The change of elevation throughout the County ranges from 1,300 feet (400 meters) to nearly 9,600 feet (2,900 meters) which means the weather is different depending on location and time of year.

Tuolumne County is a four-season destination. Find the perfect time of year to visit that matches your interests:

• Spring: Colorful wildflowers fill the foothills of the Sierra every spring. Take a hike to see them up close.
• Summer: Summers in Tuolumne County should be spent near the water. Go boating, fishing, or swimming in one of the many lakes and rivers.
• Fall: Fall is locals’ favorite season in Tuolumne County. From yearly festivals to changing leaves, it is the perfect time of year to explore at any elevation.
• Winter: Watch as Tuolumne County turns into a winter wonderland. Snowboard, ski, tube, ice skate, or make a snowman.

Highway 120 is open year-round to Yosemite National Park and into Yosemite Valley. Tioga Pass over the Sierra is closed for the winter and opens around the first of June. Highway 108’s Sonora Pass is closed over the Sierra after the first major snowfall but is kept plowed to Leland Meadows and Dodge Ridge. Sonora Pass usually reopens in mid-May. It is always advisable to carry chains in the mountains during the winter. Snow rarely falls as low as downtown Sonora.

CALTRANS HIGHWAY CONDITIONS
800-427-7623
roads.dot.ca.gov

YOSEMITE HIGHWAY CONDITIONS
209-372-0200
nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm