1. 80 east past Sacramento (coming into Sacramento, make sure to follow the signs towards Reno - otherwise you'll veer off on the 50), about 30-40 minutes past Sacramento.

2. You'll exit on 49 off the 80 (at Auburn) and take a left at the end of the off-ramp and go thru a bunch of lights towards Grass Valley. MAKE SURE YOU EXIT IN AUBURN! IT WILL SAY HWY 49 TO NEVADA CITY, GRASS VALLEY, PLACERVILLE. At the end of the off-ramp there is a light. Take a left and continue through the stop lights of Auburn.

3. You'll pass thru Grass Valley then Nevada City. At Nevada City you'll see a turn-off for Downieville. Turn left onto this road (it's still considered Hwy 49).

4. Now follow the windy, lonely Hwy 49 to Downieville (it's 45 miles). There is a gas station in North San Juan about 10 miles into the trip but it's not always open late so make sure you have enough gas to go 45 miles. After many miles of windy road you'll come down a hill and see DOWNIEVILLE.


5. In Downieville take a right in the center of town (the big red brick building) and cross a bridge and continue on Hwy 49 towards Sierra City (12 miles) up the road.

6. After Sierra City you'll see a brown sign that says "Kentucky Mining Museum" - after this, count two yellow signs and

7. Take a right at the second one (Lewis Road). Go down the hill and the house is the first one on your left. It's a two story brown house with a fence around it. (If you pass a sign saying "Pacific Coast Trail" on Hwy 49 you've just missed the turn. If you see Bassett's Station, you've gone about 5 miles too far!)

Sierra City address:
212 Forty-Niner
(corner of Lewis and Forty Niner).