Nevada City Road - 1850
By 1850, news of gold at Deer Creek Dry Diggins had reached the eastern part of the United States and became known to many seekers of gold and land before they started west. Those who came took the shortest route possible to this newly discovered bonanza. The new trail left the older Truckee Trail in Bear Valley and then climbed the ridge to the west and generally followed the top of Washington Ridge westward into Nevada City. The older trail from Steep Hollow on the Truckee Trail into Nevada City was practically abandoned.
Soon after the original trail was pioneered, it became a busy toll road between Nevada City and Bear Valley.
In 1859, it became a public road but was still known as “the emigrant road to Nevada City.”
The trail divided about seven miles east of Nevada City. Both routes led to Nevada City.
Improvements were made as the route progressed from an emigrant trail to a toll road, public road, county road, and finally to state highway CA20.