THINGS - TO - DO

While at Mt. Retreat there are many diffierent activities available in the area. Click on a button of interest to find out the lastest in information and directions.

Calaveras County is a paradise of western gold rush history and scenic beauty. Located in the eastern-central valley of California, encompassing the foothill and mountain terrain of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

Famous writers such as Mark Twain and Bret Harte lived a short while here and wrote about the events of Calaveras County. Mark Twain's "Jumpin Frog" made Calaveras famous and the tradition is still continued to this day during the County Fair days in May. Juaquin Murrieta and Black Bart played havoc along the county's early day settlements and highways. The same cell where Black Bart was held can be seen in San Andreas today.

The cry of "gold" brought fortune-seekers from all over the world to the hills of Calaveras County. Many of towns, including Murphy’s, Angels Camp, San Andréa’s, and Mokelumne Hill, still exsist. Most of the original wood building have since burned down, as seems to have been the case, every couple of years. It was these fires that encouraged the building of stone and brick buildings which are much the same as they where at the height of the gold rush era. Calaveras County ranks fifth in the state for the number of registered historical landmarks.

Small highways run through the towns and climb up the Sierra Foothills to Ebbetts Pass, which at over 8,000 ft. elevation, has much to offer the seeker of good things: quaint historic towns, the biggest trees on earth, swimming holes along Stanilaus River, a dazzling high country of granite rocks, lakes and pines, and a fine summer festival of classical music at Bear Valley in July.

The Ebbetts Pass Road, also known as State Route 4, runs more than eighty miles from Angels Camp in the Motherlode country to the junction with State Route 89 on the eastern slope of the Sierra. Along the way are enough attractions to fill an idyllic week-long vacation: Calaveras Big Trees State Park, just above Arnold, with its cathedral groves of giant sequoias; Bear Valley, with hundreds of miles of back country hiking and biking trails, river rafting, kayaking, and fishing.

The town of Arnold boasts a population of more than 6,500 permanent residents and growing. Located at 4,000 feet, it offers a variety of recreational activities such as golfing, tennis, swimming, fishing and many others.

On State Route 4 is the U.S. forest service visitor center in Hathaway Pines. Inside you can pick up brochures to help you enjoy the back country. Also on sale are maps of the Stanislaus National Forest along with USGS topo maps, field guides and other publications to help you enjoy the area. Wilderness permits are also issued to those more adverture some folks that plan to do any backpacking.

Calaveras, in the past few years,has become also known for it's wineries. There are unique wineries to tour year-round. Calaveras county winemakers consistently produce wines that receive the highest honors. When you sample these wines you will understand why this region has become known as "the other wine country."