Dorrington Hotel & Restaurant, Arnold

On our travels through the California Gold Country we happened upon the town of Dorrington which is in the heart of the forest very close to Big Trees state park where the giant redwoods dwell. The need for rest and good food overcame us and although there were other choices for lodging in the area, we chose to stay at the Hotel in Dorrington. This was an excellent choice. The accomodations were sparkling and the setting pristine. The hotel was built in 1852 and served the stagecoaches and others passing through the gold country and is generally accepted to be the oldest continuously-operated hotel north of the Mother lode. The food in their restaurant is superb and I found the Lube Room Saloon to be quaint with a capital "Q"! I enjoyed some local wines which they carry and the Snowshoe Microbrew which is on draft in the Saloon. The general store carried all we needed to complement our fishing and rafting adventure on the Stanislaus River, right down Board's Crossing Road directly across from the Dorrington Hotel. A fair price, great accomodations and personal service makes this stop high on my list!