Arnold is a Bay Area second-home community near Sierra Nevada skiing
Arnold is a second-home, mountainside community in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, surrounded by towering sequoia trees. It is is also about 30 miles from the Bear Valley Mountain Resort, a popular skiing and snowboarding destination. “It’s close to skiing, and we get between six and 10 significant storms. You can get the snow experience,” says Dan Seider, a broker and the president of Big Trees Real Estate. “It’s probably the closest mountainous area to the Bay Area too. You can go to a San Francisco Giants or a 49ers game and drive back the same day."
Wooden chalets tucked between pine trees and sequoias range in price
The sunlight that penetrates the canopy created by towering pine trees above Arnold dapples wooden chalets with A-frame roofs that echo the shape of the surrounding alpine peaks. Tall windows and wrap-around decks are common in Arnold homes, which often come on acreage of woodland. Most houses in the community were built after 1950 and range anywhere from $200,000 to $1.1 million, though the median sales price of a single-family home is about $460,000. Monthly homeowners association fees are common and depend on the community.
The CAP Index Crime Score in Arnold is 1 out of 10; compared to the national average of 4.
Sequoia groves, an alpine lake, multi-use trails and a country club
The Calaveras Big Trees State Park was originally founded in 1931 to protect two groves of giant sequoia trees near Beaver Creek and the Stanislaus River; nature enthusiasts visit to hike, fish, swim and marvel at some of the world’s largest trees. “We have the Stanislaus River and probably like 10 reservoirs within an hour or less to visit,” Seider says. “It’s a good area if you boat.” White Pines Park surrounds a high-country lake, dotted with small, non-motorized fishing and paddle boats. Other park amenities include picnic tables, a playground, a pickleball court, horseshoes and a disc golf course tucked into a ponderosa pine forest.
Nearby, the Arnold Rim Trail is a multi-use, non-motorized trail that runs for more than 10 miles between Arnold and the nearby community of Avery. Deer — and occasionally bear — roam the 18-hole golf course at the Sequoia Woods Country Club, membership to which unlocks access to a putting green, a driving range and a heated pool.
Surrounded by the iconic forests of Northern California, Arnold may be at a heightened risk of wildfires.
Giant Burger’s third-pound sandwiches, patio dining at Bistro Espresso
Conveniently located along California state Route 4, Giant Burger, with its famous wooden bear statue, is an iconic stop for tourists exploring the forests of Northern California. It’s also one of Arnold’s longest-standing businesses. Founded in 1968, its burgers are truly giant, weighing in at about a third of a pound. Bistro Food & Coffee embraces the surrounding nature with patio seating and an outdoor stage for live music. In addition to coffee and espresso, it crafts breakfast sandwiches, burgers, wraps and salads. A little over a mile south, Big Trees Market is the community’s main grocery store.
The Snow Sports Program at Apple-recognized Avery Middle School
Students in Arnold may start their K-12 journeys at Hazel Fischer Elementary School, which earns a B grade from Niche. They may then move forward to the B-plus-rated Avery Middle School, which takes students on four, full-day trips to the Bear Valley Mountain Resort as part of its Snow Sports Educational Program. Bret Harte Union High School — about 20 miles away from Arnold in Angel Camp — also receives a B-plus.
California state Route 4 leads toward Stockton, two nearby hospitals
Calaveras Connect provides public transportation throughout the county, including a route that travels from Arnold to Murphys, Angel Camp, San Andreas and Valley Springs. California SR-4 is Arnold’s main thoroughfare, and goes to Stockton, about 70 miles away. The Stockton Metropolitan Airport provides flights to Las Vegas and Phoenix. Drivers can take state Route 14 to Dignity Health’s Mark Twain Medical Center, about 30 miles southwest in San Andreas, or to Adventist Health Sonora, about 30 miles southeast.
