22 May 2025
Seventy seven percent of Tuolumne County, California, is public lands – Yosemite National Park, Stanislaus National Forest, etc., Free from light pollution, the night skies don't hold back in revealing the heavens.
Located just 2.5 hours by car from San Francisco, where the historic Gold Country meets the majestic High Sierra, Tuolumne County is a natural for “noctourism” – the trend toward experiencing the outdoors after dark.
Here are some ways to take in a celestial show this summer. Local experts recommend star gazing as close as possible to the new moon, when skies are darkest. Also, dress warmly – even in summer, the temperature drops when the sun goes down.
For further insights, the American Meteor Society provides outlooks for upcoming meteor showers at https://www.amsmeteors.org/meteor-showers/meteor-shower-calendar.
Tuolumne Meadows, a quieter part of Yosemite National Park, has the wide-open space perfect for a clear view of meteor showers or simply a night spent on the lookout for shooting stars. Watch as a radiant sunset fades and the Milky Way comes into view, lighting up the night. Put astro-photography skills to the test and capture the perfect long exposure shot of the starry sky above Yosemite's granite peaks and domes.
At Pinecrest Lake, watch the stars of the silver screen at the lakeside outdoor Pinecrest Amphitheatre, which shows current movies most summer nights. Then stroll to the shore to watch as the lake becomes a mirror to the sky above.
Most accessible of all, the Rim of the World vista point on Highway 120 for stargazing, even from inside an automobile.
Stargazers don't have to go it alone. Tuolumne County resorts and recreation companies know how to deliver both celestial visions and luxurious mountain hospitality, conditions permitting.
Echo Adventure Coop offers Sierra Sunset BBQ & Stargazing, May-October
Gather at the Echo Adventures' Yosemite Basecamp in Groveland for a relaxing evening in Stanislaus National Forest, perfect for travelers of all abilities and interests. Experience an incredible Sierra sunset view and dine on an all-American picnic BBQ. For dessert: S'mores and a tour of constellations with a knowledgeable, local adventure guide, drawing from a vast network of scientific and cultural research. This experience is offered from 6-11 p.m. on Saturdays (and some Fridays), May-October. For dates, details and reservations, visit https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/echocoop/items/81017/?full-items=yes&flow=978730
Local outfitters like Echo Adventures Coop can make roughing it a little less rough, as on the 28-mile backcountry loop to Lake Vernon and Rancheria Falls in Yosemite National Park, offered on demand. Hiking this loop clockwise, you will climb up and out of the Hetch Hetchy Valley and through rolling, wooded hills to a beautiful lake bordered by an exposed granite ridge. Then the trail descends down through Tiltill Valley to Rancheria Falls and follows the north edge of the reservoir back to the trailhead.
Stargazing at Rush Creek Lodge
Dark skies are a way of life in the Sierra Nevada. Rush Creek Lodge invites guests to experience the night sky like never before. Their 4.5” aperture digital Unistellar telescope stacks long exposure photos in real time to deliver breathtaking views of galaxies, nebulae, and more. With high powered laser pointers, Star Guides direct guests around the night sky to learn about constellations, observe planets, nebulas, star clusters, galaxies, the most popular constellations and the North Star. Hotel guests and all star gazers are welcome.
ABOUT VISIT TUOLUMNE COUNTY
Visit Tuolumne (“to-all-o-me”) County (VTC) is the official destination marketing organization for Tuolumne County in Northern California with a mission to increase visitation, travel spending and overnight stays. Tuolumne County is just a 2 1/2-hour drive east of the San Francisco Bay Area. The destination is known for its pristine, scenic expanse reaching into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Gold was discovered in Tuolumne County in 1848, setting off the major gold rush of 1849. The main highways leading to the picturesque drive from the Bay Area are Highways 108 and 120 from the west and Highway 49 from the north. The State Highway 120 entrance to Yosemite National Park is considered the “front door” of the park for the Bay Area. The Stanislaus National Forest, Yosemite National Park and other surrounding areas provide natural vistas and settings for hiking, water skiing, horseback riding, rafting, camping, snowmobiling, boating, snow skiing, fishing and other outdoor activities. Seven restored historic hotels, four golf courses, numerous and varied dining establishments, historic saloons, four wineries, a hard cider distillery, train rides, casinos, seven museums, two state historic parks, two live theaters, many bed-and-breakfast inns and a variety of Airbnb accommodations are among the many other attributes that make the county a year-round vacation destination. For more information, go to VisitTuolumne.com.
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Media Contact:
Laurie Armstrong Gossy
415-290-6830
