Main Tuolumne Information

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DIRECTIONS & MEETING TIME

We meet at the Buck Meadows Restaurant at 8:30 am (unless otherwise scheduled), 9 miles east of Groveland on Highway 120. It is a ¼ mile east of the Buck Meadows General Store. Once you enter the parking lot, look for the abandoned Exxon gas station and park on the far side of it.

 

 

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

• Buck Meadows Restaurant, 7647 Highway 120; Buck Meadows, CA 95321
• 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) 591-8027.

 

GETTING READY

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.

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WHAT TO WEAR

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 plastic trash bag.

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Camping 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 libations (no glass except wine; we'll pack these for you. SMRT provides some beer, wine and juice.)

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LODGING

We recommend the following locations for lodging and camping on our Tuolumne River trips:

Century 21 Pleasant View Properties condo and home rentals	866-350-7372
Evergreen Lodge rustic lodge, restaurant, bar	800-935-6343
Groveland Hotel historic inn, restaurant, bar	800-273-3314
Hotel Charlotte small, historic, restaurant	800-961-7799
Remax Loreen Borup condo and home rentals	877-962-7180
Yosemite Ridge Resort cabins for 4 to 8 people, restaurant	800-706-3009
Yosemite Rose bed and breakfast	866-962-6548
Yosemite Westgate Lodge new motel, restaurant, pool	800-253-9673
Lillaskog Bed & Breakfast Most spectacular view of the Sierras	209-962-1818
Blackberry Inn Bed & Breakfast Bed & Breakfast	888-867-5001
Alpenglo Inn Bed & Breakfast	209-962-4541

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CAMPING

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.

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RESTAURANTS

Groveland Hotel Fresh seasonal California cuisine	209-962-4000
Hotel Charlotte, Groveland	209-962-6455
Iron Door Bar & Grill, Groveland	209-962-6244
Buck Meadows Restaurant, Buck Meadows Closest place to east near La Casa Loma, heading east towards Yosemite	209-962-5181
Cocina Michoacana, Groveland Mexican Dining in downtown Groveland	209-962-6651

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SANITATION/HYGIENE

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.

CAMPFIRES

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.

WEATHER

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 or check here for current weather.

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OTHER NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

• 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: 209-533-4420
Yosemite Chamber of Commerce:

209-962-0429
(800) 4 HWY 120
(800) 449-9120
info@groveland.com

An up-to-date calendar of events and news from Tuolumne County is available online from the Sonora Union Democrat newspaper.

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