This California Road Trip Passes Gold Rush-era Towns, Gorgeous Landscapes, and One of America’s Most Iconic National Parks

This California Road Trip Passes Gold Rush-era Towns, Gorgeous Landscapes, and One of America’s Most Iconic National Parks

Here are the scenic stops to make along the way.An aerial view of a road curving through a dense forest near Yosemite.Credit: Zeyu Wang/Getty ImagesIn the 1840s, pioneer John Sutter hired James Marshall to build a sawmill in the Sacramento Valley of northern California. While inspecting the mill, Marshall noticed shiny gold flakes in the water, collected them, and began showing his find to others. The discovery triggered a mass migration and lau…