This is a really fun day trip, but it might require a designated driver to visit all the wine tasting rooms! From Groveland, go down the hill on Route 120 to Highway 49 North, then continue to Angels Camp, approximately 45 minutes. Turn right onto Route 4 and continue past Murphys and Arnold to Calaveras Big Trees State Park.
If you hike up the Sierra California side, the Big Tree groves in this park are wonderful, we think they are so much better than the groves found in Yosemite. The trees are easily accessible from the parking areas and there are far fewer tourists to contend with for the trails and photo opportunities here. There are miles of trails and not all of them go up and down hills. We enjoyed wandering through nature for an hour or two before heading back to Murphys for the rest of the day.
When you’re done with a Big Trees adventure, head west again on Highway 4 toward Murphy’s. As you enter Murphy’s you will see a sign that claims to be the “other wine country.” We are totally agreed. Our last trip to Murphy’s we made a stop at most of the vineyard tasting rooms, starting with the rural setting of Ironstone Vineyards, the only tasting room surrounded by its hillside grapes. To get to Ironstone, turn left at the old Murphy’s Hotel and follow signs, after 2 miles.
Once in Ironstone, enjoy the tasting room and surrounding gift shop. Ironstone is a great lunch spot at the deli counter overlooking the vineyards. We enjoyed the peaceful setting along with a glass of reserve chardonnay. Ironstone is also famous for its 500,000 daffodil bulbs that bloom together in March and its well-kept flower displays throughout the year.
While in the Ironstone complex, take time to explore the museum and jewelry center. After two summer seasons of panning for gold in a life before the innkeeper, we were delighted with his gold specimen, a massive 44-pound scale nugget found in 1992 at the Jamestown mine and housed in a veritable bank vault.
Ironstone has loads of regular public events including concert series, black and white movie nights, parking lot wine sales, and more. From Ironstone, head back to Murphy’s and explore the many downtown tasting rooms. We always make time for Zucca Winery, which is located just off the main street, a little further up the park that goes down into a cave. The atmosphere is warm and the wine is very tasteful! We went out with a bottle of port.
Then walk around the corner to Hatcher, one of our favorites both for the wine and for the charm of Matt and his tasting room team. Victor thinks this year’s Zinfandel is the highlight. We bought a magnum. Twisted Oak with its whimsical gift shop and fun approach to everything is another worthy stop and their wines are good too.
Murphy’s is a great walking town with good window displays. We ventured into various galleries and antique shops and even found a good sign to use at the hotel: I went fishing carved into the side of a wooden fish. If we ever go fishing, we are now ready with a proper signal!
Don’t bypass the antique plumbing shop on the left, just past the old Murphy’s Hotel, to worry a bit about old china and plumbing parts. Even I had fun here. Surprisingly they have the claw foot tubs on the third floor, how did they get there and why the third floor? Murphy’s Hotel is a true step back in time. Here we taste an Australian wine and another local wine and enjoy the improvised guitar singing performed by some regulars.