. Look forward to this year!! Get your tickets quick because it sells out fast.

The Castle never disappoints. It helped that we also had awesome Docents, Francisco and Aaron.read more

3.5 Stars I have to…read morerevisit this place as our first time visit didn't satisfy my curiosity. After reading more about it there was more to this historic place than the old buildings and ruins on Main Street! Hubby and I enjoy visiting ghost towns and seeing ruins. This is a semi ghost town as is the town of Goldfield in Nevada (along U.S. Route 95) with a population of 268. Chinese Camp has a population of 150 on the town sign but 2010 census showed a population of 126 and not a single Chinese person or person of Asian descent for that matter living in town. We walked along Main Street, the part of the street where old unoccupied buildings remain standing. Clearly they look like buildings not fit for living space but many of them say Private Property or No Trespassing so I'm not sure if we were invading people's privacy. We walked up to the State Historical Marker No. 423 located on Highway 120 and read the inscription. The old ruins were fascinating to see (if you're into this stuff). My favorite ghost town thus far was Bodie! Interesting history. It's obvious how the town came by its name as it is estimated as many as five thousand Chinese populated the town at one time. In 1856 a disagreement among Chinese miners ended up in a battle challenge between two local secret Chinese-American societies (these are called tongs). 2,500 Chinese fought using just knives and pitchforks, four were killed before one side retreated. No Chinese person has lived in this city since 1930. This semi ghost town is a remnant of the California Gold Rush mining town and located at the junction of Highway 49 north and Highway 120 west. Review #0596

Mark Twain Bret Harte Trail California Landmark 423…read moreChinese Camp "Reportedly founded about 1849 by group of Englishmen who employed Chinese as miners. Much surface gold found on hills and flats. Headquarters for stage lines in early 1850's, and for several California Chinese Mining Companies. First Chinese Tong War in state fought near here between Sam yap and Yan Woo Tongs. Present stone and brick post office built 1854, still standing. St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church built 1855, restored 1949, First Pastor, Father Henry Aleric."

Amazing and only a short hike! Doable for kids and seniors! You can get so close to the falls and…read morefeel the mist and get pretty wet Rainbow under the falls, I have a feeling this is common here? Happy place!

Yosemite is a tough nut to crack in terms of crowding and cars. We got very, very lucky pulling…read moreinto Bridalveil Falls parking lot and finding parking. (We were not so lucky the next time trying to find a spot for Mirror Lake Trailhead.) I think people have a better chance here to find parking because it is such a short hike and people come, see, leave. So give it a shot! The hike is short and sweet. We were already feeling the mist from the falls as we drew closer to the viewpoint. Then it just became breathtaking. As my son put it "Who knew water just falling off a ledge could be so beautiful?" We were here to experience the height of the water flow. Rainbows were abundant. It is a magical experience.

We visited Mercer Caverns in Murphys for my daughter's 24th birthday and it turned out to be a…read morereally unique experience. We arrived around 10:30 AM and were able to join the 11:00 tour with no problem. The tour lasted about 50 minutes, which felt like the perfect amount of time. Our guide had a bit of a dry sense of humor, but was knowledgeable and kept the group moving at a good pace. The caverns themselves were impressive -- it's amazing to see such a beautiful natural space that has been left mostly undisturbed for thousands of years. The formations are stunning and unlike anything you see above ground. A couple things to be aware of: some of the stairs are steep and can be wet, so you definitely need to watch your footing. There are also a few spots where you have to duck your head. It's not difficult, but you do need to be mindful as you go. The temperature inside stays cool year-round (around the mid-50s), which is nice on a warm day but you may want a light jacket. The entire tour is guided, and you descend about 160 feet underground via metal stairways. It feels adventurous without being overwhelming. Overall, it was a neat, memorable stop and a fun way to celebrate a birthday. If you're in the Murphys area and looking for something different to do, this is definitely worth checking out.

A cool (it actually is cool inside) little spot in Murphys. I've been meaning to check this place…read moreout for years and finally had the chance! A decent size living cave with lots of various calcium deposit formations. Twisting narrow steps that steeply descend into the depths of the cave. The tour takes just under an hour, and is worth the drive, time, and money. :)