 calaveras big trees state park is a state park of california, usa, preserving two groves of giant sequoia trees. it is located  northeast of arnold, california in the middle elevations of the sierra nevada. it has been a major tourist attraction since 1852, when the existence of the trees was first widely reported, and is considered the longest continuously operated tourist facility in california. the area was declared a state park in 1931 and now encompasses  in calaveras and tuolumne counties. over the years other parcels of mixed conifer forests, including the much larger south calaveras grove of giant sequoias (purchased in 1954 for $2.8 million usd), have been added to the park to bring the total area to about . the north grove contains about 100 mature giant sequoias; the south grove, about 1,000. the north grove included the 'discovery tree' noted by augustus t. dowd in 1852 and felled in 1853, leaving a giant stump which is the only remainder of the tree. it measured  in diameter at its base and was determined by ring count to be 1,244 years old when felled. however, the largest tree was believed to be the mother of the forest, which died after bark was stripped from it in 1854. today only a fire-blackened snag remains. in addition to the popular north grove, the park also now includes the south grove, with a  hiking trip through a grove of giant sequoias in their natural setting. the south grove includes the louis agassiz tree,  tall and  in diameter  above ground, the largest tree in the calaveras groves. it is named after zoologist louis agassiz (1
1931_establishments_in_California Campgrounds_in_California Forests_of_California Giant_sequoia_groves Parks_in_Tuolumne_County,_California Protected_areas_established_in_1931 Protected_areas_of_the_Sierra_Nevada_(U.S.) State_parks_of_California