Coming from Reno, Carson City, Gardnerville and Points Beyond, find your way to Minden (probably via US 395) and head south/west on Hwy 88. At the junction with Hwy 89 in CA you have a choice of routes:
Continue on Hwy 88 all the way to Jackson. At the junction with Hwy 49 turn left. Just before San Andreas you will meet the junction with Hwy 12, turn left to continue on Hwy 49 through San Andreas to Angels Camp.
At the first traffic light, turn left on to Hwy 4. (Note that this is a brand new bypass that goes around Angels Camp – it may not appear on older maps, web sites, or GPS units.)
(Click the map to the right to bring up a Google map.)
To get to the Winery Tasting Room, continue on Hwy 4 for 3 or 4 miles – at Red Hill Road, turn right (you will see a sign that says “Transfer Station” – that’s it!) At the very first driveway on the right, turn right again. This is the entrance to the winery during normal tasting hours. If you are arriving outside of normal tasting hours or you are making a delivery or you don’t like gravel roads, continue up Red Hill about 1/2 mile to the second driveway on your right – this entrance is usually open if anyone is there.
To get to the Murphys Tasting Room, continue on Hwy 4 about 4 or 5 more miles until you get into Murphys. Mind the speed limit signs. Seriously. You will see the Murphys Suites and Murphys Inn Motel on your left as you come into town. To get to the tasting room, at the signal**, turn left. At the stop sign, turn right onto Main Street. The tasting room will be on your left (address 363 Main, with a white picket fence), across from the first corner of Church and Main.
NOTE: All of these cool little old towns call their main drag Main Street. On this route, you will pass a Main Street in Angels Camp, Vallecito, Douglas Flat, and finally Murphys. Do not be fooled!
**At this point you have just visited 67% of Calaveras County’s Traffic Lights – congratulations!
This is the really scenic route (in fact, it’s an official National Scenic Byway, so you know it’s gotta be good!) It’s very beautiful but it is steep, narrow and winding and is not recommended for motor homes, trailers, and other large vehicles. Turn left from Hwy 88 to Hwy 89 and continue through Markleeville to the junction with Hwy 4. Take the right fork and continue on Hwy 4 over Ebbetts Pass, past Hermit Valley, Mosquito Lake, Lake Alpine, Bear Valley, and Arnold. About 15 minutes past Arnold you will enter Murphys. (Click the map to the right to bring up a Google map.)
To get to the Murphys Tasting Room, at the signal, turn right. At the stop sign, turn right onto Main Street. The tasting room will be on your left (address 363 Main, with a white picket fence), across from the first corner of Church and Main.
To get to the Winery Tasting Room, continue on Hwy 4 for 4 or 5 miles – at Red Hill Road, turn left (you will see a sign that says “Transfer Station” – that’s it!) At the very first driveway on the right, turn right again. This is the entrance to the winery during normal tasting hours. If you are arriving outside of normal tasting hours or you are making a delivery or you don’t like gravel roads, continue up Red Hill about 1/2 mile to the second driveway on your right – this entrance is usually open if anyone is there.
To get home you pretty much retrace your steps…
Via Jackson: Get onto Hwy 4 headed down (west) towards Angels Camp. (If you are on Main Street in Murphys, head east and you will get there one way or another – turn right to get on Hwy 4.) In a few miles, you will end up at Hwy 49 in Angels Camp. Turn right onto Hwy 49, and continue on to San Andreas. After San Andreas, take the right fork which turns continues on Hwy 49. Turn right at Hwy 88 in Jackson.
Via Ebbetts Pass: Head east on Hwy 4 to go over Ebbetts Pass, continue on Hwy 89 when Hwy 4 ends, then turn right on Hwy 88.