Feather River Canyon Gold

The American River became world famous in 1848 after word spread of the discovery of gold at Coloma. However, it was just one of many rivers that drop out of the Sierra Nevada, Cascade and Klamath ranges where gold was found.

A strike by California pioneer John Bidwell on July 4, 1848 on a bar along the middle fork of the Feather River made him over $1 million richer (in today’s dollars), giving Bidwell another reason to celebrate on that Independence Day. News of his strike thereafter attracted thousands for “easy pickin’s” along the Feather, late into the 1800s.

Soon, miners were exploring the Feather River Canyon from Chico to Chester, often establishing short-lived towns along the way. Similar boom and bust stories happened over all of northern and eastern California.

Today, many of the gold rush towns the miners established remain as small resorts, remote mountain communities and surviving relics of the era.

Shelley Hunter, owner of the Quincy Feather Bed Inn – a peaceful retreat canopied by beauty in autumn, responded to a call we’d made asking for photographs of her area of Plumas County (Northern Sierra) with images of Just Starting bigleaf maple and black oak.

Feather River Canyon fall color is still two weeks away from Near Peak, though individual specimens and Indian Rhubarb along the upper banks of the Feather River are Near Peak.

She also sent views of Belden (CA-70), the Twain Store and RV Park with its collection of gold rush themed structures and the Feather River Canyon, whose gold discoveries brought thousands to this northern corner of the Sierra in the 1800s.

Along the Upper Fall River, Martha Fletcher found ornamental trees providing color at Spinner Fall Lodge, evidence that, even in the woods, exotic plants find our Mediterranean climate inviting.

Elsewhere in the Shasta Cascade, Indian Rhubarb, darmera, are turning orange red beside the Trinity River. 

 

 

 

 

Quincy (3,432′) – Just Starting (0-10%)

Belden (2,221′) – Just Starting (0-10%)

Twain (2,858′) – Just Starting (0-10%)

Feather River Canyon – Just Starting (0-10%)

Fall River – Just Starting (0-10%)