Dogs and their humans will have a great time experiencing Tuolumne County, also known as Yosemite Gold Country. Whether hiking an urban trail or taking a ride on a stagecoach, dogs definitely dig it in Yosemite Gold Country! Yosemite Gold Country embraces the northern half of Yosemite National Park and some of the best preserved old west towns in the US from the 1849 California Gold Rush. Located 2 ½ hours east of the San Francisco Bay Area and 2 hours southeast of Sacramento, Yosemite Gold Country offers visitors a fun variety of things to see and do…with your dog!
To make it easy to plan travel with pets, the Yosemite Gold Country Vacation Planner in print and online indicates every pet-friendly establishment in the area including venues that allow pets. Just look for the picture of the “paw” in the listing description to find pet-friendly establishments.
Dogs can ride on the stagecoach in Columbia State Historic Park. Columbia is the best preserved gold-rush era town in California as the entire town is a state park! Dogs on a leash are welcome throughout the Park. At Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown, well-behaved dogs can ride the train. Known as “The Movie Railroad”, Railtown and its trains have been in nearly 300 films, commercials and television productions.
Hotels throughout the region that welcome pets range from historic inns such as the Hotel Charlotte and the Groveland Hotel just outside Yosemite National Park in the quaint town of Groveland. Additionally, Dori's Tea Cottage in downtown Groveland offers a special spot for pooches on their charming patio. From the beautiful McCaffrey House Bed and Breakfast Inn to traditional hotels such as the Best Western Sonora Oaks or the iconic Long Barn Lodge with its ice skating rink, plus most of the vacation cabin rentals, RV parks and cabin-style resorts offer pet-friendly options.
Most of the restaurants with outdoor dining areas also welcome pets on a leash including Cover's Apple Ranch with lots to do for the entire family, the El Jardin restaurants in Sonora and Columbia and the historic 1859 National Hotel in Jamestown. Area wineries also allow them in outdoor areas and Twisted Oak Winery even allows well-behaved dogs inside.
Hiking areas throughout the region welcome leashed dogs on public trails including beautiful Pinecrest Lake and the wonderful urban trail, Dragoon Gulch, which is located right in the heart of Sonora, the largest city in the area. In many areas dogs can enjoy the water whether taking a swim or riding across a prisinte alpine lake in a canoe.
The list of pet-friendly businesses and locations continues to expand as two-legged and four-legged visitors are welcome throughout the area.
Tuolumne County is located in California's Gold Country and High Sierra regions. 58% of Yosemite National Park lies within the borders of Tuolumne County. Two State Historic Parks – Columbia and Railtown 1897 greet visitors year-round. Just a two hour drive south of Sacramento, east of San Francisco and north of Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne County is easily accessible from all points on the compass. Visit us online at www.YosemiteGoldCountry.com. #LoveTC #tcvacationland