Why is this important?

Approximately 76.5% of Tuolumne County’s 1,458,121 acres are public lands. Measuring recreational use on these various public lands provides data to assist in long-term planning for local businesses, government agencies, and political decision-makers. Use of specific public land area also provides "big picture" information to better understand traffic patterns, seasonal differences in visitation, and other potential impacts.

What is the Measure?

This chart identifies agencies responsible for administering recreation facilities and an estimate of annual visitor use.

How are we doing?

Residents and millions of visitors use public lands in Tuolumne Country to ski, hike, fish, hunt, boat, ride horses, watch wildlife, camp, and mountain climb. The public land use areas most frequented include Yosemite National Park, Stanislaus National Forest, Lake Don Pedro, and New Melones Reservoir.

Yosemite National Park is one of America’s most desirable destinations for visitors. On any busy summer weekend, more than 20,000 people visit Yosemite Valley. The Stanislaus National Forest offers a wide range of recreational opportunities, with three wilderness areas covering over 200,000 acres and 40 miles of "Wild and Scenic" rivers. It also includes campgrounds, recreational residences, major ski areas, roads, reservoirs, high country lakes, and recreational trails.

New Melones is managed by the Bureau of Reclamation. The reservoir and surrounding lands provide a full service marina and store, boat rentals, boat launch ramps, beaches, campgrounds, and an informative visitor center.

Lake Don Pedro is managed by the Turlock Irrigation District and offers marinas, boat launch ramps, trailer pads, campsites, and a wide range of boating, camping and swimming options.