Calaveras Big Trees

State Park

SaveTheRedwoodsorgcsp

Our MissionThe mission of California State Parks is to provide for the health inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the statersquos extraordinary biological diversity protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation

Calaveras Big Trees State Park1170 East Highway 4 Arnold CA 95223

(209) 795-2334wwwparkscagovcalaverasbigtrees

copy 2004 California State Parks (Rev 2016)

California State Parks supports equal access Prior to arrival visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at (209) 795-2334 If you need this publication in an alternate format contact interpparkscagov

CALIFORNIA STATE PARKSPO Box 942896

Sacramento CA 94296-0001For information call (800) 777-0369

(916) 653-6995 outside the US 711 TTY relay service

wwwparkscagov

It is unlikely that

anyone could look upon

the Sequoiadendron

giganteum and not

feel a sense of awe

and reverence

and hunters built their seasonal villages alongside the flourishing rivers of the Sierra Nevada foothills The acorns and other seeds the Miwok harvested in the fall were a vital part of their diet Their way of life was rich in ceremony and social activity including the important harvesting and grinding of the fall acorn crop Throughout this area large granite outcroppings and boulders with groups of mortar holes bear witness to the Miwok method of grinding seeds and acorns Today approximately 3500 Miwok descendants live in the area

PARK HISTORYIn the spring of 1852 Augustus T Dowd was tracking a wounded grizzly bear through unfamiliar territory when he came upon a forest of enormous trees The giant sequoia that first caught his attention was the largest in what is now the Calaveras North Grove At first Dowdrsquos description of what he had seen was considered a ldquotall talerdquo until he led a group of men to the grove Word of the giant sequoia groversquos existence spread rapidly Newspapers picked up the story bringing curious visitors and entrepreneurs eager to make their fortunes from naive spectators

hree miles north of Arnold off Highway 4 the colossal trees of Calaveras Big Trees State Park stand in quiet testimony to prehistoric times These massive relics which can reach a height of 325 feet and a diameter of 33 feet are descended from trees that were standing when dinosaurs roamed Earth and birds mammals and flowering plants began to appear Some of todayrsquos trees are thought to be as old as 2000 years

Located at the mid-elevation level of the western Sierra Nevada Calaveras Big Trees State Park is a prime example of a mixed conifer forest in the yellow pine belt Giant sequoias dominate ponderosa pines sugar pines incense cedars and white fir The Pacific dogwood displays white blossoms in the spring Wildflowers along the Lava Bluffs Trail include leopard lily Hartwegrsquos iris crimson columbine monkey-flowers harvest brodiaea wild hyacinth and lupine

NATIVE PEOPLEThough some native groups saw the trees as sacred and untouchable the Miwok respected them and made careful use of them These skilled fishermen trappers

The Discovery Tree that had earlier stopped Dowd in his tracks was the first casualty in the rush to exploit the giant sequoias It took five men 22 days to cut it down Sections of bark and a portion of its trunk were shipped to San Francisco to be placed on display Later it was sent around Cape Horn to New York City where it was considered a ldquohumbugrdquo by many skeptics The financially unsuccessful showing closed and while the treersquos artifacts were awaiting shipment to Paris a fire destroyed the entire exhibit The Discovery Treersquos stump remains in the North Grove

Further depredations continued in the North Grove A magnificent tree named the ldquoMother of the Forestrdquo was stripped of nearly 60 tons of its bark to a height of 116 feet The bark was sent to the East Coast and abroad for exhibition In 1861 the Mammoth Grove Hotel was built in the North Grove The resort hotel operated until 1943 when it was destroyed by a fire

T

Pioneer Cabin Tree

THE TREESTwo redwood types are native to California mdash the coast redwood along the northern and central coast and the giant sequoia in scattered locations along the Sierra Nevada western slope Conservationist John Muir declared that these giants survivors of the Ice Age and the ravages of time were ldquorapidly vanishing before the fire and steel of man rdquo

In 1878 after a protracted ownership battle was settled the Calaveras property was sold at public auction The winning bid from James L Sperry was $15000 In 1900 Mr Sperry sold out to lumberman Robert Whiteside raising great public protest Whiteside declined offers from federal legislators hoping to establish a national park at Calaveras The struggle to acquire and protect the groves stretched over the next three decades

During this time the Calaveras Grove Association was formed It was inspired by the Sierra Club and Save the Redwoods League which were leading a movement to establish a system of California state parks Widespread public concern for the trees was beginning to have a positive effect

THE NORTH GROVEIn 1928 Californians voted to establish a state park system through a bond act Private donors supporting the acquisition of the North Grove included John D Rockefeller Jr and Mrs William H Crocker The rest ofthe funding came from the Calaveras GroveAssociation and the Save the RedwoodsLeague At last in 1931 the North Grove came under the protection of the State of California Now all that was left was to find a way to acquire the South Grove

THE SOUTH GROVEUnfortunately the world was in the throes of the Great Depression in 1931 Newton B Drury Land Acquisition Officer for the then California Division of Beaches and Parks decided against the acquisition citing ldquothe condition of the state park bond fund and the difficulty in raising private giftsrdquo

Another 23 years elapsed before the South Grove was acquired These years were rocked by two wars with on-again off-again negotiations with the Pickering Lumber Company revival of the defunct Calaveras Grove Association and a massive grassroots fundraising campaign to preserve the quality of this untouched forest Finally on April 16 1954 the Calaveras South Grove became part of Calaveras Big Trees State Park

RECREATIONCamping and Cabins mdash The North Grove Campground has more than 70 sites the Oak Hollow Campground has more than 50 Both can accommodate tents and RVs up to 30 feet Campsites have fire rings and picnic tables piped water flush toilets and pay showers are nearby

Four rental cabins each have two bedrooms a kitchen living room and private full bath

For camping or cabin reservations visit wwwparkscagovcalaverasbigtrees or call (800) 444-7275Trails mdash The North Grove has a level 15-mile self-guided trail The 13-mile Three Senses Trail allows visitors to experience the feel smell and sounds of this magnificent forest The five-mile South Grove Trail travels along Big Trees Creek and passes the parkrsquos Giant sequoia trees on the North Grove Trail

THE TREESTwo redwood types are native to California mdash the coast redwood along the northern and central coast and the giant sequoia in scattered locations along the Sierra Nevada western slope Conservationist John Muir declared that these giants survivors of the Ice Age and the ravages of time were ldquorapidly vanishing before the fire and steel of man rdquo

In 1878 after a protracted ownership battle was settled the Calaveras property was sold at public auction The winning bid from James L Sperry was $15000 In 1900 Mr Sperry sold out to lumberman Robert Whiteside raising great public protest Whiteside declined offers from federal legislators hoping to establish a national park at Calaveras The struggle to acquire and protect the groves stretched over the next three decades

During this time the Calaveras Grove Association was formed It was inspired by the Sierra Club and Save the Redwoods League which were leading a movement to establish a system of California state parks Widespread public concern for the trees was beginning to have a positive effect

THE NORTH GROVEIn 1928 Californians voted to establish a state park system through a bond act Private donors supporting the acquisition of the North Grove included John D Rockefeller Jr and Mrs William H Crocker The rest ofthe funding came from the Calaveras GroveAssociation and the Save the RedwoodsLeague At last in 1931 the North Grove came under the protection of the State of California Now all that was left was to find a way to acquire the South Grove

THE SOUTH GROVEUnfortunately the world was in the throes of the Great Depression in 1931 Newton B Drury Land Acquisition Officer for the then California Division of Beaches and Parks decided against the acquisition citing ldquothe condition of the state park bond fund and the difficulty in raising private giftsrdquo

Another 23 years elapsed before the South Grove was acquired These years were rocked by two wars with on-again off-again negotiations with the Pickering Lumber Company revival of the defunct Calaveras Grove Association and a massive grassroots fundraising campaign to preserve the quality of this untouched forest Finally on April 16 1954 the Calaveras South Grove became part of Calaveras Big Trees State Park

RECREATIONCamping and Cabins mdash The North Grove Campground has more than 70 sites the Oak Hollow Campground has more than 50 Both can accommodate tents and RVs up to 30 feet Campsites have fire rings and picnic tables piped water flush toilets and pay showers are nearby

Four rental cabins each have two bedrooms a kitchen living room and private full bath

For camping or cabin reservations visit wwwparkscagovcalaverasbigtrees or call (800) 444-7275Trails mdash The North Grove has a level 15-mile self-guided trail The 13-mile Three Senses Trail allows visitors to experience the feel smell and sounds of this magnificent forest The five-mile South Grove Trail travels along Big Trees Creek and passes the parkrsquos Giant sequoia trees on the North Grove Trail

two largest trees mdash the Agassiz Tree and the Palace Hotel Tree The fairly strenuous four-mile River Canyon Trail runs between the North Grove and the Stanislaus River Along the Lava Bluffs Trail hikers can view the scenic North Fork of the river Picnicking mdash Designated picnic areas are located alongside the Stanislaus River in the North Grove Oak Leaf Spring and Beaver Creek areasFishing mdash The Stanislaus River and Beaver Creek offer good fishing particularly for rainbow trout A valid California fishing license is required for anglers 16 and overWildlife mdash Opportunities for wildlife observation are abundant in the park Bird species include pileated woodpeckers northern flickers Stellerrsquos jays and dark-eyed juncos Raccoons foxes porcupines chipmunks chickarees and flying squirrels are among the native animals Black bears bobcats and coyotes are sometimes seen

ACCESSIBLE FEATURESCampsites and restrooms with showers at the North Grove Campground are accessible Some visitors may need help with sloped terrain One campsite and the restroom with showers at the Oak Hollow Campground and one two-bedroom cabin are accessibleThere are wheelchair seating spaces and an assistive listening system at the Campfire Center Parking and exhibits at the Visitor Center are accessible

The Three Senses Trail has a 13-mile rope-guided route with Braille text includedA restroom with adjacent parking near the warming hut off North Grove parking lot Big Trees North Grove and Beaver Creek Trails and the River Picnic Area are all accessible

Accessibility is continually improving For current details visit http accessparkscagov

NEARBY STATE PARKSbull Columbia State Historic Park

11255 Jackson Street Columbia 95310 (209) 588-9128

bull Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park 14881 Pine Grove-Volcano Road Pine Grove 95665 (209) 296-7488

bull Railtown 1897 State Historic Park on 5th Avenue off Hwy 108 Jamestown 95327 (209) 984-3953

The Stanislaus River

A park Junior Ranger learns about wildlife by handling a coyote skin

PLEASE REMEMBER

bull Do not feed the bears and other wi ldlife secure all food and scented items in the bear-resistant lockers day and night when not in use

bull Diving is not permitted anywhere in the park lifeguards are not available

bull Stay on trails to protect the fragile sequoia root systems

bull All natural and cultural features in the park are protected by law and must not be disturbed nor removed

bull Dogs are allowed only in campgrounds and on unpaved roads dogs must be on a six-foot-maximum leash Except for service animals dogs are not permitted on trails

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McKaysReservoir

BigTree

s

Creek

Big

TreeCree

k

Stan

isla

us

Riv

er

Big

Tree

Creek

BigTrees Creek

North

Fork

Beaver

Cree

k

C ALA

VERAS C

O UN

T Y

TU

OLU

MNE C

OU

NTY

CA

LA

VE R A

S C

OU N

TY

TU

O

LU M N E C

OU

NTY

Paved Road

Unpaved Road

Trail

Legend

Accessible Feature

Picnic Area

Locked Gate

Campfire Center

ParkingP

Campground

Showers

Ranger Station

RV Sanitation Station

Restrooms

Viewpoint

Campground Group

Environmental Campsites

Picnic Area Group

Big TreesTree Clusters

Accessible Trail

Bridge

Cabins

Downed Tree

copy 2003 California State Parks (Rev 2016)

FolsomLake

50

8849

99

5

124

16

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88

108

4

49

4912099

5080

Stockton

Roseville

Placerville

Murphys

Arnold

Manteca

Volcano

ElkGrove

LockefordLodi

JamestownKnights

FerryGroveland

Angels Camp

Sonora

Jackson

KitCarson

ColumbiaSHP

Railtown 1897 SHP

IndianGrinding

Rock SHP CalaverasBig Trees SP

to Sacramento

seedetail map

at left

seedetail map

at right

StanislausNF

El DoradoNF

0

0

20

10 20 Mi

10 30 Km

4

4

C A L AV E R A S

S O U T H

G R O V E

N AT U R A L

P R E S E R V E

CALAVERAS BIG TREES

STATE PARK

P

P

P

P

P

Oak LeafSpring Picnic

Area

BeaverCreekPicnicArea

RiverPicnicArea

ScenicOverlook

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27

13

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26Visitor Center

Oak HollowCampground

North GroveCampground

Park Entrance

South Grove

Dorrington

Grove

South

Bradley

Grove

Trail

Trail

Lava

Bluffs

Trai

l

Trail

River

Canyon

Trail

River

T U O L U M N E S TAT E

R E F U G EG A M E

T U O L U M N E S T A T E

R E F U G EG A M E

toArnoldSacramento

toCamp ConnellMarkleeville

Beaver CreekAccessible Trail

Canyon

North Grove

Wal

ter

W

Sm

ith

Me mo

rial

Pa r k

wa

y

GroupCampground

2

Wa

lte

r

W

Smith Memorial P

arkway

S T A N I S L A U S

N A T I O N A L F O R E S T

( S N F )

S N F

S N F

S N F

S N F

S N F

S N F

S N F

17

South GroveTrailhead

North Grove

Big

Tree

C

reek

PioneerCabin Tree

Three Graces

Motherand Son

Old Bachelor

AbrahamLincoln

Trail

Grove

to park exit

Father-of-the-Forest

Mother-of-the-Forest

Not to Scale

toCampsites

toCampsites

North

Gro ve minus

Big

EmpireTree

SentinelTree

Walter W Smith Memorial Parkway

WarmingHut

Visitor Center

Jack KnightMemorial Hall

to South Grove

to Group Campand cabins

4

Overlook

DiscoveryStump

Trees

Trail

ThreeSensesTrail

South GroveFire Road

KansasGroup

AgassizTree

Palace HotelTree

Big

TreesCreek

To Beaver Creekamp Parking

South

Grove Trail

Not to Scale

Calaveras Big Trees

0 15 Kilometers

1 Mile0

05

025 05 075

10

Sta t e Pa r k

This park is supported in part through a nonprofit organization

For more information contactCalaveras Big Trees AssociationPO Box 1196 Arnold CA 95223

(209) 795-3840wwwbigtreesorg