Overview
Arnold is a humble mountain town located in the beautiful, yet undiscovered, Stainslaus National Forest in Calaveras County. The town is a great pit stop if you need to refresh your supplies. The town has several gas stations, a supermarket (Big Trees Market), restaurants, and a very friendly population.
3 sights · 1 places to eat
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Arnold
Sierra Nevada Logging Museum
The Sierra Nevada Logging Museum is a museum dedicated to preserving the history of logging in the Sierra Nevada region. The Sierra Nevada Logging Museum is located in the community of White Pines on a 7-acre (28,000 m2)…
Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Located three miles outside of town, this 6,498-acre park preserves two groves of giant sequoia trees, with the easily-accessible north grove home to approximately 100 trees, while the more remote south grove is home to …
Ebbetts Pass National Scenic Byway
The Ebbetts Pass National Scenic Byway is a scenic, 61 mi stretch of Highways 4 and 89 that travels from Arnold, through the Sierras, and ends at the town of Markleeville. Travelers along the route will enjoy glacially c…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov. Summer highs reach about 93°F; winter lows dip to about 32°F. Very hot (Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jan and Feb. (climate data from nearby Sonora)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- SCK Stockton Metropolitan Airport, Stockton — 54 mi away. Directions
- MCE Merced Regional Macready Field, Merced — 67 mi away. Directions
- SMF Sacramento International Airport, Sacramento — 74 mi away (major hub). Directions
Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Sierra Nevada Logging Museum, Calaveras Big Trees State Park
- Lunch Snowshoe Brewing Company
- Afternoon Ebbetts Pass National Scenic Byway
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
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See
See Sierra Nevada Logging Museum
The Sierra Nevada Logging Museum is a museum dedicated to preserving the history of logging in the Sierra Nevada region. The Sierra Nevada Logging Museum is located in the community of White Pines on a 7-acre (28,000 m2) site, originally occupied by the historic logging and mill workers' camp of the Blagen Lumber Company, which operated from 1938 to 1962. The museum is in a 2,400-square-foot (220 m2) building, on a forested slope above White Pines Lake (elevation 4,000 feet). It has an indoor exhibit space, as well as outdoor exhibits of large logging equipment and artifacts.
See Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Located three miles outside of town, this 6,498-acre park preserves two groves of giant sequoia trees, with the easily-accessible north grove home to approximately 100 trees, while the more remote south grove is home to about 1,000 trees. It has been a tourist destination since 1852 and is considered the longest continuously operated tourist facility in California. A campground is available from March through November.
See Ebbetts Pass National Scenic Byway
The Ebbetts Pass National Scenic Byway is a scenic, 61 mi stretch of Highways 4 and 89 that travels from Arnold, through the Sierras, and ends at the town of Markleeville. Travelers along the route will enjoy glacially carved valleys, basalt columns, ancient volcanic peaks, deep canyons, giant sequoias, alpine meadows, mountain lakes, incredible views, swift rivers, and wild country. The route rises up to 8736 ft elevation where at Ebbetts Pass; the Pacific Crest Trail crosses the byway at the pass. It is one of the least-travelled passes over the Sierras, making it a great option for those looking to get away from it all, provided you don't mind a few hairpin turns and steep drops! The road closes for the winter due to snow, and vehicles towing trailers are advised to find another route.
Eat
Eat Snowshoe Brewing Company
This brewery offers an excellent selection of handcrafted beer, fresh food, local wines and family-friendly service. Food options include pizzas and sandwiches. Sports fans will have plenty of TVs available to watch their favorite team. The counselors from the local summer camps usually go there on their breaks for a delicious meal.
Go next
- - The small town of Murphys is a Gold Rush era town that today features over a dozen wine tasting rooms and a surprising number of excellent restaurants on its historic Main Street. The town also hosts an annual Irish festival in March that draws thousands of visitors. There are several wineries nearby, and visitors may also want to make the one mile journey north of Murphys to take a paid tour through Mercer Caverns, a short cave filled with a large number of speleothems, stalactites, and stalagmites.
Nearby
Murphys
City / town · 14 listings · 10 mi away
Columbia
City / town · 15 mi away
Mi-Wuk Village
City / town · 7 listings · 16 mi away
Twain Harte
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Angels Camp
City / town · 25 listings · 16 mi away
Sonora
City / town · 9 listings · 18 mi away
Pinecrest
City / town · 13 listings · 20 mi away
Volcano
City / town · 7 listings · 20 mi away
My experience
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