Hangtown Gold Bug Park

Very cool! Loved it - a not to miss historical local!! So much history to learn and photo opportunities galore!

Such a cool stop!We were in hangtown with time to kill and my sweet husband knows I dig this kinda stuff.Entrance is free. It is a really nice park for a picnic and a little hiking. Very peaceful. The littles can pan for gems and though we didn't do it this time the mine tour looks like something I am coming back to do. I think it was 12$. The gift shop was nifty. I purchased 2 smoky quartz, an aquamarine and a rose quartz. Bring lunch, play with rocks, learn some stuff, explore. A good outing for anybody really!

Cool spot with a little self guided cave tour, gem mining, a stamp mill and lots of little hiking trails. The staff were really friendly and the kids had a great time.

Definitely not worth the money whatsoever. Lady at the front desk claims the tour is "15 minutes" when my girlfriend and I went through the entire cave in less than 3 minutes. We got a smartphone to do the tour with and it ended before we even got out. Would get a refund if I could. Borderline scam :(

We accidently stumbled across this adventure! We had a great time with Carter at the Blacksmith. Then we went on the guided tour thru the Gold Mine each person is given a device with the number guided tour it was very informative and saves someone's voice. We then tried our hand at panning for gold! A little hiking but worth it! Everyone was great working there. We went weekday and enjoyed the coolness of the cave on a hot day. Wish that we had gotten there earlier but enjoyed the time we had.

Take a walk into Gold Rush History this summer. We decided to check this place out since we have seen the sign for years and sure glad we did. The Gold Bug Park and Mine offers an exploration tour in the Mine with a audio guide and the Mine was so nice and cool inside. The cost is $10 a person and the people running the place were very friendly. The Gold Bug Park and Mine is listed on the National register of Historical places and as a California State Point of Historic Interest. You can enjoy hiking trails then relax at the shaded picnic areas and enjoy a picnic lunch. After lunch you can do some Gem panning in the troughs and fine some wonderful treasures. They also have a Mining museum to view the colorful mineral collections. Also, don't forget to checkout the Stamp Mill and watch an Blacksmith make some works of art. Enjoy and get out this summer and maybe you may find some Gold.

Nice set up. Easy to walk mine tour that is self guided. $12.00 for adults. Then there is the stamp mill and blacksmith shop ( no additional fee). Very well maintained property, with nice walking trails. Beautiful pavilion for picnics.

Gold Bug Park is a local, wonderful little slice of history for families. The self-guided gold mine tour is perfect: not too long, not too short, and just the right amount of detail. The nearby blacksmith and press workshop are also fantastic, and the staff at these two locations are excellent and knowledgeable. Fascinating (and slightly depressing) histories regarding the workplace environments during the Gold Rush and beyond. Again, just the right amount of detail for young families. A few short walking paths and picnic benches complete the area. Free parking, ample picnic benches, and a cute but overpriced panning for rocks out front of the main area.

So first, avoid the rush and get there in the morning or late morning. By early afternoon - it gets crowded for panning and the mine tours.Anyone over 5'6 or so will need a hard hat that they provide when on the mine tour ($10 per adult and $6 for kids). Pay upstairs. No $100 bills.Runs about 30 minutes and is just an audio tour.The gem panning is neat and costs $2 an hour or so. Pay at gift shop.The blacksmith is up the road. Drive there unless you want to hike in the heat. It's rather interesting seeing the presses and the stamps and he's very knowledgeable.Cute place for the summer, and interesting to go for a few hours of history.There is also a covered picnic area, and a separate restroom facility. All in all, great time... but if traveling from the Bay area, be cautious of the traffic around UC Davis.

Got here late in the day with the family and didn't have enough time to see all the demonstrations or fully explore.The mine tour was great to see a mine up close and the blacksmith demonstration was interesting as well. We didn't have enough time to see the stamp mill or do the gem panning. We're going to have to visit again some day as the kids had a lot of fun.