Twain Harte sits about 140 miles east of San Francisco. The name comes from the combination of two well-known area writers, Mark Twain and Bret Harte. Originally just a lodge, the town has been a tourist center since the 1920s. Tall pine trees and log buildings greet tourists to the small village where visitors often stay overnight and then take excursions to explore the area’s mountain scenery, gold rush towns and museums.
The Sierras
- The Sierra Nevada Mountains rise to form the backbone of central California, and Twain Harte sits near some of the most magnificent mountain scenery in North America. California Highway 108 passes through Twain Harte on its way to Sonora Pass, California’s second highest pass at 9,624 feet. The road climbs through national forest to almost 6,000 feet in less than 50 miles. Several trails traverse the highway, including the well-known Pacific Crest Trail. Scenic lookouts offer panoramic views of the mountains, often with a lake in the foreground. Near the summit, a short trail takes visitors to the Columns of the Giants, a basalt rock formation. Winter activities include skiing and snowshoe hiking. Visitors can also tour Yosemite National Park, about a two-hour drive southeast of Twain Harte through foothills and mountains. Yosemite Valley features waterfalls and granite treeless mountains or “domes.” Half Dome, a famous rock formation in the area, rises to more than 8,800 feet.
Columbia State Historic Park
- The Mother Lode, a gold-bearing ridge of rock that extends for 120 miles along the Sierra’s western edge, passes through the Twain Harte area. Thousands of miners invaded the state during the 1850s in search of their fortune. Less than 15 miles from Twain Harte, Columbia State Historic Park preserves a piece of the gold rush era. Founded in 1850, Columbia grew rapidly and just two years later boasted more than 150 businesses. Although much smaller today, visitors may stroll the central business district that features museums, shops, restaurants and saloons. Proprietors in period dress demonstrate 1850s era activities such as heating metal in a blacksmith shop. Visitors can also ride in a 100-year-old stagecoach or pan for gold in a local stream.
Exploring Sonora and Other Small Towns
- Just 12 miles west of Twain Harte, Sonora beckons visitors to its main street lined with 19th century buildings housing restaurants and shops. At one end, the Veterans Memorial Hall and Military Museum honors veterans with exhibits and relics from World War I to the present day. Nearby, the Tuolumne County Museum contains thousands of photographs from early life in Sonora, as well as clothing and household artifacts. An 1850 hand-pumper fire engine is on display at the Sonora Fire Museum along with memorabilia from early volunteer firefighters. In Prospector Park, visitors can see a display that shows early mining techniques. Other nearby towns feature antique shops and festivals. At Angel’s Camp, visitors can cheer for their favorite frog at the annual frog-jumping contest. The Ironstone Vineyards in Murphys feature not only fine wines but the world’s largest gold leaf specimen.
Jamestown – An Old Railway Town
- Jamestown lies about 15 miles southwest of Twain Harte and is where the railroad first came to the area in 1897. The train transported quartz from local mines to markets farther west. The Railtown 1897 State Historic Park preserves the railway. The maintenance facility, or “roundhouse,” is where steam engines are repaired, and is still in operation today much as it was more than 100 years ago. Visitors may tour the facility. Enthusiasts can also take a 6-mile train ride pulled by a steam engine through hilly countryside. Numerous movies and television scenes have been shot at the park, including “The Virginian,” “Death Valley Days” and “Petticoat Junction.”
