49er Fun

A Living History Camp Out For 4th Graders!!

When you combine the California Gold Rush, 4th graders and a Christian Camp, the results are incredible!

Join us for 4th grade fun, 49er style. History comes alive as your class takes an unforgettable adventure to 1854 with characters from the Gold Rush. Pan for gold in the South Fork of the American river with a miner of the era. Follow an Indian woman to learn her native ways, and play with foreign settlers as they challenge you to games from their homelands, teach you to make rope, or help you grow closer to God through stories and quiet times in the middle of God's creation. On our overnight programs we'll gather around the campfire for singing, dancing and worship before bedding down for the night. You never know just who you might meet in 1854.

Claim Location: Coloma, California

Trip Options: We offer four trip options to create the best possible trip for you and your school:

One Day: The Greenhorn

One Night: The Mother Lode | The Prospector

Two Night: The Double Jack

Recommendations: See what other Teachers have to say about 49er Fun!

The Mother Lode: A 27 hour, one night classic 49er campout for $85/person. With The Mother Lode you will explore restored gold mines, visit Sutter’s Mill at Marshall Park, pan for gold, make rope, sing, dance, and do so much more. Start dates are Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays April through May with you arriving at 11 AM and departing the next day at 2:30 PM. Note: Please understand that Marshall Park is no longer a stable resource. We will let you know if it is unavailable for your selected dates and your trip will be either moved to a different date or switched to The Prospector.

The Prospector: A 26 hour one night adventure that starts off like The Mother Lode, but instead of visiting Marshall Park in Coloma, we head back to our claim for more in-depth exploration and hands on fun. This trip was created as a result of Marshall park reducing it’s capacity due to state park budget cuts. But many of those schools who were ‘forced’ into this option in 2010 came away actually preferring it over The Mother Lode. They said students and parents were able to spend more time in camp, feel less rushed, and were able to do more hands on activities. $85/person. Start dates are Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays April through May with you arriving at 11 AM and departing the next day at 1:30 PM. Note: You may be able to get a school reservation to visit Marshall Park on your way home or allow your drives to stop by at their own will as individuals after the trip.

The Double Jack: A two day, two night adventure that starts with The Mother Lode and then adds in so much extra fun and hands on activities that we had to add a second night of campfire fun to make it all fit. This trip is for those schools who leave each year wishing they could stay for more 1854 fun! $140/person. Start dates are Wednesdays April through May with you arriving at 11 AM and departing two days later at 9:30 AM.

The Greenhorn: A one day gold rush adventure for $43/person. This is a one time option available to schools that have never been on a 49er Fun trip with us in the past. We fill the day with small samples of the above trips to give new schools a taste for what the longer trips are like. One day trips are offered on Mondays April through May with you arriving at 9:30 AM and departing at 4 PM.

Have 3rd Graders? Try our Maidu Indian Discovery field trip for third graders and combo 3rd & 4th grade classes..