Venturesome guests can also ride into the mine in an authentic 1898 mine car.

At the Smith Ranch Julian Train Ride & Gold Mine, guests can embark on a one-mile roundtrip train ride in an 18-inch narrow gauge gold mining train, explore an 1870 gold mine (keep an eye out for quartz veins with flecks of gold) and pan for gold.

Passing through an intricate path of tunnels, guests learn tales of the arduous life of gold miners and the early residents of Julian they can also go gold panning and visit the adjacent museum.

The historic Eagle and High Peak Gold Mines, located high atop downtown Julian on C Street, offer one-hour, guided walking tours of two of Julian's original gold mines.

Today, guests can explore Julian's Gold Rush past at four area gold mines and the Julian Pioneer Museum, as well as on historic walking tours and much more. Julian grew to become San Diego County's second largest town, and the Gold Rush lasted for about 30 years, producing almost $2 million in gold (worth about $150 million today). Julian's first gold producing mine, the Washington Mine, was discovered in 1870 and within days over 40 other claims were registered.

This sparked San Diego County's first and only gold rush, and within a few weeks over 800 prospectors from around the country flocked to Julian in search of gold.

In the winter of 1869, former slave and cattleman Fred Coleman discovered gold in a creek outside of town. Among these veterans were cousins Drury Bailey and Mike Julian, who found the lush meadow between Volcan Mountain and the Cuyamacas to their liking.

The historic town of Julian, located in the picturesque Cuyamaca Mountains, was founded after the Civil War when displaced Confederate veterans from Georgia headed West to seek their fortunes in this new, mostly unsettled land. Visitors can experience this exciting chapter of San Diego's pastoral past at various historic sites and towns throughout East County, as well as at community events that celebrate the western days of yesteryear. San Diego's East County conjures up images of the Wild West when cowboys, pioneers and prospectors set their sights on this vast inviting frontier with its quaint rural towns nestled amongst rolling hills, alpine mountains and desolate desert expanse.

Outlaws of the old west train station