Nestled next to Clear Creek, French Gulch Park is at the end of town. The park is a day use area. You may picnic, play horseshoes, or stop and put your feet in the creek. You might even find a spec of gold! Dogs are welcome; just remember to bring their leash. French Gulch is a historic mining town located 12 miles west of Redding, California on State Route 299.
The town was settled by French gold miners in 1849. It is listed in the national Register of Historic Places as a historic district. The district consists of 1,800 acres and 9 buildings, including the French Gulch Hotel, Franck's Store, and the odd Fellows Hall. In its mining heyday, French Gulch had four saloons, two hotels, two mercantile shops, an assayers office, livery stables, blacksmith shops, and a post office. It was one of California's famous gold mining districts. The Washington Mine was the first quartz mine worked in Shasta County. From 1900 to 1914, approximately $300,000-$500,000 of gold was mined each year.
