{"id":140,"date":"2011-02-17T13:16:09","date_gmt":"2011-02-17T21:16:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laketullochblog.com\/?p=140"},"modified":"2011-02-17T13:16:09","modified_gmt":"2011-02-17T21:16:09","slug":"top-ten-activites-to-do-near-lake-tulloch-besides-the-lake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/laketullochblog.com\/?p=140","title":{"rendered":"Top Ten Activites to do near Lake Tulloch….besides the lake!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u00a0While the Lake Tulloch \/ Copperopolis area is\u00a0a vacation destination for many, there are also a lot of interesting activities to explore just outside of town. Lake Tulloch is a great place to take a “mini vacation’ from your second home. If you live here full time, the local activities will make sure that you will always have something fun to do. Here are my\u00a0Top 10 local activities (other than Lake Tulloch).\u00a0<\/div>\n

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#10) Golfing<\/h2>\n
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The 8th Green at Saddle Creek Golf Course<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0Located in Copperopolis, is one of the most highly regarded golf courses\u00a0in the region. Saddle Creek <\/a>features 18 scenic holes and is ranked 8th<\/strong> by Golf Week Magazine <\/em><\/strong>for Best Public Access Courses in California. Also located just 12 miles from the Lake Tulloch \/ Copperopolis area is the Greenhorn Creek Golf Course<\/a>.\u00a0Greenhorn Creek has been voted “Best\u00a0Playing\u00a0Conditions” and “Best\u00a0Value for the Green Fee” by Greenskeeper.org.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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#9) The Calaveras County Fair and Jumping\u00a0Frog Jubilee<\/h2>\n

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The Stafford and Caywood Kids at the "Frog Jumps".<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0\u00a0“The Frog Jumps” as it is referred to locally, dates back to the 1800’s and was the inspiration of Mark Twain’s first published work,\u00a0“The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”. Where\u00a0else in the world can you\u00a0“jockey” a frog, hoping to set a\u00a0World Record? Only in Calaveras County. It is definitely something that everyone should experience once in their life. While\u00a0I was torn placing\u00a0a world known event closer to #1, it comes in at\u00a0#9,\u00a0because I\u00a0personally think that the pricing is\u00a0terrible. When I\u00a0was a kid, your entry fee included\u00a0all of the rides which was great. Now it is a ticket system for rides that generally cost a buck a ticket and\u00a0some rides were three tickets or more.\u00a0With three kids, at nearly $10 a\u00a0ride, I would rather go to Disneyland. The “Frog Jumps” are held annually the third weekend in May at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds. For more information visit their website<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0#8) Wine Tasting in Murphys<\/h2>\n

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\u00a0Murphy’s is quickly becoming a destination for wine connoisseurs. Anchored by Ironstone Vineyards<\/a>, Murphys features many great wineries including Twisted Oak<\/a> and Stevenot<\/a>. Besides wineries, there are many great bed and breakfast places to stay. My favorite is the Victoria Inn<\/a>\u00a0which features a “Miner’s Exchange” style, blending history with modern comfort. Each room is an eclectic mix of wonderful European charm, featuring high ceilings and doors, fireplaces or wood stoves, claw-footed bathtubs or whirlpool tubs. For a complete list of wineries and places to stay, please\u00a0click here<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

#7) Columbia State Park<\/h2>\n
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Columbia State Park<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0The town’s old Gold Rush-era business district has been preserved with shops, restaurants and two hotels. Visitors have the chance to time-travel to the 1850s, imagining life when gold miners rubbed shoulders with businessmen and the other residents in Columbia. Visitors can experience a bygone era watching proprietors in period clothing conduct business in the style of yesterday. There are opportunities to ride a 100 year-old stagecoach, pan for gold, and explore the real working businesses of Columbia.\u00a0I remember as a youth when Columbia was used as a backdrop for the Clint Eastwood movie, Pale Rider. You can’t beat the old fashioned candy store and getting an “ice cold sarsaparilla” at one of the “water’n holes”. For more info click here<\/a> and here<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

#6) 4th of July at Ironstone Vineyards<\/h2>\n
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Ironstone 4th of July<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0While I was growing up in the area, the best and pretty much only firework display was held out at the county fairgrounds. For the last couple of years, we have been going to\u00a0Ironstone for their\u00a0Fourth of July Celebration. There is live music,\u00a0climbing walls, bounce houses, all sorts of food,\u00a0Cruiser’s Ice Cream<\/a>, and much more. It is my favorite one day event of the year. The fireworks show is\u00a0one of the best\u00a0and longest that I have ever seen. If you haven’t tried gone yet, go this year! I promise\u00a0that you will be impressed!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

#5) Camping at Lake Alpine\/Slick Rock Trail<\/h2>\n
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Camping at Lake Alpine<\/p><\/div>\n

While it seems that most people are either a\u00a0Pinecrest person or Lake Alpine person, I am definitely the latter. Pinecrest and Lake Alpine are similar\u00a0but in my opinion, there is a lot less people and traffic at Alpine. The lake is crystal clear and great for canoeing, fishing and swimming. The campgrounds are well kept and the general store\/restaurant <\/a>is great for the things that you may have forgotten.\u00a0I have camped at a lot of places and Lake Alpine is my favorite because\u00a0of\u00a0Slick Rock Road\/Trail.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Slick Rock Trail at Lake Alpine<\/p><\/div>\n

Slick Rock Road<\/a>\u00a0winds through dense trees over huge granite slabs\u00a0from Lake Alpine to Utica Reservoir. It is\u00a0a trail for 4×4 vehicles only and I would only attempt it\u00a0if you are serious about rock crawling. While I ran the trail end to end in a stock Rubicon Unlimited, I would not recommend this unless you have some off road experience. It isn’t the “Rubicon<\/a>“, but it is nice because it is relatively close and great because of the camping at Lake Alpine.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

#4) Moaning Cavern<\/h2>\n
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Main Chamber at Moaning Cavern Photo by Dave Bunnell<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0I have been going to\u00a0the Moaning Cavern <\/a>since I was 9 years old. It is one of the area’s best natural (under)\u00a0landmarks and you must check it out if you haven’t seen it for yourself. It is a cavern so large, that you could actually fit the Statue of Liberty into it.\u00a0\u00a0There are multiple types of tours but I like the basic walking tour. It is awesome and the kids really like it. Recently they added some ziplines<\/a> that I hear are really fun, but I have yet to try them.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

#3) Big Trees State Park<\/h2>\n
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Big Trees State Park<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I think that Big Trees<\/a>is often left out of conversations about the massive redwoods in California. People talk about redwood groves near the coast and not much is mentioned about the massive redwood trees right here in Calaveras County. The trees are massive and you don’t have to travel half way down California to get there. There are many different hikes to take, but they are generally pretty mild and the sights are fantastic.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

#2) Snow Skiing at Bear Valley or Dodge Ridge<\/h2>\n
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Bear Valley Ski Resort<\/p><\/div>\n

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Dodge Ridge Ski Resort<\/p><\/div>\n

I have grown up going to both\u00a0ski resorts\u00a0and I really like them.\u00a0“Dodge”<\/a> is closer, but I have gone to “Bear”<\/a> more often. Either is a great choice. Both offer great ski schools and all the amenities that you would hope for.\u00a0The Challenge is to snow ski at Bear or Dodge, and water ski at Lake\u00a0Tulloch\u00a0on the same day.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

#1) Yosemite National Park<\/h2>\n
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Yosemite National Park<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0\u00a0I am embarrassed to admit that I grew up in Calaveras County and I never visited Yosemite<\/a> until I was into my 30’s. In 2006, I went there with my family and I could not believe that I had missed out on something so beautiful for all of those years. Maybe it’s something that you appreciate more as an adult, but I really love the place. I went there and felt like Ansel Adams, snapping unbelievable pictures of the park. You can’t take a bad picture! Everything is breathtaking. My favorite part of the park so far is Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, which is a bit out of the way from the main park, but well worth the trip. Across the Dam at Hetch Hetchy,\u00a0a hike begins, taking you through a tunnel and around the lake.\u00a0A few miles in, there is a waterfall that washes over an elevated wooden\u00a0walkway and it is awesome. If you go to Yosemite,\u00a0you must check out Hetch Hetchy.\u00a0If you haven’t gone, go now because you are missing out.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n