Outdoor Recreation
Tuolumne County is known for its rich history, great outdoors, and strong communities. Many people who have been raised here in the foothills have chosen to return home as adults. This beautiful setting in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas continues to draw locals and tourists to experience the many activities and see its history.
Our county contains numerous small towns that spread across the area. These towns hold fascinating history that accommodates us with various year-round outdoor activities, such as hiking, camping, fishing, biking and boating, just to name a few. In addition, our county also offers the opportunity to explore the time of the Gold Rush through a variety of activities in Columbia State Park, such as riding in stagecoaches, participating in candle making, mining for your own gold and recreating old photographs. Just down the road is historic downtown Sonora with its shopping, fine dining and historic buildings making for a picturesque day on the town.
These types of recreational activities provide Tuolumne residents with the ability to learn about their beloved town’s history. In Tuolumne, railroad tracks are symbolic of the town’s lumber and mining past and the local museum helps visitors dive into the history. Jamestown’s Railtown also sustains the memory of old times, which allows us to forget just for a moment that we have automobiles, all while enjoying the luxuries of a train ride.
While Tuolumne County enables tourists and residents to travel to the past, it also offers numerous beautiful outdoor environments that have become everyone’s backyard. In many places outdoor activities are limited to a few months out of the year, but in Tuolumne County we have the blessing of outdoor recreation available year-round.
You can start off your year by enjoying the snow covered mountains by skiing, snowboarding, sledding or snowshoeing at our local ski resort, Dodge Ridge, or on the many trails in the mountains. However, once the snow melts the fun is not over, as the many nearby rivers and lakes refill and allow spectacular fishing, boating, rafting and swimming. Take your pick of the 811 miles of rivers and streams in the Stanislaus National Forest for your water adventures. Whether you are riding the white water rapids of the Tuolumne River or vacationing on a boat in New Melones or Lake Tulloch, or a houseboat on Lake Don Pedro, there is fun for everyone.
From the numerous lakes to the beautiful forests of the Stanislaus, including Yosemite National Park, this county is blessed by a vast wilderness to adventure through as well as breathtaking wonders to see. There are seven different regions of hiking trails that together contain hundreds of trails for people to explore and venture. Some of these trails not only can be used for hiking but also for biking. Locals and tourists can bike through the diverse trails nearly all year long. You can also enjoy an unforgettable horseback trip into the stunning Emigrant Wilderness region where breathtaking views, crystal clear lakes and serenity awaits.
If you need a break from the wild outdoors come back down the hill and checkout Black Oak Casino Resort and its five star Seven Sisters Restaurant. For your sporting needs the casino offers 24 bowling lanes or you can enjoy one of the seven scenic golf courses in and around the county.
Tuolumne County is a unique place that offers fantastic opportunities and activities for its visitors and residents, who experience outdoor fun all year long as well as make memories that they can cherish forever. All of this makes Tuolumne County a great place to live and vacation.
Written by Caitlyn Rich