Community Guide
The towns in the Mother Lode each have a unique history. From the largest, Sonora, to Angels Camp and San Andreas to the tiny towns of Sheep Ranch and Vallecito you will find friendly small-town atmosphere and the look and excitement of the gold rush. Away from the large cities of San Francisco and Sacramento you will find sophisticated tech-company retirees and friendly old-timers. Comfortably secluded, if you feel like saying hello, there is a map on each town’s page.
Towns with a Colorful History
Several local annual events celebrate the Mother Lode’s history. Find out about the notorious Black Bart in the Copperopolis town page. Enjoy the ‘mystery’ of the Calaveras skull found in Altaville here.
Tuolumne is 117 miles southeast of Sacramento. The two mountain passes in Tuolumne County, Sonora Pass (9,628-feet) and Tioga Pass (9,941-feet) are the highest in the Sierra Nevada range and are closed from November through May. The larger communities in Tuolumne County are Sonora, Jamestown, Columbia, Tuolumne, Twain Harte, Sierra Village, and Groveland. The county is served by 12 public school districts, one main library and 7 branch libraries. More about Tuolumne here.
Calaveras County is home to 22 wineries, including Ironstone Vineyards with an amphitheater that hosts music concerts. Calaveras country fairgrounds hosts the Jumping Frog Jubilee and other events. The larger towns including Angels Camp, Copperopolis, San Andreas, and Murphys are mostly independent of each other because of geography. There are two main high schools Calaveras High School with 1,050 students and Bret Harte Union with 650 students. More about Calaveras here.
