About Tuolumne County

How do you get to Tuolumne County?

The county seat of Sonora is within easy driving distance to four major airports:

• Sacramento International (117 miles)
• Oakland International (120 miles)
• San Jose International (126 miles)
• San Francisco International (133 miles)

What’s the weather like in Tuolumne County?

The sun shines on Tuolumne County an average of 325 days a year. The rising elevation keeps it above the fog and smog usually associated with the Central Valley and Bay Area to the west. The annual mean temperature is 60°F, and annual mean rainfall is 32.85 inches. The area enjoys the accessibility and full beauty evident of four distinct seasons. In the spring, the lower altitudes and foothills turn a rich green, with many of the native grasses becoming golden during the hot, dry summer. In the fall, flaming colors line picturesque roads and dapple the foothills and mountainsides as native flora begrudgingly gives way to winter. Above 5,000 feet, snow remains on the ground from late November through April, but any accumulation is rare below 3,000 feet, where many of the county’s main towns are located.

Tuolumne (as in “follow me”) County, 133 miles east of San Francisco, is a pristine, scenic expanse reaching to the crest of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The main highways leading to this picturesque, two-to-three-hour drive from the Bay Area are Highways 108 and 120 from the west the latter considered to be the most scenic and direct route to Yosemite National Park and Highway 49 from the north. For more information, see the website of the Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau.