Calaveras Bigtrees Association

South Grove- Calaveras Big Trees State Park

“There is something wonderfully attractive in this king tree, even when beheld from afar, that draws us to it with indescribable enthusiasm; and when one of the oldest attains full stature on some commanding ridge it seems the very good of the woods.”

-John Muir

The South Grove Natural Preserve will lead you through a pristine stand of sierra redwoods, the earth’s largest living objects. The South Grove contains about 1,000 large sierra redwoods – also known as giant sequoias – about 10 times as many as the North Grove. The largest redwoods in the park are found here in the remote and tranquil South Grove.

The lack of human influence is an outstanding feature of this preserve. Many Sierra redwood groves were severely disturbed following their discovery by settlers in the late 1800s. The Calaveras south Grove Natural Preserve offers a unique opportunity to visit and study this ancient forest ecosystem in its primeval condition.

The Trail –

Depending on your route, you may hike 3.5 to 5 miles on this trail. The first 1.5 miles of trail is a moderate, steady climb from the parking lot to the start of the loop trail, with a gain of 260 feet in elevation.

The loop trail passes through a representative portion of the lower part of the grove. Just over one mile in length, this section of trail first climbs 200 feet, then gently descends back to the start of the loop.

Halfway around the loop, you will find a side trail leading to the upper grove and the largest tree in the park – the Agassiz Tree. Just over 0.5 mile in each direction, this trail gently climbs 100 feet.

Allow 1 ½ to 3 hours for the 3.5 miles round-trip hike from the parking lot around the loop trail.
Allow 2 ½ to 4 ½ hours for the 5 mile round trip hike to the Agassiz Tree.

Once you are within the boundaries of the preserve, you may hike off the trail.

You will cross Beaver Creek to enter the South Grove. In 1985, the Calaveras Big Trees Association (CBTA) purchased this permanent footbridge to provide easy access to the preserve.

The animals for which Beaver Creek was named have not been sighted in the park for many years. Looking down from the bridge, you have a view of the 130 million-year-old granite rock that underlies the South Grove and forms the backbone of the Sierra Nevada. In the grove, it remains almost completely covered by soil and alluvium, but here the creek has eroded those layers, exposing the rock.

Along the hike in the South Grove, expect to view The Agassiz Tree, the Moody Group, The Smith Cabin Tree, Old Goliath and the Portals. Each of this magnificent redwood has a story of all of its own.

In addition to the Big Trees, the South Grove offers a host of fascinating sights such as an old logging railroad right of way, The Big Trees Creek, and various birds of the South Grove.

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