Recreational Activities | Entertainment Leisure Activities | Food & Wine | Educational Return to Main Special Activity Planning Page Bicycling: There's much to be said for touring The Gold Country on a bike. From the wildflowers of spring blanketing the hills in a riot of color, to the clean, crisp air and brilliant foliage of autumn, bicyclists can see the best of all seasons. Follow a scenic country road that meanders through old pastureland, historic towns, and the wine country, or test your skills as you travel off road through switchbacks and steep terrain. Whatever your age or skill level, The Gold Country's diverse landscape offers both on and off-road bicyclists a variety of experiences. Camping: As one of the most popular camping destinations in California, the Gold Country offers a wide range of choices for the avid lover of the open air. Whether you follow the Emigrant Pass into the High Sierras, or pitch your tent along the South Fork of the Tuolumne River, the startling beauty of the night sky will astound you. If you are looking for a complete escape into the wilderness or a camping site with all the modern conveniences, The Gold Country boasts some of the most beautiful and diverse areas in California. Yosemite Valley, Calaveras Big Trees, Kennedy Meadows, Bear Valley, these are just a few of the places that have been preserved and set aside for generations of visitors to enjoy. Cave Spelunking: Hidden under the gentle rolling hills of The Gold Country, protected from the summer sun and winter's blast, are hundreds of limestone caverns. Follow the footsteps of past cave spelunkers as you traverse through the underground labyrinths, fresh water lakes, and crystalline chambers of some of the largest natural caves in North America. For an even more adventurous tour, suit up and follow a professional guide as you rappel down through vast caverns and crawl through hidden passages, exploring areas that are only accessible to a privileged few. Competitive Shooting: Although the gold rush towns no longer teem with pistol-packing cowboys and spontaneous gunfights, you can still test your shooting skills at one of the many sports clubs in the area. A wonderful activity for novices and experts alike, competitive shooting is a fun and exciting way to spend an afternoon, and offers a variety of choices including skeet-shooting, target practice, and timed trials. Fishing: The Gold Country offers some of the most beautiful and abundant fishing spots in all of California. The Stanislaus National Forest alone offers eighteen species of fish in over 800 miles of rivers and streams. Take your tackle to a hidden alpine lake, or stand along a remote mountain stream where the trout seem to jump out of the water. For the truly hardy, horseback fishing guides are available. Whether you are looking for the solitude of fly fishing, or wish to try for a 12-pound bass from a speedboat on the waters of a reservoir, the Gold Country is the ideal place for anyone who loves fishing. Golf: The scenic Gold Country of California offers a variety of golf courses providing a friendly, uncrowded and relaxing golfing experience-the way golf should be. The courses are beautiful, challenging, and feature classic layout designs based on the World-Class courses of Pebble Beach. They offer rolling hills, mature oaks, and vivid contrasts between lush greens and natural foothill landscaping, with scenic views of snow-capped peaks in the distance. The only problem you'll have with your game is keeping your eye on the ball. Hiking: Offering some of the most scenic and challenging trails in North America, The Gold Country has always been a top destination for hikers and nature-lovers from around the world. Traverse through the High Sierras on a high-altitude backpacking trip, or take a leisurely hike through the Mother Lode foothills. With an extensive network of trails that crisscrossing the area and covering hundreds of miles, The Gold Country is the ideal place to put on your hiking boots and head for the hills. Horseback Riding: There is no better way to see The Gold Country then on horseback. Following the same trails as the original settlers, you'll take a step back in time to The Old Wild West, and experience the area as it would have been nearly two hundred years ago. On a guided or self-guided tour, travel over some of the most beautiful and unspoiled land in California. Snow-capped mountains, grassy meadows, and winding rivers, show clearly why this area is considered so precious by all those who visit it. Kayaking: Light weight, easy to use, and accessible almost everywhere, kayaking has become one of the most popular activities the Gold Country has to offer. There is a kayak suitable for every age and level of ability. Strap one to the top of your car and you are ready to go. Whether on a placid alpine lake, with hidden coves covered in water lilies, or a more spine-tingling experience of a swift river with whitewater rapids,; kayaks are the ideal way to see some of nature's most splendid displays of beauty, and access areas that would otherwise remain unreachable. Paddle yourself through some of the most scenic and hidden spots in the Mother Lode, and learn what is truly magical about the Golden State. Rock Climbing: With elevations soaring up to twelve thousand feet, cascading granite cliffs, and sheer rock faces, the Gold Country has always been a top destination for rock climbing enthusiasts. Whether you want to scale Half Dome in Yosemite or rappel 150 feet down into Moaning Caverns, the diverse landscape and formations of the area lends itself to countless climbing opportunities. Whatever your experience level or age, rock climbing is a fun and accessible sport, available to everyone that visits the Mother Lode. Skiing: As a world-class winter sports area featuring extensive terrain for every level of ability, the Gold Country offers a variety of destinations for the skiing and snowboarding enthusiast. In the unspoiled country of the Sierra Nevada, vacationers have their pick of ski resorts and facilities to choose from, all of which are situated in some of the most beautiful and pristine areas remaining in California. Whatever your winter pleasure, The Gold Country has numerous ski resorts featuring championship downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross-country and telemark skiing. Water Sports: Whether your dream vacation consists of a leisurely weekend aboard a luxury houseboat, Three days of hard-core water skiing and wakeboarding, quiet early morning fishing excursions, or flat-water or river kayaking, you can realize that dream in The Gold Country. From lovely foothill and pristine high Sierra lakes to meandering creeks and powerful rivers, whatever your preference, you will find it here in the Mother Lode. Winter Activities: As the hub for specialized winter activities such as backcountry touring, snowshoeing, sledding, and snowmobiling, The Gold Country provides a fun and exciting way to see the snow-covered Sierras. Take advantage of the location and the beautiful surroundings as you set off on a back country experience, touring the high country in a new and exciting way. Leave the ski lifts and groomed trails behind, and explore areas that are not accessible to the average visitor. White Water Rafting: One of the most popular activities in The Gold Country, white water rafting is a sport that has always maintained a broad appeal. Unlike other extreme sports, rafting is accessible to almost everybody-whitewater enthusiasts, families with young children, seniors, even those who don't consider themselves the "outdoorsy" type. That's because rafting can range from gentle floating on a calm river to challenging class V waves and drops on a high-intensity whitewater trip. No matter what your age or skill level, this is an unforgettable way to experience California.