Calaveras County: Sequoias, Caves and Gold Rush History

Calaveras County offers a wide range of natural and cultural experiences: hiking trails wind through sequoia forests, cave tours descend to prehistoric formations, and museums tell the story of the region. Lakes, an annual festival and outdoor activities also offer different ways to shape your trip.

Trails between the Sierra Nevada and the sequoias

The Arnold Rim Trail is a non-motorized trail at a moderate elevation in the central Sierra Nevada. Its northern trailhead is at the Sierra Nevada Logging Museum in the community of White Pines. The first section from there is one mile long, paved and gently sloping; this section is accessible to wheelchair users. Panoramic views from the trail stretch from Mt. Diablo to Mt. Lyell. The completed section features a waterfall, wildlife and a lake.

The two trails in Calaveras Big Trees State Park differ considerably in length and character. The North Grove Trail is an easy, level 1.5-mile loop. The South Grove is a five-mile hike through a dense stand of giant sequoias. This offers a choice between a shorter loop and a longer hike through the sequoia forest.

Caves and their stories

Moaning Caverns offers underground cave tours. On the Spiral Tour, a spiral staircase leads ten stories down among prehistoric formations. California Caverns offers a different focus: the cave is among the earliest officially documented caves in California's Mother Lode region and was documented in 1850. Organized tourist activities at California Caverns are documented as early as 1854; the cave also includes an extensive system of passages.

Mercer Caverns offers another reason to visit a cave: guided tours take place year-round. Its formations include stalactites, stalagmites and flowstone. Together, the caves show how an itinerary can give different emphasis to underground tours, historical connections and geological formations.

Museums, the Gold Rush and regional culture

The Calaveras County Museum Complex consists of three historic buildings: the Old Courthouse and Jail, dating from 1867; the Hall of Records, from 1893; and the Odd Fellows Hall, from 1856. The Calaveras County Museum focuses on the county's prehistory, the culture of Indigenous tribes, the stories of early pioneers and the history of the Gold Rush.

The Angels Camp Museum adds other topics: the Gold Rush, mining, ranching, minerals, and historic carriages and wagons. The museum houses one of the largest collections of historic horse-drawn vehicles in the United States; visitors can also try their hand at gold panning there. The museum also contains a visitor center operated by the Calaveras Visitors Bureau.

Lakes, activities and event dates

The lakes in the lower Sierra Foothills of Calaveras County offer opportunities for kayaking, fishing, boating, hiking, camping and cycling. Swimming is also an option, with one explicitly stated exception: not in Pardee Lake. New Melones Lake is in the Glory Hole Recreation Area of Angels Camp, where houseboats and party boats are available to rent. Wineries also have tasting rooms throughout the county.

An annual highlight in Angels Camp is the Calaveras County Fair & Jumping Frog Jubilee. The four-day festival takes place every year from Thursday to Sunday on the third weekend in May; the frog-jumping contest is also held during the festival. If you want to plan your trip around it, check the event dates.

Discover more destinations: Murphys, Arnold, Angels Camp, San Andreas, Valley Springs, Mokelumne Hill, Vallecito, Mountain Ranch, Douglas Flat

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