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Calaveras County Attractions

Calaveras County Attractions:
From Antiques to Zip Lines

Calaveras County Attractions?

Oftentimes, people don't expect to find much in the way of attractions - things to see and do - in an out-of-the-way foothills community like Calaveras County. But the best treasures are the unexpected ones!

Calaveras County attractions cover the alphabet from A to Z -

antiques, big trees, caves and caverns,

gold mines, lakes, museums, natural bridges, scenic drives, wineries,

ziplines - you get the idea!

Scour the cities and towns for boutique charm, fine dining, and historic antiques; explore the natural wonders of the great outdoors; revisit the days of the California Gold Rush; and sip a fine old-vine Zin - all in Calaveras County.

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The ABCs and 123s of Calaveras County Attractions

Visit Calaveras Big Trees State Park for its North Grove of giant sequoias, including the "Discovery Tree" - the first Sierra redwood noted by Augustus T. Dowd in 1852! The park also includes South Grove, the Stanislaus River, Beaver Creek, and the Lava Bluff Trail.

There are no fewer than five caves and caverns for you to explore in Calaveras County, not counting the Gold Mines, which are not placer mines, but hard rock and thus underground!

Our first experience with Calaveras County caves was with Moaning Cavern, though we chose the walking tour versus the 165-foot rappel-by-rope route (sorry to disappoint you adventurers out there, but I was seven months preggers at the time - rappelling was definitely NOT in the realm of possibilities!)

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More of Calaveras County Attractions

Calaveras County gold mines are underground, or Hard Rock, mines - some dating back to the California Gold Rush - and the adventures you can participate in range from gemstone mining and geode cracking for the kids; an underground tour of the Mother Lode from the inside-out at Sutter Gold Mine; to the all-out challenge of the Gold Cliff Mine Adventure Trip, where you'll explore the mine's deeper passages and chambers via knotted hand lines, belay harnesses, ladders, and a raft!

Gold Rush Era towns: Many of the towns and villages in Calaveras date back to the California Gold Rush, and most of them have not changed a whole lot since then!

One of our favorites is now called Columbia State Historic Park - the town's Gold Rush Era business district has been preserved and many of the businesses are in operation today much as they were then. Ride a 100 year-old stagecoach, pan for gold, and explore a real 1850s town!

The several lakes of Calaveras - like New Melones - are used for boating, camping, bass and trout fishing, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and wildlife viewing.

Museums - Gold Rush and Otherwise: Okay, so most of the museums have Gold Rush displays, but you'll also find Miwok Indian exhibits and artifacts, presentations on logging, farming, blacksmithing and butchering; plus, visit one of the oldest surviving one-room schoolhouses in California - the Altaville School in Angels Camp, built in 1858, is part of the Angels Camp Museum.

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And More Calaveras County Attractions

The Natural Bridges of Calaveras County: Carved out by Coyote Creek forging its way through the limestone ridge, you can swim, wade, or float through the hillside at Natural Bridges. It's about a two-mile round-trip hike to get to the caverns.

Scenic Drives: Take your pick of scenic drives you can create for yourself, but for you History Buffs out there should try the Calaveras California Historical Landmark Driving Tour. Since Calaveras County has more State Historical Landmarks than any other California county, you won't be disappointed!

If you're more into truly scenic drives, you won't want to miss Ebbett's Pass Scenic Byway, which spans both Calaveras and Alpine counties! It's well-known for its unparalleled beauty and it's multitudinous recreational opportunities!

In fact, join the Annual Ebbett's Pass Scenic Celebration the second Saturday in September for fly-fishing demonstrations, kayak tours, guided hikes, live music, and great food!

Calaveras Wineries: Most of us don't think about wineries when we're talking Gold Country, but Calaveras County and other regions in California's famous Gold Country are becoming more and more reknowned for the wines they produce! An added bonus is that the wineries are often smaller and more intimate than their more famous brethen in Napa and Sonoma.

And finally, Z is for Zip Lines, which you will find in Calaveras County at
Moaning Caverns. Zip along their 1500-foot twin lines (racing family and friends, if you're so inclined) at speeds above 40 miles per hour for the heart-stopping thrills and chills!

As you can see, there's much more to Calaveras County attractions than jumping frogs or even the California Gold Rush! It's a fascinating place to visit and spend some quality time!

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For more about Calaveras County, visit:

• Calaveras County
  When I say Calaveras, what leaps to mind?
• Calaveras Communities
  When you get tired of jumping frogs and Angels Camp, check out the rest of Calaveras' towns and villages, like...
  
• The Dichotomy of Copperopolis
  Old vs new and the real deal vs faux-reality...

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