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Calaveras Big Trees State Park

1170 E. Highway 4 Arnold
(209) 795-2334
State Park Website

CA State Park Website

Visitors Center Hours

7 days per week, year-round: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm daily

Park Hours

Sunrise to sunset daily

Day Use Entrance Fee

$10 per vehicle for up to 9 passengers

Big Trees Association Website

Big Trees Association’s website

Calaveras Big Trees State Park is named for the spectacular giant sequoia trees – the largest trees in the world – that were first discovered here. Once the world knew of their existence, demand to see the GIANT SEQUOIAS was immediate. Tourists began arriving at the Calaveras North Grove by 1853, and historians believe that the North Grove is the longest continuously operating tourist attraction in California, and perhaps anywhere west of the Mississippi.

See Big Trees Park through the eyes of world traveler, Jonathan Berg at www.theroyaltourblog.com.

This beautiful park, open daily, year round now consists of two main areas, both of which give you access to giant sequoia trees: the original North Grove with the visitors center and museum, which is open year round, and the South Grove which is open when snow season is over: late-April to mid-November. Get complete details on the trail systems from our Calaveras Big Trees State Park recreation page.

Traveling with dogs? Learn the Calaveras Big Trees State Park dog-friendly guidelines here.

Calaveras Big Trees State Park – 4 Seasons of Spectacular Beauty

A four-seasons destination, the park is spectacularly beautiful in spring with blooming dogwoods, in summer with all trails open for full access to the entire park, in fall with the dogwoods changing to their fall colors, and in winter with annual snowfall. Every season is worth your visit to take in the full beauty of this amazing State Park.

Calaveras Big Trees State Park – Visitors Center & Museum

The new visitors center, completed just a few years ago includes a fabulous gift shop and comfortable seating area for those wishing to take a load off while their family or friends browse the shop. The visitors center museum describes Native American use of the area, and shows examples and information on the local flora and fauna. In addition, there is a movie room where you can see a movie about the discovery of the giant sequoias by Augustus T. Dowd in 1852.

The gift shop features a large variety of quality souvenir apparel, science and nature themed items, and lots of fun and educational toys for the kids. It’s easy to come here and buy gifts for your entire family.

Calaveras Big Trees State Park also has two of the most beautiful campgrounds with 129 campsites in Calaveras County (in both the North and South Groves). The North Grove campground is available March through November, while the Oak Hollow Campground is available when the South Grove opens. If you’d rather stay in a structure, there are also cabin rentals available year-round.

5 Amazing things to do while you’re here visiting Calaveras Big Trees State Park

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