White Pines: the lake, the mill town, and what's actually here
Just below Arnold, off Blagen Road. Locals will correct you that it's not Arnold.
3,500 ft
White Pines is the 26-acre county lake and old Blagen Mill site off Blagen Road, sharing a ZIP with Arnold but operating as its own residential pocket and the corridor's main free-recreation hub.
› Read more about White Pines
White Pines started as a company town in 1938 when Frank Blagen moved his lumber mill here from Calpine. The mill closed in 1962 and was dismantled in 1966. American Forest Products dammed San Antonio Creek to make the lake, planning a subdivision that never quite happened.
The Calaveras County Water District took over the lake and land in 1977. Today the White Pines Park Committee runs the park under lease from CCWD, and the lake is the free, dog-friendly alternative to driving up to Big Trees or down to Murphys. Sandy beaches, disc golf, a playground, a softball field, and a stocked rainbow trout fishery sit on what used to be a mill pond.
Postal address says Arnold. Locals will tell you it isn't. Both things are true.
What's happening in White Pines
Nothing on the calendar in White Pines right now. Check the full corridor list. There's usually something nearby.
Worth a trip if…
- →If you're hosting guests at a vacation rental in Arnold and want a free, walkable spot to send them with kids: White Pines Lake has the playground and sandy beach. Pack a picnic, no entry fee.
- →If you're planning a day trip from the valley or the Bay and want something other than wine tasting: the Sierra Nevada Logging Museum sits right at the park and tells the Blagen Mill story. Free, low-key, kid-tolerable.
- →If you're a parent looking for somewhere the 4-year-old and the 9-year-old both work: disc golf for the older one, the playground and shallow beach for the younger one, all in the same parking lot.
- →If you're a hiker who hasn't done the Arnold Rim Trail yet: the White Pines trailhead is one of the main access points. San Antonio Falls is on this stretch.
- →If you're trying to figure out where to drop the dog: leashed dogs are welcome at the park. Most of Arnold's eat-and-drink spots tolerate them on patios, but the lake itself is the easy answer.
Worth knowing
- ·White Pines and Arnold share a ZIP code (95223) but they're different places. The hamlet sits off Blagen Road, named after Frank Blagen of the mill.
- ·The lake is 26 acres, formed by a dam originally built in 1880 for the mill pond. Calaveras County Water District has owned it since 1977.
- ·Fishing: rainbow trout (stocked) and bass. California fishing license required for ages 16+.
- ·Disc golf is free and uncrowded. The course runs through the park.
- ·Sierra Nevada Logging Museum is on-site at the park. It tells the Blagen Mill story, which is the reason this town exists at all.
- ·The Arnold Rim Trail has one of its main trailheads here. San Antonio Falls is a viewpoint along this stretch.
- ·The park has picnic tables, BBQ pits, a playground, a softball field, and a volleyball court. Dog-friendly on leash.
- ·Ebbetts Pass Moose Lodge #1123 is on Blagen Road in White Pines. Dinners, fundraisers, community events.
- ·No restaurants or coffee in White Pines proper. For food, you're going into Arnold (Heart & Soul, Giant Burger, Bistro Espresso) or Dorrington (The Lube Room).
- ·The mill closed in 1962 and was dismantled in 1966. The planned subdivision that the lake was supposed to anchor was never completed.
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One email Thursday morning with what's coming up in White Pines and the rest of the corridor. No spam, no ads.
About White Pines
› Is White Pines the same as Arnold?
No. They share a ZIP code (95223) and most directions group them together, but White Pines is a separate hamlet off Blagen Road, founded in 1938 as a mill town for Frank Blagen's lumber operation. Locals will correct you on this.
› What is there to do at White Pines Lake?
Swimming on sandy beaches, fishing for stocked rainbow trout and bass, disc golf, picnicking with BBQ pits, a playground, a softball field, and volleyball. The Arnold Rim Trail has a trailhead here, and the Sierra Nevada Logging Museum is on-site. Dogs are welcome on leash. No entry fee.
› Do I need a fishing license at White Pines Lake?
Yes. California requires a state fishing license for anyone 16 or older. The lake is stocked with rainbow trout and also holds bass.
› Where do I eat near White Pines?
There's nothing in White Pines itself. The closest food is in Arnold, about two minutes away: Heart & Soul Country Kitchen for breakfast, Giant Burger for a classic burger and shake, Bistro Espresso for coffee, or Sarafina's and Kalamata for dinner. The Lube Room Saloon in Dorrington is about 10 minutes east.
› Who runs White Pines Park?
The White Pines Park Committee operates the park under a lease from the Calaveras County Water District, which has owned the lake and surrounding land since 1977.
