Amador County, lies south of Lake Tahoe and north of Yosemite, both of which are beautiful side trips to consider taking during your visit to the area. It is made up of several small communities that first became well-known during the Gold Rush. But before that time, this area was the center of wine culture in California with the Sierra Nevada range making the area a prime location for vineyard growing. Prohibition put a stop to the wine production in the area for many decades, but today Amador County is home to more than 40 thriving wineries. A visit to Amador County is a great chance to try some new wines and to learn about the winemaking process. To entice you further, the area has an abundance of Gold Rush-era historical sites, inventive art galleries and charming turn-of-the-century bed and breakfasts.
Gold in the area was first discovered in nearby El Dorado County in the 1850's. Shortly thereafter, Andrew Kennedy found a claim that became world famous as the Kennedy and turned out to be one of the richest in the Mother Lode. It had extremely deep mine shafts (the deepest reaching down 5,912 feet), and was productive for 50 years. The county developed during this time and buildings rose up reflecting the architectural styles popular in that time were built, many which still stand today. Mining continued in Amador County until 1942, when a Presidential edict closed all of the mines on behalf of the war effort. The county's mines produced over $160 million in gold between the early 1850's and 1942. In recent years, shaft-mining activity has resumed in the area and gold panning activity consistently appeals to hobbyists and professional gold miners.
Today, the real estate in the area has once again become something that individuals want to lay claim to. Due to the excellent growing conditions for vineyards and the rapidly growing wine industry, the real estate in Amador County has become the proverbial gold mine once again.
Lodging: Hotels, Motels, Resorts, Spas and Bed & Breakfasts
Imperial Hotel & Restaurant
Amador City, CA
(209) 267-9172
Mine House Inn
Amador City, Ca
(209) 267-5900
Old Well Motel and Grill
Drytown, CA
(209) 245-6467
Bellotti’s
Sutter Creek
(209) 267-5211
Cafe Via D’Oro:
Sutter Creek
(209) 267-0535
Sutter Creek Coffee Roasting Co.
Sutter Creek
(209) 267-5550
If your visit to Amador County is between the months of mid-March to mid-April, do not miss a trip to Daffodil Hill where over 300,000 daffodils of 300 varieties cover a 4 acre farm in one of the most beautiful, natural carpets you will ever have the opportunity to see. Daffodil Hill is in a beautiful alpine setting at an elevation of over 3,000 feet. With pine trees, an old barn, wagon wheels, and rusting mining equipment and farming tools, it appeals to anyone with a love of nature. Flowers are everywhere, with pea-fowl, chickens, pigeons and lambs making themselves at home.
If you are interested in learning more about the life of a gold miner or have just a curiosity about some of the areas historic mines, consider a visit to either Black Chasm Cavern or the Kennedy Gold Mine.
The Black Chasm Cavern has been designated a National Natural Landmark since 1976 due to its amazing natural beauty as well as it’s geological significance. There are 50-minute cavern tours are available daily from 9am - 5pm from May - October, and from 10am - 4pm November - April. Your tour starts in the Colossal Room, which is decorated with flowstones, stalactites and stalagmites. From there you can see where 70 feet below the naturally occurring, brilliant blue lake sits. Once you arrive in the Landmark Room, you will be able to view thousands of spectacular, white helictites which twist and turn in defiance of gravity, sparkling, crystal covered formations and beautiful draperies and flowstones.
The Kennedy Gold Mine has gone through recent renovations and now visitors can see the 125-foot high metal head frame, tour several mining buildings, and learn the history of the Kennedy Mine. The Mine tours are guided by volunteers who take visitors up and down the hills on the property. You’ll want to take a pair of comfortable walking or hiking shoes as you take in the surrounding scenary and imagine how it would have felt to live there 150 years ago when it was discovered and became known for its extremely rich vein of gold. .
The Kirkwood area and Ski Resort offers Northern California's highest base elevation for some of North America's deepest, driest snow. A diverse 2,300 acres of wide-open terrain promises something for everyone, including a freestyle terrain park, half-pipe, snowboard center, cross country skiing, horse drawn sleigh rides and more. The resort offers innovative learn-to-ski and snowboard programs and the Mountain Village offers slope-side accommodations. The summer season in Kirkwood offers a variety of activities such as mountain biking, horseback riding, a rock climbing wall and nature hiking within the valley.
