We went on a guided trip with Mark Last April 2014. Booking the trip was a breeze, no deposit was…read morerequired. We met Mark at Sonora, then proceeded to the fishing spot on his car. Mark was kind enough to supply all the gear (rods, waders, boots), the only thing i brought was my fishing license. Mark was very friendly and is an excellent guide. one on one casting lessons was also part of the experience. I like that his teaching style was more laidback and the instructions were not too technical. All in all, me and my Dad had an awesome time, were taught basic casting, and caught 8 good sized trout total. I cant wait to schedule another guided trip. Good value for money! I highly recommend his guide service to all Yelpers.

From the owner: California Licensed Fly Fishing Guide…read more I am located in the beautiful town of Sonora, California, about 2 hours east of the San Francisco Bay Area and two hours south from Sacramento, in Tuolumne County. Anyone from beginner to expert will benefit from my experience on the local waters with walk and wade trips on the Merced, Stanislaus, or Tuolumne Rivers. We do float trips on the lower Merced, Stanislaus and Tuolumne Rivers

It will reopen in about 2 weeks from when I'm posting this review(05/23/2026). They let us in…read morebecause we traveled from San Francisco and didn't realize that they were remodeling. They still need to add tables, running water, set the restrooms up, open up the restaurant/store and set the boat rental. I expect great things when they open again. Great experience we had today; amazing view, weather and access to get into the lake.

The lake is closed down as of 2025...sadly. I think they…read morehave a buyer from out of state to upgrade all the things that the owners did not fix up to date with the county. Lets just hope this was our yearly family go to spot at the cabins...

I went here on a weekday, and when I arrived in the parking lot, I was shocked by how much was…read moregoing on. It definitely did not feel like a safe place to leave a car or to walk alone. There appeared to be drug activity, and there were people living in their cars. It felt more like a place for people to hang out and purchase drugs than a normal parking lot. I observed this as I drove through, which was very concerning. This was a bummer, especially since the trail itself looked beautiful. I'm surprised that law enforcement hasn't been called by the neighborhood, but then again, I understand that people can sometimes become used to these conditions.

We always love hiking here. It's easy to hike with kids, even though it can get a little rocky and…read morea little muddy. The cave is always beautiful, especially when the water is flowing. Today, there are still descent of people hiking, and we came around 12:30 Easy Hike!Gonna come back again soon. P. S please leave no trace

I come here every year! I walk around and enjoy seeing the old, small town of Columbia that…read moresettlers founded. It is now recognized as Colombia State Historic Park. It has a one-room school house where students of different ages, once sat and listened together to their teacher's lectures, in harmony. I always visit the old cemetery where some members of The Donner family, who survived their perilous journey from Missouri to California during the gold rush, are buried. The old mercantile building and the Blacksmith stable where the horses were shoehorned and cared for, still stands. The countryside is beautiful. The hills and rivers are gorgeous. This is a great place for families and especially for children who should know our great history regarding brave settlers who traveled from far and wide, by horse and buggy (wagon trains of home crafted covered wagons). It is always such a nostalgic feeling going back in history for me. Enjoy this great town!

What an amazing day at Columbia State Park. Weather was good but starting to warm up in the…read moreafternoon , so was super nice most of the day. Bring a hat, and sunscreen Took my wife for mother's day up to Tuolumne county, While there tonight we would go to Columbia state park, my old stomping ground with the fire dept and working with cal fire, and there air retardant planes. Been along while but some of the memories are there. Meanwhile back at the trip forgive my ADHD brain. lol Columbia State park is awesome. If you like history of California and a lot of the gold rush , a good part is here and can learn and shop like you are in the old west. Yes that's right! The staff and such all wear clothing from that time. There is even a stage coach with beautiful huge horses. (If you are allergic they are easily avoidable, but from afar they are gorgeous. Yes I'm allergic, it sucks I love animals. If you are allergic just fyi) Anyways, if you never have gone, ? GO! If you like theater / Live Plays, be sure to check out the "Fallon House Theater", so you might be planning a nice little romantic date night, theater , and icecream .. Or a day trip with the family , there is some good restaurants in town and lots to do with familiy or loved one, candle making, which is a different shop, from the candle store... But you get my drift, theres lots to do, date night / day, or day out with the family....

Had a great experience with David, caught some fish, learned a lot and had interesting talks.read more

David took my husband and I on a wonderful fishing and hiking excursion! He is knowledgeable, kind…read moreand professional. We learned a lot about fishing techniques, and saw some amazing views!

I've done a couple trips with OARS now: two on the South Fork of the American River and a 2 day…read moretrip on the Tuolumne. OARS does not disappoint! From incredibly attentive and knowledgeable guides to luxurious camping accommodations, they take care of you. All you have to do is show up and paddle. Maybe you don't even have to paddle if you're sitting in the gear boat. The American River trips are an easy day trip from Sacramento or the Bay Area. If you're looking for a little more adventure, a multi-day guided whitewater trip is so fun, with lots of downtime to swim, look at the stars, play games, and eat yummy food. There's no freeze dried camp meals here. Everything is boated in and prepped on the beach for you. So good. All around, so good.

We spent the 3 days, Fourth of July holiday 2025 in Auburn at The Foothills Motel. For fun we…read moredecided to go white water rafting on The American River. My wife and I had an amazing day (6 hrs) in the river with Oars. The crew was friendly, respectful and fun. Our guide was Alex. She was very knowledgeable of rafting and the river. Not only did she provide a safe and exciting adventure but she was also a great conversationalist with extensive knowledge of all flora and fauna along the river. Plus she shared relevant historical stories from the mining times of the area. We can't wait to book another trip. Thx to Alex for a great time.