Calaveras Big Trees State Park Overview

Calaveras Big Trees State Park, about 2 miles from our cabin, Snowflake Chalet, features some of the most majestic trees in the world.

Unlike their taller cousins near the California coast, the Giant Sequoias are known for their girth, not their height.

The North Grove Trail at Calaveras Big Trees State Park, just off of Highway 4, just north of Arnold, CA, gives you the chance to stroll among the biggest trees in the world. Our visitors always marvel when they stand in front of a tree with a circumference of about 100 feet. To put that size in perspective, it would take about 15-20 people to encircle the largest trees with outstretched arms. The North Grove Trail is well-suited for visitors of all ages: it is flat, even, well-groomed and about 1.5 miles in length. You can purchase a guide in the Visitor's Center that tells you the story of the grove and the most famous of its trees, including the Discovery Tree, the Empire State, the Granite State Tree, the Siamese twins, the Old Bachelor, the Mother of the Forest, and the Abraham Lincoln.

Calaveras Big Trees State Park also features the South Grove, which is a more rugged trail about 5 miles in length. It is a more strenuous walk, but you will also see the two biggest trees in the park!

The Park includes picnic areas and a Visitor's Center.