Reviews

Coleman Timberlake

This Place is amazing. Definitely one of the best State Parks in the country. Saw some of the largest trees in the world and had lunch mext to a mountain river and took a nice relaxing swim.

Amber H

Great place to visit if you're looking for a relaxing nature adventure. There is a variety of trails ranging from short to more extensive ones. My favorite part is the gorgeous river!

Larsen Murtazaiev

If you live in the Sacramento area, Calaveras Big Trees is a must-visit. The park is stunningly beautiful and very convenient for a quick family getaway. The kids were absolutely thrilled! The best part was seeing the majestic sequoias in peace, without the massive tourist crowds you find elsewhere. Clean, easy trails, and pure joy for the whole family. We’ll definitely be back! 🌲✨

Ric Listella

Calaveras Big Trees State Park is a wonderful state Park in Northern California Gold Country. There are camping sites available, loads of parking, events, rangers and staff to provide educational services, a museum, visitors center, many well marked hiking trails through the Giant Sequoias! Do yourself a favor and check out Calaveras Big Trees State Park, you will not be disappointed! If you find my review and pictures helpful, please like it by clicking the like icon! Thank you!

Nichole Estrada

Such a beautiful and peaceful place no matter the time of year. It was a bit muddy due to the recent storm, but we were prepared for the cooler, wetter weather with boots. The paths are always wonderful. At only $10 a visit, it's something everyone can afford. The Visitor Center, nature museum, and gift store. We enjoy our picnic lunch afterwards and enjoy all of the busy wildlife... foraging. The sound, the fresh smells of the forest, the peacefulness of it all.

Rumplestiltskin

We visited Hite Park, which is about a 2-hour drive from Sacramento. The entrance fee is $10. There is a small museum and gift shop with mugs, shirts, sweaters, and small souvenirs, but the prices are unreasonably high — a basic sweater for $45 is simply overpriced. The park looks nice at the beginning, but very quickly you realize that there is not much to see. There is very little greenery, very few trees, and the main trail eventually crosses a road and ends at a cliff, with nothing else beyond that point. You just turn around and walk back the same way. Aside from a couple of big trees, there is nothing truly impressive. Honestly, it’s not a place I would visit again. It’s fine to see once, but I definitely wouldn’t go there a second ti

T West

Absolutely breathtaking! A very accessible place for the most fascinating forest walk! Stopping to walk among these beautiful giants is worth every second. Went in October- and between the leaf season and no crowds it was the best time to see them!

Monica Morse

Big Trees is an understatement! These are magical and majestic groves of Giant Sequoia & Incense Cedar. The size and beauty of these ancient giants will take your breath away. Recommend doing the South Grove Trail (5 mile, 2 hours) first (road may be closed when there’s a lot of snow). It’s a gorgeous hike. Thank you to the people who preserved the South Grove in 1950-1960s! Then head back to the visitor center. Pick up the little guide pamphlet (and donate $1!!) for the super informative self guided tour through the North Grove.

Edith Sutterlin

We really enjoyed the North Grove Trail , the 3 senses trail, and the interactive table with the pine cones and needle samples to help us see the difference in 5 common conifer trees in the park. The gift shop had a good selection of items for adults and cjhildren's educational and fun souvenirs, books, clothing, etc. The back room at the Visitor center was small, but very well done. I especially loved pushing the buttons for the different bird calls. I only wish they promoted and featured the two films we saw in the small theater. They were very informative and well done, but we kind of accidentally saw the theater entrance, with no signs of what was in there, and no indication that there were 2 different films to watch and their viewing length. My guess is most all visitors miss seeing them entirely and don't even know they are there.

Georgina Curry

This place has it all. Redwoods, thick beautiful forests, rivers and all types of hiking choices. Beautiful place to camp. I spent the day doing small hikes and driving the entire park taking in all the beauty. Must see if your looking to get outdoors.

Rich Bromberg

Beautiful park - fantastic, informative trail through the Sequoia grove. Easy trail supports wheel chairs. Lots of other trails as well, some more challenging. Something for everyone. Nice visitor center with a museum. Park staff - rangers and docents, extremely helpful and friendly. Great location - easier to get to than Sequoia National Park if you want to see the majestic trees.

Ram Dongre

We have visited this park quite a few times at different seasons and every time it is just marvelous! It is simply magical to witness these trees that have lived majestically through thousands of years. The visitor center provides great details about the life cycle of these trees, has a gift shop, and a movie theater. Plenty of parking and we did see a pop up food service. North grove had points 18-26 closed for some reason so we had to return on the same path. Only Verizon had cell service here and only at the visitor center but not inside the trail.

Monika Patterson

I used a California State Parks Library Pass and borrowed a hiking backpack from my local library and I'm still in awe. The park is absolutely breathtaking. Towering sequoias, peaceful trails, and that clean, healing forest air. As a struggling lung disease gal - thank you Mother Nature for the healing air. ❤️‍🩹 What made this trip so special was knowing my own family stood in front of these very trees over a hundred years ago. Being in the same space, breathing the same air, was powerful and grounding. It felt like time folded in on itself. To anyone who has something negative to say about this park: maybe try visiting a state that doesn't have any state parks. Be humble, not hateful. Nature doesn't owe us perfection but it offers peace if you let it. Thank you to the state park system and our libraries for making this healing experience more accessible. This was more than a hike it was a full-circle moment. I’m forever thankful for such an incredible experience.

Shilo Wheeler

I got married at this state park at the beginning of May 2025 and I truly couldn't have asked for a more perfect experience. I had booked the venue sight unseen. The past eight months of booking and communication naturally came with a bit of nervousness but the entire process was seamless thanks to the outstanding communication from the park staff. From start to finish, they were responsive, informative, and so helpful, making the planning process smooth and stress-free. When the big day arrived, the park was absolutely stunning — even better than I imagined. The natural beauty created the perfect backdrop for both our ceremony and reception, and the atmosphere felt magical. Everything ran perfectly, and it was the perfect day for my perfect wedding. I’m so thankful to have chosen this place for one of the most important days of my life. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a breathtaking, well-managed outdoor venue!

Deborah Landau

Absolutely amazing! I highly recommend catching one of the volunteer-led hikes. We did the south trail, and it was spectacular. We thought it might be a bit much for us 6 miles round trip), but the trail is mostly flat and very well maintained. I can't recommend this park enough, it was just incredible.