Local, Regional and National Parks
There are several large parks in the Mother Lode listed below and information about many nice smaller ones can be found in our Community Guide too. Near Toulumne’s Main Library in Sonora is the Heaven for Kids Park with play equipment and a skate park. There are also several local ranches to explore as detailed here.
More about activities at several of these places can be found in the recreation guide including: backpacking, biking, fishing, and some extreme whitewater rafting.
These larger local parks offer the community and visitors lot to enjoy and explore.
Calaveras Big Trees State Park, created in 1931 to preserve giant sequoias noted by Augustus T. Dowd in 1852.
A Living Gold Rush Town that will transport you back in time.
Woods Creek Rotary Park is the start of Dragoon Gulch Trail with several trails that loop through manzanita and oak trees with beautiful views.
Eproson Park is a small children’s park in Twain Hart adjacent to the golf course, baseball field, and outdoor stage, with Bocce Ball courts and Twain Harte Meadows Park is across the street.
Feeney Park has an 18 hole Disc golf course—or Frisbee golf in addition to its baseball and soccer fields. It serves the youth and adult athletes from Copperopolis to Bear Valley.
The Heaven for Kids playground is by the County Library in the 49er Rotary Park off Greenley Road in Sonora. Built in 2000, the large wooden play structure is great for play and games of tag. It was refurbished by volunteers with the non-profit organization Love Tuolumne County in the Spring of 2021. The playground is open to all during daylight hours only. There is a public restroom.
The park has a large picnic area, skate park, and historical mining equipment called the Old Steam Donkey in addition to the wooden play structure with tunnels, slides, a climbing wall, monkey bars, and a tire swing. The Skate Park is for skateboards, roller skates, and in-line skates only. Bicycles, coasters, scooters, or other rolling or wheeled devices are strictly prohibited in the skate park. All riders using the park must wear a helmet, elbow pads, wrist guards, and knee pads pursuant to Tuolumne County Ordinance Code, details are here.
The Murphys Community Park is maintained by a non-profit volunteer organization called Murphys Community Club (MCC) created in 1948.
Patterson Field
Patterson Field in Jamestown near Railtown is a baseball/softball diamond with parking, picnic tables and restrooms.
10633 Reservior Road
Jamestown, CA 95327
Pioneer Park
Pioneer Park is a small park in Columbia with a baseball/softball diamond, picnic areas, playground and restrooms. 10900 North Airport Road Columbia, CA 95310
Hours of Operation
May 1st – October 1st 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
October 1st – April 30th 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m
Rocca Park
Rocca Park is a small park in Columbia with a large gazebo. Behind the gazebo is a playground for young children. There are picnic areas, parking, and restrooms. Nearby is the Jamestown Museum.
More than a Museum Railtown it is an experience. While riding the train is lovely in the summer the guided tour of the Park’s working railroad roundhouse is enriching.
The Red Hills includes 7,100 acres of public land located near the intersection of Highways 49 and 120 just south of the historic town of Chinese Camp in Tuolumne County.
Camping is one of the most popular recreation activities in the Stanislaus National Forest.
Yosemite National Park is world famous for its towering cliffs, beautiful alpine scenery, spectacular waterfalls, granite domes and spires. Artists, writers, tourists, and other adventurers visit to experience it.
If you want to stay in the Mother Lode take a look our list of places to stay.
Planning a wedding, conference or other event? Take a look our list of places to host your event.
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