Home to giant sequoias, caverns, lakes & rivers, rolling hills, and the Stanislaus Forest, you will discover all kinds of ultimate playgrounds and hidden gems in Calaveras. Plus, we boast award-winning wineries & distilleries, beautiful parks, & unique shops and restaurants, so you’re bound to find your very own favorite ‘must-see’ attractions.
Calaveras Big Trees State Park
The longest continuously operated tourist facility in California and a must-see when visiting Calaveras County, these sequoias are the largest in the world, towering between 250 and 300 feet. To put that into perspective, that’s the length of a football field or as tall as the the Statue of Liberty measuring from the ground to the top of her torch. Giant sequoias or Sequoiadendron giganteum are the largest trees on earth and continue to amaze us to this day. Reaching heights of up to 325 feet and diameters of 33 feet, and living for more than 2000 years, these prehistoric trees quickly became a major attraction in Calaveras.
Calaveras Big Trees State Park is just 4 miles northeast of Arnold, a popular mountain hamlet, located on the Ebbetts Pass National Scenic Byway which features some of the most dramatic and breathtaking views of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
Year-round access to trails, camping and picnic sites offer plenty of opportunities to see the park in its seasonal changes. In winter, guided snowshoe tours and a warming hut with hot chocolate and cider make Calaveras Big Trees State Park a very user-friendly destination. Summer gives visitors the opportunity to enjoy camping, hiking, biking, fishing and playing in the Stanislaus River, wildlife and environmental seminars, events, live music and art. Enjoy a guided nature walk around the North Grove starting at 11:30 AM or an astronomy, bird-watching, or John Muir seminar. Check their schedule of events here.
Moaning Cavern Adventure Park
Moaning Caverns Adventure Park holds California’s deepest cave chamber, where you can descend deep underground on a guided walk tour. Gemstone mining at the custom flume system is always fun for the whole family and cracking geodes is a big hit with rock hounds of all ages. Reservations are strongly recommended for all activities. The park is open Thursday through Monday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Descend sixteen stories underground via the spiral staircase into the deepest cave in California and see massive cave formations. Learn about the history and geology of this fascinating cavern including how the massive stalagmites and flowstones formed and how people explored the cave before the spiral staircase was constructed. You’ll also see the “moaning holes” – rock formations caused by dripping water that cause the sound which inspired the cave’s name.
Historic Downtown Angels Camp
Best known as the location of the Jumping Frog Contest made famous by Mark Twain in his story “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras,” Angels Camp is also home to one of the most picturesque historic downtowns in California’s Gold Country, beautiful, Sierra Foothills scenery, boutique shops, unique restaurants, a wonderful museum, and championship golf course Greenhorn Creek Golf Resort.
Samuel Clemens’ connection to Angels Camp not only launched his career as Mark Twain with his first successful short story based on a story overheard in the Angels Hotel’s saloon, it also made an indelible mark on Angels Camp. Here, we celebrate our connection to America’s master storyteller at the annual Mark Twain Wild West Fest held at the Angels Camp Museum.
Inspired by the Mark Twain story that propelled him to fame, the Calaveras Jumping Frog Jubilee has been a feature of Angels Camp culture since 1928 when the first frog jump was held to celebrate the paving of Main Street. Today, it’s a popular feature of the Calaveras County Fair – the longest running county fair in California. During the four-day festival held the third week in May, California bullfrogs collected from area ponds are housed in the “Frog Spa” and are available for rent if you’d like to jump a frog! Winners of the frog jumping contest receive a brass plaque in the Frog Hop of Fame in historic Main Street, Angels Camp, along with an impressive trophy and cash prize. Get full details on the Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee.
Lake Alpine
While technically in neighboring Alpine County, we like to claim it for our own. Lake Alpine is located at an elevation of 7,350-feet (2,240 meters) and one of the most picturesque places to spend a summer day. The lake is formed by snow melt, so the water is very cold until well into the summer. It’s regularly planted with trout – making for some great fishing here on 180 surface acres with an average depth of about 40 feet (12 meters). Get your fishing license online from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Hikers enjoy the four-mile (6.5 km) trail around the lake, much of which is wheelchair accessible or opt for a more strenuous hike to Inspiration Point, overlooking the lake and surrounding wilderness.
There’s also a hiking trail on the southeast end of Lake Alpine that’s about 2 miles (3 km) round trip. It takes you to the naturally formed Duck Lake with beautiful scenery featuring three log cabins and an aspen grove. The meadow on the west side is full of wildflowers in the late spring/early summer.
Calaveras County Historical Museum
The Calaveras County Museum Complex includes the historic courthouse, jail yard and Hall of Records. It includes the upstairs portion of the Odd Fellows and Masonic Hall built in 1856. The museum contains displays dating to the Gold Rush era including information on the famous outlaw, Black Bart, the “Gentleman Bandit” who was jailed and tried here when he was finally captured in 1888. Their outstanding Mi Wok Indian exhibit includes artifacts, photos and quotes revealing the ancient Mi Wok lifestyle.
Can you stay a few days?
If you’re looking for a place to stay in Calaveras, we have all kinds of options from comfortable motels to historic, well-appointed hotels with modern amenities to all kinds of short term rental cottages and cabins. Click here for a list of lodging options, and we are so happy you can stay and visit a while!