Page 69 - 373067 LP258570 Travel Magazine A4 88pp Issue 59 Feb23 PROOF.pdf

Discover Tuolumne County
Tuolumne County is a must-visit destination during any California holiday. Here nature, outdoor, and history enthusiasts embrace every moment in wide-open spaces and fresh air of the scenic expanse reaching from the heart of California’s Gold Country in the rolling foothills to the granite, forested peaks of Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Tuolumne County is like three year-round destinations in one, just 200 kilometers east of the San Francisco Bay Area. Visitors not only find endless activities, history, and culture but also lodging options for every budget from modern hotels and resorts to quaint B&Bs, each with its own distinction.
Gold Country
Tuolumne County’s Gold Country offers an authentic Gold Rush experience in its rich, lively, and thriving historic towns. A treasure, new or old, is waiting to be discovered in unique specialty shops or fine art galleries that line the streets. Enjoy food and drink in a historic inn, take in a superior live theatre performance in a venue where shows have entertained for over a century, or try to strike it rich with 24-hour gaming action. Springtime offers spectacular wildflower displays along several popular trails. Wineries, craft breweries, and a hard apple cider distillery enthusiastically share their local beverage creations in unique locations.
Two California State Historic Parks, Railtown 1897 and Columbia, transport visitors to a past era when the West was bustling with those searching for gold or a new way of life with stagecoach and historic train rides, gold panning, and reenactment events.
High Sierra
No matter one’s definition of adventure or a scenic drive—it is found in Tuolumne County’s High Country along Highway 108 (Sonora Pass). Magnificent vistas, trails, lakes, rivers, and streams create endless opportunities for every outdoor enthusiast and feature breathtaking scenery and fresh mountain air.
Hiking is the number one visitor activity in Tuolumne County. Thousands of kilometers of trails provide one-of-a-kind treks for hikers of any skill level on the Stanislaus National Forest. Journey into the wilderness to alpine lakes and rivers or stay closer to the beaten path.
Yosemite Area
Over half of Yosemite National Park is in Tuolumne County, and it is the least crowded half. Walk in the splendor of ancient giant sequoias in the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias, which is located just off Highway 120 East (also known as the Tioga Road) and accessible year-round. Or, travel a bit further during the summer months and catch a breath in the incomparable and open scenery of Tuolumne Meadows. At Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, find the expansive deep blue lake, which is a water source for much of San Francisco, surrounded by granite peaks. Also, an uncrowded trail to uncommon waterfalls that are comparable in beauty to their more famous rivals in Yosemite Valley follows the edge of the reservoir.
The Highway 120 corridor, the most direct highway into Yosemite from the San Francisco Bay Area does not fall short of history, culture, and recreation, such as whitewater rafting, off-road Jeep tours, fly-fishing expeditions, and more.
Discover Tuolumne County, where wandering works wonders. Go to VisitTuolumne.com/TravelMatters for more information.
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