Location: Gold Country, Central California
Overview
Calaveras Big Trees State Park is an all around amazing state park. The park is situated right smack in the middle of Gold Country in California. While locals and residents from more north seem to flock to this park, it seems to be relatively unknown to other visitors. While the highlights of the park are the two majestic Sequoia groves in the North Grove and the South Grove, there is still so much more that the park has to offer.
In the summer months many visitors congregate along the Stanislaus River. For those with kids and eager for a safer area for water play, Beaver Creek offers a phenomenal area to take a dip in the water. While there are many areas on Beaver Creek to take a dip, the most accessible is probably the swimming holes that are a short walk from the parking area for the South Grove Loop. In a mere .25 miles visitors will reach picnic tables and a popular swimming hole. However, for those wishing for more seclusion, trails lead in every way to other tiny swimming areas as well.
Trail Description and Scout’s Story
Although our family has taken some trips recently, this was our first big trip of being gone for over a week, since our now 4 year old daughter, Scout, has been declared cancer free. It took quite a while for us to get back to doing some of the outdoor trips that used to be a regular occurrence for our family. We are just happy to have reached this point and to now be able to watch Scout in her element in the outdoors with no restrictions. Through Scout’s treatment, a central line was placed in her chest and swimming or getting wet was out of the question, so we are still trying to get Scout caught up to where she can swim on her own.
Swimming along Beaver Creek
Today was a great chance for us to let Scout get more comfortable in the water. The hardest part with letting Scout get in the water is that you can’t get her out once she is in, and she is quite a bit more confident in her ability to swim than she should be. We started the incredibly short trail to Beaver Creek, which starts from the very back of the parking lot for the South Grove Loop. The trail veers right and within a matter of a minute or two we had arrived at the picnic tables and main swimming hole along Beaver Creek.
After letting Scout splash around at the main swimming hole, we decided to make our way downstream to see what other areas the creek had in store. Trails lead along the stream bed or visitors can just wade through the stream. Eventually, we arrived at a really nice spot along the creek where some kids were building up some rocks to create a little current for them to play in.
Scout was so infatuated with this area, we ended up spending nearly an hour here. She threw herself into the little current time and time again, laughing and telling me to “help” her as she floated away in the knee deep water.
Beaver Creek is such an enchanting and peaceful place and the fact that the creek isn’t very deep, makes it incredibly appealing to families. It can get a bit busy here during peak seasons but there are a lot of areas to explore. Finally, it came time for us to go find some food and get to our campground. Of course, Scout was having a blast and did not want to leave.
If there was one place along this trip that really jumped out at me and surprised me, it was unquestionably, Calaveras State Park. The park is so diverse and so beautiful, our family cannot wait for the chance to revisit one day.
Getting to the Beaver Creek Trail
South Grove Trailhead, Calaveras Big Trees State Park, Dorrington, California
Notes, Questions and Thoughts
Is this a fee area?
- Yes. There is a $10 fee per vehicle for day use. Camping fees are $35 per night and the day use fee of $10 is waved if you have a campground.
Are dogs allowed at Beaver Creek?
- No, dogs are not allowed on trails or in the woods at Calaveras State Park.
Are there restrooms at the South Grove Loop parking area?
- Yes, pit toilets are available in the parking lot just before the start of the trailhead.
Please recreate responsibly. Respect hikers, and all visitors and wildlife. Help make everyone’s experience better by keeping the nature experience as authentic as possible. Leave no trace and pack out everything that you pack in. Please remember that we are visitors and stewards of these special places. Help keep these places as wild as possible while not diminishing the outdoor experience of others.
