Local Information, Our Reccommendation for Restaurants, Activities & more plus Travel Tips!

Foresthill, California is located in the foothills of the beautiful Sierra Nevadas. Foresthill is in Placer County and about 50 miles northeast of Sacramento (roughly in-between Placerville and Grass Valley along Interstate 80.) This small town of about 6000, is located on a ridge between the North and Middle forks of the American River and was once the center of a rich gold mining area. Foresthill is positioned 38.99 degrees north of the equator and 120.83 degrees west of the prime meridian.

For many years, mining was a major focus on the divide--placer mining quickly gave way here to hydraulic mining (Hydraulic mining is done with giant hoses that spray high pressure water which washes the dirt away to reveal any gold) and later, drift mining. Some of Placer County's most productive drift mines were located here. Among these were the Jennie Lind, the Hidden Treasure, the Mountain Gate, the Dardanelles, the Jamison, the Paragon, the Sunny South, the Rainbow and the North Star.

Today, the town of Foresthill has a quieter tone, with many residents commuting as far away as Sacramento to work. There are quite a few small businesses located in Foresthill including Grant's Hardware headquartered in Foresthill.

When visiting Foresthill, take time to tour our historic Main Street. On your way up to Foresthill, things to look for include the grave of Old Joe, a stagecoach horse (a great story there with a personal twist for the webmasters), also watch for the remains of Butcher Ranch and Grizzly Bear House. Yankee Jim's Road is an extremely scenic drive as well going over the north fork of the American River.

Foresthill boasts four restaurants and an Espresso shop for those in need of sustenance. Also available is the deli at Worton's Market, a small but well-stocked store at the south-end of town. In nearby Auburn you'll find sushi, good Italian, micro brewery's, wine tasting, and other fine dining.