Gold and Antiques: California SR 49

Locals and historians call California SR 49 the Golden Chain Highway. It runs north to south and is in the middle of the state on the western side of the Sierra. Touring it is another excuse to see the area around Yosemite National Park.

Technically, SR 49 starts in the small town of Oakhurst, about 14 miles south of the southern entrance to the park. The area is sparsely populated and, even in the peak tourist season, not many people take this route because it doesn’t lead to the Yosemite gate.

Yet, SR 49 goes through some of the Sierra’s greatest sights. It was built and developed for connecting the old gold mining towns that dot the foothills of the western Sierra.

The road was practically built for tourism and history buffs, which in itself makes it unique. Although it runs concurrently with other state highways, there are things on SR 49 that you just can’t see anywhere else in California.