Mountain Ranch

Mountain Ranch is a very small town but here you will find the first cave in California to be opened to the public for guided tours California Caverns. It opened in 1850 and was known as "Mammoth Cave." For more information visit our Caverns and Spelunking in the Mother Lode page in the destination guide.

The elevation is 560 feet above sea level with a population of 55 individuals. It is 58 miles to Sacramento 36 to Stocton and a three hour drive to the bay area. To get to Mountain Ranch take Mountain Ranch Road east out of San Andreas. Even Further out is the town of Rail Road Flat. Our Map of Mountain Ranch

History of Mountain Ranch

Some tertiary gravel was located in Mountain Ranch during the days of the gold rush and there were some very rich small spots of gold quartz veins that have been worked on as well. For more about other gold finds see the rock hounding section in the recreation guide.

Historical marker number 956 states: The historical significance of California Caverns is well established as a major cavern system and as one of the earliest officially recorded caves (1850) in the Mother Lode region of California. The early commercial enterprise associated with California Caverns is evidenced by the historical documents verifying organized tourist activities as early as 1854. Although one of numerous caves in the Mother Lode region, California Caverns claims the distinction of having the most extensive system of caverns and passageways.