Just outside of Dahlonega, Georgia and an hour north of Atlanta is the tiny crossroads of Auraria. Auraria is abandoned now and its ancient buildings are passing into the dustbin of history. Once, though, it was the center of America?s first real gold rush. In 1830 Auraria sprung up to serve the needs of the miners who flocked there after the discovery of gold in 1829. To this day the hills and forests around this crossroad are marked with the long abandoned sluice trenches and the occasional artifact of those days. As a child I would wander those woods (my family had a farm 2 miles from Auraria) and find many of these items. Once, I found the hand-wrought iron spikes which had at one time secured a sluice-gate. Later, I found the long forgotten graves of several miners who died pursuing their dreams of riches in the Georgia hills. Fishermen who visit the area today still stand a chance of finding a gold nugget at their feet as they cast their line?one never knows.

Auraria is also next to the Etowah River which is right down Castleberry Bridge Road from the ?T? of Old Auraria Road and Castleberry Bridge Road.. The Etowah is, in my opinion, one of the loveliest streams in Georgia. It?s not particularly large, nor dramatic, but I?ve always found a certain peace on its banks that calls me back occasionally like an old friend. The Etowah is stocked weekly during trout stocking season, and you may find it a bit crowded in the area where it is crossed by Castleberry Bridge Road. Don?t forget, though, that it is stocked all the way up-stream to Hightower Church road (County Road 72). So, take a little hike and you?ll soon find that you have the stream to yourself.

If you want to stay overnight there are plenty of options available in nearby Dahlonega on highway 400, or in the town of Dahlonega itself. To reach Auraria from Dahlonega take highway 400 to Burnt Stand road (west) and follow this until it merges with Old Auraria road. Follow Old Auraria road north a few miles until you find the three way intersection of Castleberry Bridge and Old Auraria Road where you'll see a historical marker, an abandoned and crumbling old hotel and the currently defunct general store.

Fishing the Etowah and visiting the Auraria/Dahlonega area make for a great weekend trout fishing excursion. The banks of the Etowah tend to be a bit overgrown as you move north away from the bridge, so use a shorter fly-rod to adapt to this condition. Spin-casters should be able to find larger pools or slower runs of the stream to work a wide variety of artificial lures. Before fishing, make sure to check with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources website to ensure you follow all local rules and regulations. The Georgia DNR has an excellent map resource here. As usual, leave no trace and if you see any litter make sure to pick it up and pack it out

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