Day hiker: 4 cities, 4 counties – urban hiking on Highway 49

To celebrate the holidays by shopping local, I took a tour of four cities in four counties on Highway 49. I played tourist in my own backyard in Nevada City, Auburn, Placerville and Jackson. Urban hiking can be a good workout as well as educational and entertaining. Starting in Nevada City, I walked historic Broad Street. I have so many memories of walking the sidewalks with friends, coffee shops open late with big windows looking out onto the street, performing in a Christmas Story at the historic Nevada Theatre and shopping at the many great shops during the holidays. The pocket parks feature artifacts from Nevada City's rich mining history. Making my way south on Highway 49, I parked at the courthouse in Auburn and began the walking tour. Living and working in Auburn, it's hard not to take our history for granted. You can take this guided tour Saturdays at 10 a.m., meeting inside the courthouse at the museum. Learn about the women's jail built under the steps. Placerville was my next stop on Highway 49. Old Hangtown has a thriving downtown. Lots of antique shops to browse, restaurants, candy shops and tasting rooms, too. My Highway 49 trail continued out to Amador County and the town of Jackson. The big band music that plays from speakers on Main Street must be courtesy of the local AM radio station. If you enjoy antiquing, you will love this Main Street. You may even find the perfect gift for your favorite hiker. Back at home, I found I had put in more than 13,000 steps on my urban hike. Without a set destination or specific plan, I could wander, following wherever my curiosity took me. Mary West is author of the book series Day Hiker – Gold Country Trail Guide I, II and III (2nd edition available on Amazon). The books are a collection of the Day Hiker columns where West shares her longtime love of the outdoors, favorite hikes in Northern California's Gold Country and beyond. West was the recipient of the 2017 and 2019 CRAFT Award for Best Outdoor Column and the 2020 Craft Award for her second book in the series – Day Hiker Gold Country Trail Guide by the Outdoor Writers of California. You can follow West on Facebook and Instagram.