School and Group Information

Group Reservations and School Field Trips

The historical and natural resources of State Parks are for all people to appreciate and enjoy. More than 300,000 people visit Coloma each year, and they subject the park's resources to intensive use.  To protect the park's resources for future generations, and to ensure a quality educational experience for all of our visitors, Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park has a daily specific limited carrying capacity. Reservations are necessary to guarantee space.

Please take time to teach your students the importance of protecting the park's fragile resources and preserving them for future generations.

Guidelines

The following guidelines are of special importance:

• In order to guarantee access to the park, groups of more than 10 people need to have a confirmed reservation. This includes commercial and school groups. Reservations can be made by calling Reserve California at 866.240.4655. Commerical groups will be required to pay the bus fee upon arrival at the museum. School groups with a reservation through Reserve California do not pay day use fees. Groups not associated with a school group will pay the individual per vehicle day use fee. When you arrive at the park, please give your printed reservation confirmation sheet to park staff. Groups without reservations may be turned away if they arrive at the park when it is at capacity. (CCR 4326)

  • 2023-24 school season. Reserve California will begin taking reservations from commercial group operators at 8 a.m. PST on September 6, 2023. Reserve California will begin taking reservations for school groups at 8 a.m. PST on September 16, 2023.



• All students should wear a name tag identifying their school or tour company's name.

• The suggested ratio of chaperones is one adult for every ten students.

• With confirmed reservations, the park waives day-use fees for public and private school groups, K – 12. Commercial companies bringing school groups pay a commercial park use fee. Other large groups pay the per vehicle day use fee.

• Arrange for your field trip well in advance. If possible, consider your trip for the fall because of heavy school use in the spring.

Junior Ranger Program

Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park offers a Junior Ranger Program to school groups and visitors alike.

If you are a teacher and would like to participate please click on the link below to download and print copies of the booklet. Use it just in the classroom, or print copies for students to bring on their visit to the park.

Visitors who would like to explore the park using the Junior Ranger booklet can obtain a copy at the museum at no charge. After completion of the activities, your child will be sworn in as a Junior Ranger. If interested, you may purchase a Junior Ranger patch at the mercantile for $2.00.

For more information on the Junior Ranger Program, please contact Susan Okey at susan.okey@parks.ca.gov or (530) 622-3069

Download a PDF version of the Junior Ranger Booklet


 

juniorrangerbadge

 

School and Group Lunches

Group lunches are offered at the Argonaut park concessionaire by reservation only. 

Contact:
The Argonaut
331 Highway 49
PO Box 403
Coloma, Ca  95613
530-626-7345
 
Daniella Faieta
530-621-2267 x304
Daniella@argonautcafe.com

Bus Information

  • The bus drop off area is located near to the museum on Back St. This drop off area is a loading zone only! All buses will need to park in the North Beach parking lot. This loading zone can also be used for student pick up when leaving the park.
  • Upon arrival, please bring your reservation confirmation and check in with the park museum. Schedules for orientations and programs are carefully planned. Being more than one hour late without prior notification may seriously inconvenience your group, and access may be denied if the park is at capacity.
  • All buses must park in the North Beach parking lot. There is a Loading Zone near the museum located on Back St. This area can be used for student drop off on arrival and pick up when leaving. Please see our park map for location.
  • To cancel a reservation: Please call ReserveCalifornia 866-240-4655 as soon as possible to make space available for other groups and students. If you must cancel a reservation on your day of visit, or arrive more than one hour late, please call the park at (530) 622-3470. Failure to cancel reservations may affect your ability to make future reservations.

Bus Unloading Area

Bus Unloading

Park Rules

All students should wear a name tag identifying their school or tour company's name.

•The Gold Discovery Museum is also visited by people not on a field trip. Please be respectful. Inside students must use quiet voices to hear the sounds and story of the impact of the gold rush on people. Do not touch exhibits or historic artifacts, unless specifically labeled to do so.

•Do not bring food, (including chewing gum) or drinks into the park's museum or exhibit rooms. Running and horseplay are prohibited inside buildings and near historic structures and exhibits.

• Please teach students to respect our natural and cultural resources.  Students and groups are not allowed in the area of the Indian Grinding Rock without an adult leader present and should NOT walk or play on the grinding rock. We prohibit picnicking on the rock. Please no climbing or playing on our Grinding Rock or other park exhibits, trees, monuments, wagons,or fences.

• Do not pick flowers or plants or disturb wildlife or any living thing. 

• On trails, everyone must stay on established pathways. Taking short cuts by cutting road or trail switchbacks is dangerous and causes severe soil erosion. Use caution! Poision oak, rattlesnakes, and mountain lions exist here but are rarely encountered when on trails.

• At all times be sure students pick up all litter and put it in the appropriate disposal containers. Trash from the picnic areas should be placed in the dumpsters located at the roadways. Many of the parks garbage cans in the historic core are inside wooden oak barrels.

• Use crosswalks, and be cautious when crossing Highway 49! Please walk in a single file line when crossing on Mt. Murphy Bridge. This bridge is also a one lane road. When a car approaches please make sure to have everyone bear right to allow vehicles to pass. 

You will receive a reservation confirmation as part of your reservation package. It contains important information. Please bring it with you when you visit, and present it to park staff upon arrival.