Groveland is the gateway town for travelers arriving from the San Francisco Bay Area on Highway 120, and it is one of the most characterful small towns around the park. Its Main Street is lined with old buildings from its Gold Rush days, when it was a mining camp, and from the era when it served as the base for building O'Shaughnessy Dam and Hetch Hetchy Reservoir to supply San Francisco's water. The town's best-known landmark is the Iron Door Saloon, founded in 1852 and described by the county tourism bureau as the longest continually operating saloon in California; even if you only stop for a soft drink, step inside to see the old bar and the building's Gold Rush character. The Groveland Yosemite Gateway Museum at Mary Laveroni Park covers Indigenous peoples, pioneers, the Gold Rush and the building of Hetch Hetchy — look for the 565-pound black bear at the entrance. Main Street also has an outdoor gear store, a general mercantile with homemade ice cream, and a brewery just west of town, plus the historic Groveland Hotel and Hotel Charlotte. The surrounding Stanislaus National Forest offers hikes such as Carlon Falls, and the Tuolumne River canyon is a renowned whitewater run in season. From Groveland, Highway 120 continues east to the Big Oak Flat Entrance, which the Evergreen Lodge describes as open year-round, along with the Hetch Hetchy gate; beyond Crane Flat, the Tioga Road is closed for winter. The town makes an easy, affordable base for the north side of the park, with Rush Creek Lodge and Evergreen Lodge a short drive east.
Why stop or stay. Groveland gives you a sense of the foothill world that existed before and alongside the park: the miners, the dam builders, the stage roads and the long-running saloon life. It is also practical. Staying here puts you on the most direct route to the valley from the Bay Area and closest to Hetch Hetchy and the Tuolumne and Merced Groves, and the town has more dining and lodging choice than you might expect for its size.
Making the most of it. Walk Main Street in the late afternoon, starting at the museum and finishing at the Iron Door for dinner or a drink. Use the town as a launch point for a Hetch Hetchy day — the road there is open sunrise to sunset and closes when snow is falling or forecast — or for a winter snowshoe at Crane Flat. Allow about an hour from Groveland to the valley floor in good conditions, carry chains in winter, and expect occasional construction delays on Big Oak Flat Road. Railtown 1897 in Jamestown makes a good rainy-day outing an hour west.
Who it suits. Bay Area weekenders, budget-minded families, history buffs and anyone focusing on the north side of the park. Travelers who want to be inside the valley each evening will find the drive long. Pair Groveland with Hetch Hetchy, the Tuolumne Grove and a night at the Groveland Hotel or Hotel Charlotte.
What to expect
The experience
A walkable Gold Rush main street with a historic saloon, a small gateway museum, shops, restaurants and two historic hotels on Highway 120.
Best time
Late afternoon and evening after a day in the park; any season, as Highway 120 West stays open year-round.
How long
An hour or two to walk Main Street and visit the museum.
Tips
Visit the Gateway Museum before it closes for the day, carry chains in winter, and allow about an hour to the valley floor.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Travelers arriving from the Bay Area who want a characterful, affordable base.
- Families
- The museum bear and an ice cream on Main Street are easy wins.
- Couples
- Dinner and a drink at the historic Iron Door Saloon.
- Pair with
- Hetch Hetchy and the Tuolumne Grove.
- Time needed
- One to three hours, or an overnight.
Good questions
How far is Groveland from Yosemite?+
It sits on Highway 120 west of the Big Oak Flat Entrance; allow about an hour to the valley floor in good conditions, longer in winter storms or construction delays.
Is the Iron Door Saloon really that old?+
The county tourism bureau dates it to 1852 and calls it the longest continually operating saloon in California.
What is in the Groveland Yosemite Gateway Museum?+
Exhibits on Indigenous peoples, pioneers, the Gold Rush and the development of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, at Mary Laveroni Park.
Is Highway 120 open in winter?+
Highway 120 West to the Big Oak Flat Entrance is open year-round, with chain controls in storms. The Tioga Road beyond Crane Flat closes for winter.
Is Groveland a good base for Hetch Hetchy?+
Yes. It is one of the closest towns to the Hetch Hetchy Entrance; the road is open sunrise to sunset and closes when snow is falling or forecast.
