Hike Among Impressive Beauties at Calaveras Big Trees
By Ian Hill, The Record, Stockton, Calif.
Feb. 15–ARNOLD — Highway 4 rises quickly here, taking travelers farther up and away from the open space and warmth of the Central Valley. The air is crisp and cold during winter and pine trees tower along the bends of the road.
The trees seem to grow taller and more impressive as the highway curves deeper into the foothills. They throw huge shadows onto the ice, patchy snow and asphalt.
It culminates four miles northeast of Arnold in Calaveras Big Trees State Park, home to two groves of Sierra redwoods, also known as giant sequoias. Redwoods can be 33 feet in diameter, 325 feet tall and 2,000 years old, and the park provides visitors with an opportunity to get close to these colossal natural wonders.
What to do
Hike. There are trails taking park visitors through the north grove. Hikers go alongside the redwoods, which they can touch.
The first stop on each trail is the Big Stump, once a tree more than 25 feet in diameter and 300 feet tall. It was discovered in 1852 by a hunter and cut down a year later.
Portions of the tree were put on display in San Francisco and New York City, and a bar and bowling alley were built on the stump.
Both are now gone, and the stump is open. Park visitors can walk up a short set of stairs and stand on it.
From there, the most popular path for hikers is the north grove trail. It’s flat, 1.5 miles and easy to navigate.
Hikers can pick up a guidebook at the trail head and take a self-guided tour. North grove attractions include a redwood that has toppled over and is hollow, allowing visitors to walk through it, as well as the Siamese Twins, a pair of trees that grew close together and are fused at the base.
More-ambitious hikers can take the slightly longer grove overlook trail, which runs up and alongside a hill next to the redwood grove. It provides a wider view that helps put the impressive size of the redwoods in context.
There’s also a flat 600-foot interpretive trail as well as longer paths into the south grove near the Stanislaus River.
When their hikes are done, visitors can stop at the park warming house, which has a large open fireplace and serves complementary hot cider and hot chocolate. For summer visitors the park offers campsites and picnic areas.
Friendly tips
Wear boots. The trails can be slippery and wet during the winter.
Also, consider stopping in Murphys for lunch and wine tasting after your morning redwoods hike.
The foothills town is about 15 miles from the park.
Contact reporter Ian Hill at (209) 943-8571 or ihill@recordnet.com. Visit his blog.
—–
Copyright (c) 2007, The Record, Stockton, Calif.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.