With an abundance of State Parks and National Forests, this area in Northern California offers scenic getaways for all tastes. With abundant hiking and biking trails, picnic sites, campgrounds, bird watching, skiing, white water rafting and plenty of other outdoor recreation opportunities, you are sure to find the escape from city life you have dreamed of.
Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Calaveras Big Trees State Park is open year round and is easily accessible. It is located just off of Highway 4, outside of Arnold, California. There is one mile, self-guided trail that takes visitors through the famous North Grove. Offering natural picnic areas, swimming and sunbathing opportunities along the Stanislaus River, Calaveras Big Tree State Park is a world-class experience.
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is one of the most popular destinations in Northern California. One of the first national wilderness parks in the United States, Yosemite is known for its breathtaking waterfalls, but inside its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, meadows, ancient giant sequoia trees, and a vast wilderness area.
Columbia State Park
Columbia State Historic Park is the best preserved of the 1850’s California gold rush towns. Visitors have the opportunity to travel back in time to the 1850s, experiencing life when gold miners and people in business shared the city with the other residents. There are opportunities to ride a 100-year-old stagecoach, pan for gold, or tour an active gold mine. Columbia State Historic Park also offers a unique blend of museums, displays, town tours, live theater plays, and shops, restaurants and attractions.
Stanislaus National Forest
Stanislaus National Forest in Northern California offers visitors the chance to fish in over 800 miles of rivers and streams, experience the outdoors at one of many campgrounds, or enjoy the peace and solitude of a hike in the backcountry. Visitors can swim near a sandy beach or wade into cold, clear streams while enjoying the incredible beauty of nature, raft the electrifying Tuolumne River, or take a leisurely canoe ride one of the many pristine lakes. Go horseback riding; rent a mountain bike or a snowmobile.