Calaveras Big Trees State Park

The state park spans 6,498 acres across Calaveras and Tuolumne counties, featuring two distinct groves of ancient giant sequoia trees along hiking paths.

Augustus T. Dowd's discovery of the North Grove in 1852 led to the area becoming California's first tourist attraction, with the park's official establishment in 1931.

Native American tribes recognized these giant trees long before European settlers, using names such as wawona and hea-mi-withic for the massive sequoias.

The North Grove Loop extends 1.6 miles on wheelchair-accessible paths, while the South Grove presents a more demanding 3.5-mile trail through sequoia stands.

The Discovery Tree stump in the North Grove served as a dance floor after being cut down in 1853, measuring 25 feet in diameter and sparking conservation movements.

Location: Calaveras County

Location: Tuolumne County

Inception: 1931

Website: https://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=551

GPS coordinates: 38.27280,-120.29100

Latest update: May 26, 2025 21:48