Tuolumne County:

The Gateway to Yosemite

What to See

Arriving at Yosemite from the Big Oak Flat Entrance, via all-weather Highway 120 on the northwest side of the park, visitors are greeted by the some of the world's most spectacular and iconic scenery, including famed cliffs El Capitan and Half Dome. 

Deeper into the park, one can visit sights such as the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, which famed naturalist John Muir once considered a more beautiful location than Yosemite Valley. The reservoir, the main source of San Francisco's drinking water, is a popular hiking destination. Another must-see is the Tuolumne Grove, where one can stand under the canopy of giant sequoias, and even walk through the middle of one. 

Tuolumne Meadows offers a popular camping, rock climbing and backpacking base in one of the largest high-elevation meadows in the Sierra Nevada. Waterfalls abound in the Tuolumne County sector of Yosemite, including Rancheria Falls and Wapama Falls.

See Yosemite by Coach

YARTS, the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System, provides daily peak-season round-trip transportation aboard deluxe motor coaches from several locations throughout Tuolumne County, including Sonora, Jamestown, the city of Tuolumne and Groveland. The coach provides the perfect vantage point for the scenery, and the price includes admission into the park. Custom and packaged tours can be arranged from various operators, including Extranomical Adventures, Mother Lode Adventures, Incredible Adventures and Tower Tours.

Lodging at Yosemite

With multiple campgrounds inside the park and in Groveland and Sonora, day and overnight camping is a popular activity. Expert outfitters can lead a trip. For those looking for more modern amenities during their stay, multiple lodging options exist, including the new Rush Creek Lodge, the park's first new resort development in 25 years and located just half a mile from the north entrance. There's also the 20-acre family-tradition Evergreen Lodge and many historic inns at Groveland, about 20 miles from the park's entrance. For a familiar brand name, the Best Western Plus Sonora Oaks is a convenient and well-known lodging option in Sonora.

Outside of Yosemite and Stanislaus, Tuolumne County offers a myriad of additional choice destinations. Don Pedro Lake is a popular site for swimming, boating and fishing, and camping is available year-round. Farther north, the clean and clear water of the New Melones Lake reservoir sits along the Stanislaus River, offering wildlife viewing and jet-skiing along 100 miles of secluded shoreline. Dragoon Gulch in Sonora is a woodland trail tucked right inside city limits that provides spectacular views of the historic town and its surrounding mountain ranges in a hike only 2.5 miles long. Two state parks provide visitors with a step back in time: Columbia State Historic Park and Railtown 1897 State Historic Park.

For more information on the surrounding areas and year-round options throughout the region, including its Gold Rush connections, please visit the Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau.