Visit Tuolumne County Fact Sheet

Tuolumne County, California, is a single destination with three incredible vacations. Experience iconic Yosemite adventures, make golden discoveries in California's Gold Country or explore the potential of an exciting High Sierra trip. Just 2 ½ hours east from the San Francisco Bay Area and 2 hours from the Sacramento area, Tuolumne County is close, affordable and uniquely amazing at creating unforgettable memories.

Natural Wonders Well Within Reach

By car or by air, it's easy to visit Tuolumne County. The closest airports are located in San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento and Fresno with a scenic 2 – 3-hour drive that follows. Road conditions are generally favorable, however during the winter months drivers may be required to have chains on their tires – or at least packed in their car – to access certain roads, particularly those in Yosemite National Park.

FROM SACRAMENTO: 95 MILES (153 KM), 1 HOUR AND 57 MINUTES

FROM DUBLIN/PLEASANTON: 98 MILES (157 KM), 1 HOUR AND 54 MINUTES

FROM OAKLAND: 124 MILES (199 KM), 2 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES

FROM SAN JOSE: 129 MILES (209 KM), 2 HOURS AND 29 MINUTES

FROM SAN FRANCISCO: 132 MILES (213 KM), 2 HOURS AND 31 MINUTES

FROM FRESNO: 148 MILES (238 KM), 3 HOURS AND 19 MINUTES

Fun Facts from Tuolumne County

The Iron Door Saloon in Groveland is California's oldest continuously operating saloon.

Columbia State Historic Park is an authentic Gold Rush town featuring the largest single collection of existing Gold Rush-era structures in California.

Columbia was once the 2nd largest city in California and considered as a potential State Capitol.

The Bennett Juniper is the largest known juniper tree in the United States and is located in the Stanislaus National Forest.

The town of Twain Harte is named after authors, Mark Twain and Brett Harte.

Over 300 movies, television shows and commercials have been filmed in Tuolumne County.

Featured in Wild Wild West, Back to the Future III, and many more movies and TV shows, the Sierra No. 3®, one of the most recognizable steam locomotives, is on display and operates at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown.

Hurst Ranch offers a unique wine tasting experience in the railroad station from Clint Eastwood's movie, The Unforgiven, situated on-site, which also happens to be where Grizzly Adams once lived.

The two highest mountain passes in the Sierra Nevada are in Tuolumne County, Highway 120 in Yosemite National Park and Highway 108 to the north.

A 77-mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail traverses Tuolumne County's High Country between Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park and Sonora Pass.  

About Visit Tuolumne County

Visit Tuolumne (“to-all-o-me”) County (VTC) is the official destination marketing organization for Tuolumne County in Northern California with a mission to increase visitation, travel spending and overnight stays. Tuolumne County is just a 2 1/2-hour drive east of the San Francisco Bay Area. The destination is known for its pristine, scenic expanse reaching into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Gold was discovered in Tuolumne County in 1848, setting off the major gold rush of 1849. The main highways leading to the picturesque drive from the Bay Area are Highways 108 and 120 from the west and Highway 49 from the north. The State Highway 120 entrance to Yosemite National Park is considered the “front door” of the park for the Bay Area. The Stanislaus National Forest, Yosemite National Park and other surrounding areas provide natural vistas and settings for hiking, water skiing, horseback riding, rafting, camping, snowmobiling, boating, snow skiing, fishing and other outdoor activities. Seven restored historic hotels, four golf courses, numerous and varied dining establishments, historic saloons, four wineries, a hard cider distillery, train rides, casinos, seven museums, two state historic parks, two live theaters, many bed-and-breakfast inns and a variety of Airbnb accommodations are among the many other attributes that make the county a year-round vacation destination. For more information, go to VisitTuolumne.com.

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