All that glitters
Tuolumne County, Calif., offers natural and man-made treasures galore.

By Karen Eakins

> A golden history
> Gold rush digs
> Planning your trip


It's one of those places that reduces even seasoned travelers to open-mouthed gawkers: Yosemite Valley. Seven miles long and one mile wide, where El Capitan, Half Dome and other massive, sheer cliffs tower more than 2,000 feet into the sky.

A visit in October shows why that's the most popular month for photographers (the light bathes everything in a golden hue), big-rock climbers (the weather is perfect) and spiders (the babies "balloon" across the valley during migration). But a visit any time shows why the public loves Yosemite. It's home to 800-plus miles of trails, two of the world's tallest waterfalls (Yosemite and Sentinel), 54 miles of nationally designated wild and scenic river, black bears, mountain lions, peregrine falcons and giant sequoias that stretch skyward.

Even those who consider themselves environmentally indifferent can't help but become tree-huggers after touching a giant sequoia's soft, velvety bark. And that soft, velvety bark is what has saved these trees, which grow up to 300 feet tall in a 250-mile swath down California's center, from being extensively logged. They splinter when cut and require far more labor to be divided into logs than is financially feasible.

"The trees tell the story," National Park Service ranger Adrienne Freeman said on a guided nature walk, while pointing out tree sprouts and explaining the differences between giant sequoias and redwoods. (They're cousins, but redwoods grow only within 25 miles of the coast.) But Yosemite isn't the only lure that pulls visitors to Tuolumne (rhymes with "follow me") County. Those who travel west will find more attractions that tempt.

A golden history

Tuolumne County is a hangout for people hankering to feed an urge that didn't disappear with the 1800s: searching for gold. Gold-panning expeditions have abounded here since the 1848 strike in Jamestown (then Jimtown) which started the California Gold Rush. But Brent Shock, at Jamestown's Gold Prospecting Adventures, said gold seekers better be prepared for intermittent rewards. "The reward is in doing what you enjoy," he explained. "The gold is a bonus."

The largest single piece of gold found in North America since the 1880s rests in a vault at nearby Ironstone Vineyards, one of the nation's largest wineries. Owner John Kautz purchased the find, discovered near Jamestown in 1992 and now called the Kautz Crystalline Gold Specimen, for an undisclosed amount. After 19 pounds of quartz were painstakingly removed, the specimen is now 44 pounds of 98% pure gold. Visitors can view the specimen and historical artifacts in the heritage museum, then take a tour through the seven-story winery and entertainment complex, which concludes with a wine tasting. Those who prefer their gold in liquid form should invest in a bottle of the winery's most popular label, the $8 Obsession Symphony.

Some people don't care that their odds of finding gold aren't good. At Columbia State Historic Park near Sonora, Mike Keene, owner of the Jack Douglass Saloon, said a gentleman sat in his bar one recent afternoon for four hours because his wife had "the fever" and couldn't stop gold panning. It's not an uncommon occurrence.

Those more interested in the history of gold panning than its present should spend their time at 1850s-era Columbia, also known as the Gem of the Southern Mine. The town was designated a state park in 1945, and storekeepers such as a candy maker, blacksmith, barber and bookseller opened shop. Columbia's most famous piece of property is the Wilson-McConnell House, which served as the marshal's home in the movie High Noon. Sharp-eyed Western aficionados will recognize Main Street as the location of the gun-slinging finale where Gary Cooper met and bettered his nemesis.

Columbia's Fallon Hotel is now a historical bed-and-breakfast. It was restored in 1986 with standards and style typical of 1880s-era craftsmen, which included lots of faux wood grain (even applied on top of real wood) and a "shameless mixing and matching of patterns," according to guide Hoyt Elkins. Attached is the Fallon

Theater, built in the 1850s and home to performances staged by the Sierra Repertory Theater, now celebrating 10 years of award-winning professional theater.

Gold rush digs

Columbia isn't the only place with historical lodgings. The area's premier inn, the Groveland Hotel, rests 23 miles west of Yosemite. The town of Groveland was originally named Garrotte for an early hanging.

In 1990, owners Peggy and Grover Mosley turned the 1850-built ruin into a place of luxurious nostalgia with every modern convenience. Rooms feature antiques, handmade down quilts, teddy-bear companions and a rubber ducky in each bath. The rooms, including the most-requested Lyle's Room, are named for the area's historical figures. Prospector Lyle worked Spring Gulch near the hotel; he is now the resident ghost, having died here.

The Groveland was named to the National Register of Historic Places and earned the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for its 550-label wine cellar. Its courtyard is the site of weddings, patio dining and the Yosemite Courtyard Theater in the summer. A dinner in the hotel's elegant Victorian Room can include six courses, from crab cakes and mulligatawny soup to duck and fresh berry shortcake, with a wine to complement each course.

Those looking for a nightcap can head across the street to the Iron Door Saloon. Established in 1852, it's California's oldest tavern. But settling in on the Groveland's second-story porch in that soothing Sierra Nevada quiet gives guests time to reflect.

Yosemite isn't far down the road, and visitors can either anticipate the views or reflect on them. For those headed in, prepare to be dazzled. For those who've been there, close your mouths.

Planning your trip

For more information, call the Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau at 800-446-1333 or visit www.tcvb.com. For help with maps and reservations, contact your AAA travel agent or www.AAA.com.


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