Calaveras Big Trees Association

Optical Astronomy: Moon Night
2026-06-25 21:00 - 23:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Overlook, 1170 East Highway 4, Arnold, CA, 95223, United States
June 25, 2026 (Thursday) at 9:00 PM | Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Join us for our Optical Astronomy Night – Moon Night.

This program invites you to gaze at the moon and the surrounding night sky through our telescopes. Bring a chair, a blanket, and your sense of wonder.
Please arrive early — parking is limited, and spaces fill up fast.
$10 per vehicle at the Entrance Station
For more information:

Email Us At: calaverasbigtreessp@parks.ca.gov
Phone: (209) 795-7980.
Visit: www.parks.ca.gov/calaverasbigtrees

Night Skies with Doc Nancy
2026-07-03 20:30 - 22:30 | Calaveras Big Trees Scenic Overlook, 1170 East Highway 4, Arnold, CA, 95223, United States
July 3, 2026 (Friday) at 8:30 PM | Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Come look at the stars!
Doc Nancy will share scientific information and tell stories as everyone gazes at the night sky. Meet us at the Scenic Overlook in the park, just a few miles past the Visitor Center. Bring a chair or blanket, and please keep your headlights turned off as you enter the parking area.
Please arrive early! Parking is limited, and spaces fill up fast, so carpooling is recommended.
Meet at the Scenic Overlook for astronomy programs.
$10 per vehicle at the Entrance Station
For more information:

Email Us At: calaverasbigtreessp@parks.ca.gov
Phone: (209) 795-7980.
Visit: www.parks.ca.gov/calaverasbigtrees

Optical Astronomy: Dark Sky
2026-07-09 20:30 - 22:30 | Overlook, 1170 East Highway 4, Arnold, CA, 95223, United States
July 9, 2026 (Thursday) at 8:30 PM | Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Join us for our Dark Sky Astronomy Night.

Experience the magic of a truly dark sky at Calaveras Big Trees State Park on July 23, 2026 at 8:30 PM. Far from city lights and surrounded by towering sequoias, led by our knowledgeable docent-volunteer astronomers, this program offers a rare opportunity to explore deep-sky objects, star clusters, and galaxies through our telescopes. Bring a chair, a blanket, and your curiosity. Whether you’re a seasoned stargazer or a first-timer, this family-friendly program you won’t want to miss.

Please arrive early — parking is limited, and spaces fill up fast.
$10 per vehicle at the Entrance Station
For more information:

Email Us At: calaverasbigtreessp@parks.ca.gov
Phone: (209) 795-7980.
Visit: www.parks.ca.gov/calaverasbigtrees

Night Skies with Doc Nancy ( Event Canceled )
2026-07-10 20:30 - 22:30 | Calaveras Big Trees Scenic Overlook, 1170 East Highway 4, Arnold, CA, 95223, United States
Event Canceled: July 10, 2026 (Friday) at 8:30 PM | Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Come look at the stars!
Doc Nancy will share scientific information and tell stories as everyone gazes at the night sky. Meet us at the Scenic Overlook in the park, just a few miles past the Visitor Center. Bring a chair or blanket, and please keep your headlights turned off as you enter the parking area.
Please arrive early! Parking is limited, and spaces fill up fast, so carpooling is recommended.
Meet at the Scenic Overlook for astronomy programs.
$10 per vehicle at the Entrance Station
For more information:

Email Us At: calaverasbigtreessp@parks.ca.gov
Phone: (209) 795-7980.
Visit: www.parks.ca.gov/calaverasbigtrees

Black Bears in California: Natural History, Conservation, and Management
2026-07-18 10:00 - 11:30 | Ralston Classroom, 1170 East Highway 4, Arnold, CA, 95223, United States
Seminar with Arjun Dheer, Ph.D.
Black Bears in California: Natural History, Conservation, and Management

The Calaveras Big Trees Association is delighted to welcome Arjun Dheer, Ph.D., Senior Environmental Scientist and Statewide Black Bear Coordinator with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, for a morning of insight and discovery into one of the Sierra Nevada’s most fascinating and misunderstood neighbors.

What does it take for people and bears to share the same wild spaces? In his presentation, Black Bears in California: Natural History, Conservation and Management, Arjun brings years of fieldwork and hands-on wildlife science into the room, offering a rare inside look at black bear behavior, ecology, and the delicate balance between thriving communities and a healthy natural environment. For those of us who live, work, and love nature, this is a conversation that matters. Bears are part of our community, and understanding them more deeply is part of understanding our shared environment.
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear Arjun speak, ask questions, and connect with others who share a love for the wild world around us.

About the Presenter
Arjun Dheer, Ph.D., is a Senior Environmental Scientist and the Statewide Black Bear Coordinator for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Black Bear Management Unit. His work is dedicated to maintaining ecologically functional black bear populations across California, balancing science, conservation, and the realities of living alongside wildlife. To explore his full body of research and publications, visit his ResearchGate profile. Learn more about CDFW’s Black Bear Program at wildlife.ca.gov.

Optical Astronomy: Moon Night
2026-07-23 20:30 - 22:30 | CA
July 23, 2026 (Thursday) at 8:30 PM | Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Join us for our Optical Astronomy Night – Moon Night.

This program invites you to gaze at the moon and the surrounding night sky through our telescopes. Bring a chair, a blanket, and your sense of wonder.
Please arrive early — parking is limited, and spaces fill up fast.
$10 per vehicle at the Entrance Station
For more information:

Email Us At: calaverasbigtreessp@parks.ca.gov
Phone: (209) 795-7980.
Visit: www.parks.ca.gov/calaverasbigtrees

The Birds of Calaveras Big Trees
2026-07-25 10:00 - 11:30 | Ralston Classroom, 1170 East Highway 4, Arnold, CA, 95223, United States
Presentation with Alan Beymer
A Special Morning at Calaveras Big Trees

Join Us for a Presentation with Alan Beymer
The Calaveras Big Trees Association is pleased to welcome Alan Beymer for a morning dedicated to the birds that live in our park.
The giant sequoias get much of our attention. But look up, and listen, the birds of Calaveras Big Trees have a compelling story to tell. In his presentation, The Birds of Calaveras Big Trees, Beymer draws on a lifetime of careful observation to bring these species into focus, offering a closer look at who’s here, when they arrive, and what their presence tells us about the health and rhythm of this forest.

From the striking black-and-white flash of the White-headed Woodpecker prying the bark of a sugar pine, to the flame of a Western Tanager in the summer canopy, to the quiet industry of the Brown Creeper spiraling up an ancient trunk, these birds are everywhere, if you know where to look.
For all of us, his talk is an invitation to listen a little more closely the next time we step outside.
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Alan speak, ask questions, and connect with others who share a love for the wild world around us.

About the Presenter
Alan Beymer is a retired educator from Merced College and a longtime resident of Arnold, California. His years living and observing in the foothills and mountains of the central Sierra have given him an intimate familiarity with the birds and natural world of this region.

Night Skies with Doc Nancy
2026-08-01 20:00 - 22:00 | Calaveras Big Trees Scenic Overlook, 1170 East Highway 4, Arnold, CA, 95223, United States
August 1, 2026 (Saturday) at 8:00 PM | Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Come look at the stars!
Doc Nancy will share scientific information and tell stories as everyone gazes at the night sky. Meet us at the Scenic Overlook in the park, just a few miles past the Visitor Center. Bring a chair or blanket and please keep your headlights turned off as you enter the parking area.
Please arrive early! Parking is limited, and spaces fill up fast, so carpooling is recommended.
Meet at the Scenic Overlook for astronomy programs.
$10 per vehicle at the Entrance Station
For more information:

Email Us At: calaverasbigtreessp@parks.ca.gov
Phone: (209) 795-7980.
Visit: www.parks.ca.gov/calaverasbigtrees

Night Skies with Doc Nancy
2026-08-08 20:00 - 22:00 | Calaveras Big Trees Scenic Overlook, 1170 East Highway 4, Arnold, CA, 95223, United States
August 8, 2026 (Saturday) at 8:00 PM | Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Come look at the stars!
Doc Nancy will share scientific information and tell stories as everyone gazes at the night sky. Meet us at the Scenic Overlook in the park, just a few miles past the Visitor Center. Bring a chair or blanket and please keep your headlights turned off as you enter the parking area.
Please arrive early! Parking is limited, and spaces fill up fast, so carpooling is recommended.
Meet at the Scenic Overlook for astronomy programs.
$10 per vehicle at the Entrance Station
For more information:

Email Us At: calaverasbigtreessp@parks.ca.gov
Phone: (209) 795-7980.
Visit: www.parks.ca.gov/calaverasbigtrees

Optical Astronomy: Dark Sky
2026-08-13 20:00 - 22:00 | Overlook, 1170 East Highway 4, Arnold, CA, 95223, United States
August 13, 2026 (Thursday) at 8:00 PM | Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Join us for our Dark Sky Astronomy Night.

Experience the magic of a truly dark sky at Calaveras Big Trees State Park on August 13, 2026 at 8:00 PM. Far from city lights and surrounded by towering sequoias, led by our knowledgeable docent-volunteer astronomers, this program offers a rare opportunity to explore deep-sky objects, star clusters, and galaxies through our telescopes. Bring a chair, a blanket, and your curiosity. Whether you’re a seasoned stargazer or a first-timer, this family-friendly program you won’t want to miss.

Please arrive early — parking is limited, and spaces fill up fast.
$10 per vehicle at the Entrance Station
For more information:

Email Us At: calaverasbigtreessp@parks.ca.gov
Phone: (209) 795-7980.
Visit: www.parks.ca.gov/calaverasbigtrees

Finding the Mammoth Grove Hotel
2026-08-15 10:00 - 11:30 | Ralston Classroom, 1170 East Highway 4, Arnold, CA, 95223, United States
Finding the Mammoth Grove Hotel
A History Talk at Calaveras Big Trees

Join Us for “Finding the Mammoth Grove Hotel”
The Calaveras Big Trees Association is delighted to invite you to Finding the Mammoth Grove Hotel, a special presentation uncovering the story of the grand resort that once welcomed travelers from around the world beneath our ancient giants.
For decades, the Mammoth Grove Hotel stood as the heart of the North Grove, a gathering place for early tourists, dignitaries, and dreamers drawn to the big trees, until fire took it in 1943. Presenters Joan Allday and Sally Finch will share their story through archival photographs, old records, and the memories of those who came before us. In this presentation, they’ll share what they’ve found and what still remains a mystery.
For those of us who call the Sierra Nevada home, the hotel’s story feels like a missing piece of our own.
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear Joan and Sally speak, ask questions, and connect with others who share a love for this place and its history.

Event Details
Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Location: Education Center, Calaveras Big Trees State Park

About the Presenters
Sally Finch is a CBTA Board Member with a deep commitment to preserving and sharing the history of Calaveras Big Trees State Park.
Joan Allday is a long-time docent and former CBTA board member whose years of oral history interviews with park visitors and community members helped launch CBTA’s History Project, preserving the stories that shape our understanding of this special place.

Optical Astronomy: Moon Night
2026-08-20 19:30 - 21:30 | Overlook, 1170 East Highway 4, Arnold, CA, 95223, United States
August 20, 2026 (Thursday) at 7:30 PM | Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Join us for our Optical Astronomy Night – Moon Night.

This program invites you to gaze at the moon and the surrounding night sky through our telescopes. Bring a chair, a blanket, and your sense of wonder.
Please arrive early — parking is limited, and spaces fill up fast.
$10 per vehicle at the Entrance Station
For more information:

Email Us At: calaverasbigtreessp@parks.ca.gov
Phone: (209) 795-7980.
Visit: www.parks.ca.gov/calaverasbigtrees

Night Skies with Doc Nancy
2026-09-05 20:00 - 22:00 | Calaveras Big Trees Scenic Overlook, 1170 East Highway 4, Arnold, CA, 95223, United States
September 5, 2026 (Saturday) at 8:00 PM | Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Come look at the stars!
Doc Nancy will share scientific information and tell stories as everyone gazes at the night sky. Meet us at the Scenic Overlook in the park, just a few miles past the Visitor Center. Bring a chair or blanket and please keep your headlights turned off as you enter the parking area.
Please arrive early! Parking is limited, and spaces fill up fast, so carpooling is recommended.
Meet at the Scenic Overlook for astronomy programs.
$10 per vehicle at the Entrance Station
For more information:

Email Us At: calaverasbigtreessp@parks.ca.gov
Phone: (209) 795-7980.
Visit: www.parks.ca.gov/calaverasbigtrees

Optical Astronomy: Dark Sky Night
2026-09-10 19:30 - 21:30 | Overlook, 1170 East Highway 4, Arnold, CA, 95223, United States
September 10, 2026 (Thursday) at 7:30 PM | Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Join us for our Dark Sky Astronomy Night.

Experience the magic of a truly dark sky at Calaveras Big Trees State Park on September 10, 2026 at 7:30 PM. Far from city lights and surrounded by towering sequoias, led by our knowledgeable docent-volunteer astronomers, this program offers a rare opportunity to explore deep-sky objects, star clusters, and galaxies through our telescopes. Bring a chair, a blanket, and your curiosity. Whether you’re a seasoned stargazer or a first-timer, this family-friendly program you won’t want to miss.

Please arrive early — parking is limited, and spaces fill up fast.
$10 per vehicle at the Entrance Station
For more information:

Email Us At: calaverasbigtreessp@parks.ca.gov
Phone: (209) 795-7980.
Visit: www.parks.ca.gov/calaverasbigtrees
