Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park

Overview

Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park, a forested 3,000-acre park, is the site of California's largest hydraulic gold mine. Visitors can see huge cliffs carved by mighty streams of water, results of the gold-mining technique of washing away entire mountains to find the precious metal. Legal battles between mine owners and downstream farmers ended this method. The park also contains a 7,847-foot bedrock tunnel that serves as a drain. The visitor center has exhibits on life in the old mining town of North Bloomfield.