☷ W O O D H A V E N ☷
In the Stanislaus National Forest
The Stanislaus National Forest encompasses over 898,000 acres and over 1,400 square miles across four counties in the Sierra Nevada in Northern California. Of this total, over 75,000 acres are in Calaveras County.
Within the forest and in Calaveras County, there are tons of natural spots to visit – including Sourgrass Recreation Area, Wa Ka Luu Hep Yoo Campground, Calaveras Big Trees State Park. Also nearby are Bear Valley, Lake Alpine, and the Ebbetts Pass National Scenic Byway.
But much closer to Woodhaven, is the Arnold Rim Trail. This beautiful 17-mile trail system in the Stanislaus National Forest was designed for hikers, bikers and equestrians, and winds right through Lakemont Pines where Woodhaven is located. This trail can bring you to a number exciting destinations, including San Antonio Falls, Cougar Rock and Top of the World. And it wouldn’t be unusual to have these spots all to yourself most days.
Rated as moderate, the trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. It has breathtaking vistas with panoramic views stretching from Mount Diablo in the East Bay to snowy Mount Lyell on the high eastern slopes of the Sierra near Yosemite. Trails then dive down into canyons with streams coursing through the shade of older growth forests of cedar, pine, fir and oak. Then proceed on to high rocky promontories, canyons, and streams, and discover native acorn grinding rocks, a magnificent waterfall, a variety of birds and wildlife of all kinds, and a lake.
The four seasons provide beautiful changes along this system, with snow in winter, fall colors in autumn and beautiful, scented wildflowers in spring. You will also see a few giant sequoias on these trails. Pay close attention to the possibility of ticks.
For great descriptions of various hikes and trailheads, visit gocalaveras.com/hike-bike-arnold-rim-trail/
You might want to visit the Calaveras Ranger District just outside Arnold on Highway 4 for updated maps and guides to the endless recreation available. You can also find a map of the Arnold Rim Trail online and download it to print at arnoldrimtrail.org.
