The capital of California, Sacramento, is situated in the flatlands within the Central Valley, and was originally founded by John Sutter in the year 1839. For ten long years, John Sutter worked hard to turn this city into a center of bustling trade and cattle ranches, only to be overcome by the discovery of gold in a sawmill in the year 1848. All his workers quit their jobs to go gold hunting, and thousands of visitors flocked here, without paying any attention to the claims of Sutter to the land. Sacramento thus became the prime area for miners, and has remained the main western headquarters of the transcontinental railroad since then. Smart office towers and glitzy hotel complexes have sprung up from Sacramento rather plebeian background, reviving the flat network of canopied, tree-lined avenues, and going a long way in transforming the otherwise boisterous, free-spirited past of the citys Gold Rush era.

Previously, Sacramento was not particularly conspicuous on most backpackers itineraries. There was not a great deal to see, although the historic warehouses, stores, wharves and saloons of Old Sacramento that lie along the riverside have been renovated and turned into restaurants and shops for tourists. But over the years, more and more backpackers have been drawn towards this charming city of California. Sacramento has now become one of the hottest backpacking destinations that California has to offer. What with its gilded history of the Gold Rush, and its charming museums and elegant architectural monuments!

If you are planning on going backpacking in Sacramento, there are many areas for you to visit, and places for you to stay in at very affordable rates! Cheap lodging and accommodation is widely available in Sacramento, so it should not prove to be a problem to find one to suit your needs. As for the places to visit, on the northern side of the old town lies the California State Railroad Museum, which has a wide range of luxuriantly restored 19th century locomotives, with their bulbous smokestacks and their cow catcher front grilles. The old freight depot and passenger station that lie a block south of Front Street is now the summer depot for a renovated Central Pacific Railroad steam train, which makes a 7-mile, 45-minute trip around the river.

If you go further east, the State Capitol Dome stands proudly in a green park, a few blocks south of K Street Mall. Freshly restored to its former glory, it is still the seat of the state government. The opulent building brims over with elaborately crafted details. Although you can walk around freely, you will get to see a lot more if you sign up for a free hourly tour. The Sutter Fort State Historic Park, which is on the eastern side of the town, is a perfect illustration of the original settlements in Sacramento, dating back to the early 19th century. There is an adobe house that showcases relics from the days of the Gold Rush, and on weekends in the summers, volunteers get dressed and act out scenes from this period.

With its Giant Ponderosa Pine trees that alternate with charming patches of wildflowers along the shorelines of Catfish and Pinecrest lakes, Sacramento will surely be worth your backpacking experience. For all those new-age backpacking aficionados, the city has an infusion of high-end, popular nightclubs, breweries and restaurants. With its eclectic blend of old world and new world charm, who would not want to go backpacking in lovely Sacramento?