Very very short trail more like a stroll. Lots of mushrooms, very beautiful. Easy sorta confusing…read moreat the end thought it would longer and didn't realize it was trail in and out not round back. Went left after the bridge wonder if we were supposed to go right instead . Next time

Such a great hike that can be made easy or more difficult depending on which route you take and…read morewhat you are up for. Absolutely beautiful in the fall!

Everything about this walk, hike, views, sounds, was worth every moment of the visit. We had recent…read moreviewed this from someone else's Facebook post and decided it was part of our summer vibes. This was well worth it. FREE access, views, nature sounds, fishing. What more could you ask for. Pack your own snack or lunch even if you wanted too. You won't many benches to sit along the way, but hey, why not utilize one of the many massive tree trunks that were just cut up on the side of the trail. If you have any type of water shoes, bring those alongside your walking shoes. During our visit we did about a good 4 miles of trail visit. The road entering into the location is very narrow, and almost like a one vehicle a time passing.We would DEFINITELY see ourselves visiting here again. No IF, ANDs or BUTS about it.

Beautiful views and a super unique hike. The dam at the end was very cool too. It was very hot so…read morewe could even get very close and get splashed by the dam water, cooling us off. Pro tip, you can drive up to near the dam and do the trail backwards if you want to be able to see the dam without hiking as long. One caveat, you have to walk single file so it's a bit hard to have any big group conversations.

Nice way to spend a summer day. Impeccably clean beach area, bathrooms and snack shack. Fun…read morewaterslides, docks and diving boards. Our family enjoyed this spot. The gatekeeper was friendly and knowledgeable regarding the ins and outs of the lake and its rules. The swim test is one of the harder tests I have seen, glad they prioritize safety.

AVOID this small manmade dirty "lake"- esp if you're a POC outsider. The locals and staff were…read morepretty rude and not hospitable to "outsiders". The Locals next to us reported our 8' umbrella to staff. (Tattle). Staff demanded we take the umbrella down, due to not "standard" size. (Define "standard"?) Pretty humiliating and darn hot in 90+ temps. They really don't care that you paid $100 total or $10 pp admission for 10 people, and have no shade in the heat. Even if one friend has a heart condition fr. Heatstroke? We were just so miserable that we left after 1-2 hrs. Yes, Rules are rules. Except for the white kids using the OVERSIZED unicorn floatie. Double standards much? Also, No fishing that day. Lake did not stock fish we learned when we got there. So kids were unable to use their fishing poles, like the umbrella. Does the lake post fishing updates on their website? . Disappointing lake visit all around. not friendly to outsiders. imo. Maybe the 5 star reviews are from locals.

Wow way way up there. It was August so the conditions were good albeit. a bit cold this early…read more Awesome views down the West and East sides of the Sierras and quite the steep windy road as well. Its easy to see why this is closed int he wionter as driving conditions would be brutal up here on a normal day let alone during. . storm. There appeared to be several trails but having blasted up there from sea level I did not try my luck

Fun experience ! We cut our first Christmas Tree down today . The kids loved it it was a bit…read morechallenging to find the perfect one. Definitely give yourself plenty of time . It took us 3 hrs to find our tree.

Whenever I'm driving down CA-120, I always try to make it a point to stop at this vista point. The…read moreviews of Don Pedro Lake from this vista are just simply incredible! There's a large parking lot that seems to never be full when I come here, and plenty of places to take in the gorgeous views. You can also see the Jacksonville Bridge in the distance. There's a small hiking trail that will take you to the top of the hill. I've never had enough time to actually hike it all the way to the top, but the Jacksonville Bridge is clearly viewable from the trail. There's lots of dry brush depending on the time of season that you go and this trail doesn't seem to be maintained on a regular basis. Just be prepared to have a few pieces of the dry brush stick to your socks and clothes. At any given time, you'll see people kayaking and sailing their boats on the lake. This vista point doesn't grant actual access to the lake, but you can pay $10 (per standard vehicle) for full access at the nearby Moccasin Point Marina Recreation. This vista point is an excellent spot to catch a beautiful sunrise and sunset. I've usually come here on the way to and from Yosemite, so I've had the pleasure of seeing both. It's definitely worth a stop if you're passing through the area.

Love this place. Spent a few hours here on the way to Yosemite. There are a lot more house boats…read morethan I remember, but it's been years since I've been here. I only wish there were more shade trees Great place to spend some time to unwind

Very nice park. Very well maintained (old buildings, lots of items). Lots of things to see and to…read morelearn. Highly recommended. Many stores to visit and shop, bakery, restaurants, ice cream, museums and more. Air conditioned store rooms. Some rare book editions on sale in the bookstore! Free parking. Dog friendly.

I come here every year! I walk around and enjoy seeing the old, small town of Columbia that…read moresettlers founded. It is now recognized as Colombia State Historic Park. It has a one-room school house where students of different ages, once sat and listened together to their teacher's lectures, in harmony. I always visit the old cemetery where some members of The Donner family, who survived their perilous journey from Missouri to California during the gold rush, are buried. The old mercantile building and the Blacksmith stable where the horses were shoehorned and cared for, still stands. The countryside is beautiful. The hills and rivers are gorgeous. This is a great place for families and especially for children who should know our great history regarding brave settlers who traveled from far and wide, by horse and buggy (wagon trains of home crafted covered wagons). It is always such a nostalgic feeling going back in history for me. Enjoy this great town!

I went there with my daughter and grandkids and enjoyed Beaver Creek and the Sequoia grove at the…read morenorth end 1.5 hiking loop. Unfortunately my granddaughter's were too tired and it was pretty hot to hike the Bradley trail to the south grove sequoia's. We ended up at the north grove which landmarks were numbered to 25 then back to the visitor center and it was amazing

Adj: Amazing State Park featuring some truly Big Trees!!…read more I'm not sure how I've been in CA most of my life and yet I've never been to Calaveras Big Trees. Well finally this summer we made it here. It's such a big and beautiful area of CA and is unique as a state park that doesn't have too much in terms of topography, but features the biggest/tallest trees in the world. According to the CA State Parks website, Calaveras Big Trees is "famous for its two groves of giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum), which are the most massive trees in the world. They live alongside a rich mixed-conifer forest filled with other large native trees like sugar pines, ponderosa pines, white firs, and incense cedars." We started at the visitor center to learn more about this park, its trees, and also the whole ecosystem here with the animals of land and sky, and the native American people who lived here years ago. Then we took a short half hour tour with a couple of volunteers who took us through small part of the North Grove where the most famous giant sequoias like the Discovery Tree and the Father of the Forest are showcased. After the tour ended, we went through and walked the whole North Grove which is about 1.5 miles and all paved so that it's accessible to all. Not a hike, more just a walking trail. It got kind of boring towards the end for my kids as they were like, "another tree?!" But I thought all the trees were very cool to behold in how massive they are, and some of them propagated others so they're parents and children too which I found fascinating. Overall, the Calaveras Big Trees is a very meaningful CA State Park to visit at least once, it's open year round, esp the North Grove whereas South Grove which features much more rigorous hiking trails is closed to visitors in winter weather months.

I've hiked Yosemite my whole life, but the one thing I hadn't experienced was the Yosemite Valley…read morefire falls which occurs every year, if the conditions are just right. I never knew the best place to view them from so didn't try in previous years. We scheduled time with Gabe from Wild Yosemite and he took us to a spot to view the falls from that is kind of a secret spot where only a few serious photographers were located. My wife and I watched the fire falls and sipped wine from about 700 feet above the valley floor. It was amazing. Gabe at Wild Yosemite scouts out the best hikes, best viewing locations that only come with constant exploring of Yosemite. Gabe's knowledge of Yosemite, and his warm and caring personality make him stand out among guides.

Gabe helped make our trip absolutely unforgettable! From stunning hikes to engaging conversations…read moreGabe only exceeded expectations. His knowledge of the park is vast, he knows all the best views and the local intel. Got a question about a certain rock formation or tree? Gabe knows the answer. He makes sure to curate the trip based on your interest and ability, while providing the overall best experience the park can offer you. Absolutely will be returning to hike with Gabe again!