A 576-acre state park that fills most of the Coloma valley, preserving the site where the Gold Rush started. The main loop covers a working replica of Sutter's Mill, the discovery site on the river, the Gold Discovery Museum with original Marshall and Sutter artifacts, a Chinese store, a one-room schoolhouse and the Marshall Monument on the hillside above town.
You can pan for gold (small fee for equipment), watch blacksmith demonstrations, and walk the river trails. The visitor center has the orientation film. Plan on three to four hours for a full visit; less if you skip the museum. Open daily, parking fee applies.