Copperopolis, California
Copperopolis is a community of 4,285 people in Calaveras County, California.
Why visit Copperopolis
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 4 places to eat and 5 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Byrne's Ferry Covered Bridge, Abbotts Peak, Copperopolis Armory and Honigsberger Store.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 97°F; December lows average 38°F.
Weather in Copperopolis
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Copperopolis
Copperopolis is an unincorporated town and census-designated place (CDP) in Calaveras County, California, United States. The population was 3,400 at the 2020 census, down from 3,671 at the 2010 census. The town is located along State Route 4 and is registered as California Historical Landmark #296.
From the Wikipedia article Copperopolis, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do5
Byrne's Ferry Covered Bridge
Bridge · 4.1 mi
Californian bridge destroyed in 1957
Museums and landmarks3
Copperopolis Armory
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Place in California listed on National Register of Historic Places
Honigsberger Store
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Place in California listed on National Register of Historic Places
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Reed's Store
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Place in California listed on National Register of Historic Places
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Copper Valley Golf Club
Golf course · 1.8 mi
1001 Saddle Creek Drive, Copperopolis
Restaurants and cafes4
Day-O
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Breakfast, Energy Drinks, Coffee · 1.2 mi
Drive Thru Coffee, Energy Drink, and Snacks.
Cosmic Court, Copperopolis
Mo-Sa 06:00-16:00
Bandit's Restaurant and Bar
Restaurant · Coffee, Tea, American, Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Mexican, Grill · 2.7 mi
240 Town Square Road, Copperopolis
Mo-Su 07:00-20:00
History
Unlike most of the mining towns in the Calaveras County, Copperopolis' claim to fame is not gold, but copper. It was founded in 1860 by William K. Reed, Dr. Allen Blatchly, and Thomas McCarty, at the site of the second major discovery of copper ore in the region (the first was nearby Telegraph City).
William K. Reed and Thomas McCarty founded the Union Copper Mine (and later the Keystone & Empire mines). In 1862, Reed sold out his interest in the mines and built a toll road from Copperopolis through Telegraph City. It connected with a road running westerly into Stockton. This road was called "Reeds Turnpike" and remained a toll road until 1865. Copperopolis was on the main stage road from Sonora to Sacramento.
The town grew rapidly, as the need for copper during the Civil War for material was great. The copper was sent to Stockton and then to San Francisco, where it was loaded onto ships and taken around Cape Horn before finally arriving in smelters on the East Coast.
From the History section of Copperopolis, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship1
Copperopolis Congregational Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries3
Map of Copperopolis
23 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 38°F | 5.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 61°F | 40°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 65°F | 44°F | 4.8 in | 0.2 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 46°F | 2.6 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 79°F | 52°F | 1.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 89°F | 59°F | 0.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 97°F | 65°F | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 96°F | 64°F | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 91°F | 60°F | 0.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 80°F | 52°F | 1.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 66°F | 44°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 57°F | 38°F | 5.2 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for New Melones Dam Hq (9 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Calaveras County has had 18 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2026-08-04: Gann Fire (Fire)
- 2025-09-03: 2-7 Fire (Fire)
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-03-10: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Columbia Airport (COA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 13 miles away.
- Angels 10 mi northeast, about 16 min by car
- Jamestown 12 mi east, about 19 min by car
- East Oakdale 13 mi southwest, about 20 min by car
- Columbia 13 mi northeast, about 21 min by car
- East Sonora 16 mi east, about 25 min by car
- Oakdale 17 mi southwest, about 28 min by car
- Murphys 17 mi northeast, about 27 min by car
- San Andreas 18 mi north, about 29 min by car
- Mono Vista 20 mi east, about 32 min by car
- Riverbank 23 mi southwest, about 37 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- 2009-0724-CA-CopperopolisCongregational, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
- Site Plan - Madam Felix-Hodson District Gold Mines and Mills, Southern Edge Salt Spring Valley, Copperopolis, Calaveras County, CA, Fuller, Willard P., creator, Public domain
- Site Plan - Royal Consolidated Mine and Mills, 4.0 Air miles Northwest of Copperopolis, Copperopolis, Calaveras County, CA, Fuller, Willard P., creator, Public domain
- 2009-0724-CA-052-ReedsStore, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
- 2009-0724-CA-052-CopperopolisArmory, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
- 2009-0724-CA-052-HonigsbergerStore, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
- Lake Tulloch 6 2018-07-07, F ASTILY, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lake Tulloch 5 2018-07-07, F ASTILY, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lake Tulloch 1 2018-07-07, F ASTILY, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lake Tulloch 4 2018-07-07, F ASTILY, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Deathtraps MC 2010, Marion hobbs from Santa Clara , United States, CC BY 2.0
- Brodiaea pallida 198604565, Chloe and Trevor Van Loon, CC BY 4.0
- Brodiaea pallida 198604587, Chloe and Trevor Van Loon, CC BY 4.0
- ISS015-E-28748 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS034-E-32077 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS034-E-32076 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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