As the story goes, in 1852 a hunter wounded a grizzly and chased it into a forest, only to find trees that were three times bigger than any he’d ever seen before. When he returned to civilization, the hunter spread the word about the red-barked giants. Today, at 4,800 feet in the central Sierra, Calaveras Big Trees State Park (pictured) still surprises visitors with its spectacular giant sequoias.
Soon your support will make the park even more interesting. Your gifts are helping to create a museum exhibit hall, improve access to the North Grove hiking trail, where visitors enjoy the giant trees, and more.
Save the Redwoods League granted $83,000 to the Calaveras Big Trees Association (CBTA) for these improvements, expanded training facilities for volunteers, interpreters and staffers, and much-needed equipment for the bookstore.
The new center will welcome visitors with an inviting entrance where they will be inspired to learn about the park and redwoods and be encouraged to purchase books and memorabilia that will support CBTA and the park. The new visitor center is tentatively scheduled to be complete by spring 2013, depending on snow conditions that may close roads.
The Calaveras Big Trees Association is grateful for the League’s support and commitment to improving the visitor experience while improving work conditions for staff and docents.
“We’ve worked with the League since the beginning of the conservation movement in 1926, when a group of passionate individuals fought to protect redwood forests in California,” said Marilyn Regan, President of the Calaveras Big Trees Association. “Much of what we’ve accomplished over the last 80 years was due in large part to League members’ generosity.”
Tags: calaveras big trees state park, Calaveras Visitor Center