Ext. Highway 108 — Traveling Shot
Getting here
Five and a half hours up from Los Angeles by road, or an hour forty-five by turbo-prop — with two airports inside the county and charter fields an hour out.
Drive from L.A.
5½ hours
Drive from S.F.
~3 hours
Turbo-prop from L.A.
~1 hr 45 min
Airports in county
Two
Driving
From Los Angeles
Take Interstate 5 north to Highway 99 and continue through Bakersfield and Fresno to Merced. At the north end of Merced, follow the Sonora/Highway 59 exit signs to Sonora via Highways 59 and 108. Merced to Sonora is about one hour.
There are frequent gas and food stops along Highway 99; services are limited on both 59 and 108 — top off trucks and generators before the last leg.
From San Francisco & the Bay Area
About three hours: Interstate 580 east to Interstate 205, then Highway 120 through Manteca and Oakdale. Stay on 120 for Groveland and the Yosemite gateway, or pick up Highway 108 at Yosemite Junction for Jamestown and Sonora. Columbia is ten minutes north of Sonora on Highway 49.
Flying
Two runways in the county, jets an hour out
Both county airports are staffed and maintained. Full-size charter jets for cast and crew land at Merced, Modesto, or Stockton.
Next to Columbia SHP
Columbia Airport
A quick hop from Columbia State Historic Park, with both a paved and a grass runway, both maintained by airport staff. Airport details →
Paved runway4,650 ftGrass runway2,600 ft
Groveland, off Ferretti Road
Groveland-Yosemite Airport
Formerly Pine Mountain Lake Airport. Serves the Groveland and Highway 120 side of the county, closest strip to the Yosemite gateway. Airport details →
Runway3,625 ftOverrunsLit, both ends
Commercial & charter
Regional service
United Express/SkyWest flies SFO–Modesto by turboprop (Modesto is an hour from Sonora). Oakland, Sacramento, and Fresno Yosemite International have major-carrier service about two hours out; charter jets land at Merced, Modesto, or Stockton.
Nearest majorsOAK · SMF · FAT — 2 hrsCharter jetsMCE · MOD · SCK — 1 hr
Drive times are to Sonora. From the road: 5½ hrs from L.A. via 99 and 108, ~3 hrs from the Bay via 120.
Once you’re here, everything’s close
The signature locations cluster within a short drive of Sonora — see what’s waiting.