Main Tuolumne Information Main Tuolumne Information
General River Trip
Information Area Map Local Map Getting Ready What to
Bring Lodging Camping Restaurants Campfires Weather Other Attractions
DIRECTIONS AND MEETING TIME
We meet at La Casa Loma Store at 9:00 am (unless otherwise scheduled), 7 miles east of Groveland on Highway 120. Turn left on Ferretti Road, drive one block, turn left again on the frontage road, and park to the left of the road. The shuttle bus will meet you there, providing transportation to and from the river.Driving time to Groveland from the Bay Area is about 3 1/2 hours; from Manteca, about 1 1/2 hours; from Los Angeles, about 7 hours. We can arrange local airport pickups.
Meeting Place
La Casa Loma Store, 24000 Casa Loma Road; Groveland, CA 95312
Some map websites (such as MapQuest) mistakenly have travelers from the south diverting east from Fresno through Yosemite National Park. Although very scenic, it is a much slower route.
If you will not be available by phone before your trip, please phone our office within 48 hours of meeting time to reconfirm logistics.
Please be on time! If you are delayed, notify us by phoning our office at (209) 962-0367.
By the meeting time, please be dressed in river attire and have your gear ready to be packed in our waterproof bags. Wet suits, if needed should be put on later at the river.Keep your daytime items (camera, sunblock, lip ointment, etc.) separate from your camping gear in a plastic Ziplock bag to be placed in our day bags on your raft.
Be sure to eat breakfast!
Warm Weather River Attire
- Shorts and/or swimsuit
- T-shirt
- Tennis shoes (Sandals do not protect your feet!)
- Ball cap
- Sunglasses (with tie-on)
- Passengers with extreme sun sensitivity may wish to wear lightweight long pants and long-sleeved shirts.
Cool Weather River Attire
- Wool, silk or synthetic layer under wet suit
- Wet suit (provided by Sierra Mac)
- Wool or neoprene socks
- Tennis shoes
- Sunglasses (with tie-on)
- Wool hat or ball cap
- Rubber splash jacket (provided by SMRT)
For warmth, layers of polypropylene or wool with an unlined shell or parka are best. (SMRT provides a rubber splash jacket in cool weather.) Avoid wearing sweats or heavy pants on the raft: they'll get wet and never dry out.
WHAT TO BRING
For overnight trips, pack light and compactly. Each person will receive a 3.8 cubic foot dry bag for storing his or her belongings-about the size of a 30 gallon trash can.
Gear (Rentals Available)
- Sleeping bag
- Air or foam mattress
- Tarp
- Tent or tube tent (optional)
- Personal Gear
- Comfortable clothing
- Nylon shell jacket
- Underwear
- Extra tennis shoes or sandals
- Socks
- Sweater and/or jacket
- Towel
- Toiletries, Kleenex, etc.
- Flashlight (one for each person)
- Flashlight batteries (packed separately)
- Extra plastic bags
- Day Bag (Ziploc plastic)
- Camera & film
- Sun block
- Lip ointment
- Plastic water bottle or canteen
Optional
- Rain jacket and pants
- Fishing license and gear (hard shell case)
- Snorkel & face mask
- Reading material
- Journal & pen
- Cards or games
- Extra beer, wine, soft drinks or favorite evening libation (no glass except wine; we'll pack these for you. SMRT provides some beer, wine and juice.)
We recommend the following locations for lodging and camping on our Tuolumne River trips:
Berkshire Inn Bed & Breakfast
new, deluxe888-225-2064 Century 21 Pleasant View Properties
condo and home rentals866-350-7372 Evergreen Lodge
rustic lodge, restaurant, bar800-935-6343 Groveland Hotel
historic inn, restaurant, bar800-273-3314 Hotel Charlotte
small, historic, restaurant800-961-7799 Remax Loreen Borup
condo and home rentals877-962-7180 Yosemite Ridge Resort
cabins for 4 to 8 people, restaurant800-706-3009 Yosemite Rose
bed and breakfast866-962-6548 Yosemite Westgate Lodge
new motel, restaurant, pool800-253-9673
Yosemite Pines RV Park: Facilities available at RV Park include RV rental, camping, pool, phone and showers. Reservations are available by phoning (209) 962-5042
Pine Mountain Lake Campground: RV park & camping, showers. (209) 962-8615
US Forest Service campgrounds: East of Groveland, on Highway 120 in the Buck Meadows area near the meeting place, are US Forest Service campgrounds Pines, Lost Claim and Sweetwater. They do not take reservations. Information is available from the US Forest Service office in Groveland at (209) 962-7825.
Groveland Hotel
Fresh seasonal California cuisine209-962-4000 Hotel Charlotte, Groveland 209-962-6455 Iron Door Bar & Grill, Groveland 209-962-6244 Coffee Express, Groveland 209-962-7393 Smoke Cafe, Jamestown
Mexican & Southwestern209-984-3733
Primitive rest rooms are available at the meeting place as well as at the embarkation point. At camp, we provide portable toilets and request that everyone use them. Our guides will describe appropriate hygiene procedures that minimize our impact on the river environment.
You are welcome to sit around and enjoy the fires built in the commissary area. Fires elsewhere are prohibited, and extreme caution with matches is imperative.
During the summer you can expect hot days and warm nights. Spring and fall weather is generally mild. Rain showers can occur at any time: bring suitable rain gear (see What to Bring). Feel free to phone us for last-minute local weather projection information.
Columbia State Historic Park • Railtown State Historic Park, Jamestown • Sonora Pass on Highway 108 • Tioga Pass on Highway 120 • Yosemite National Park
Yosemite Reservations: 209-252-4848
Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau: 209-533-4420An up-to-date calendar of events and news from Tuolumne County is available online from the Sonora Union Democrat newspaper.
About Sierra Mac Guides School
Events Information Reservations Request Information
Sierra Mac River Rafting Trips
Marty McDonnell - OutfitterP.O. Box 264 • Groveland, CA 95321
Reservations 800.457.2580
E-mail catalog@sierramac.com
