Tuolumne County encompasses approximately 2,229 square miles and has an estimated 55,000 residents. Many of these residents live within unincorporated small towns spread throughout the county. Sonora, the county seat and only incorporated city, is the largest community and “hub” of the county. Additionally, the Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau reports approximately two million day use visitors to the county annually and approximately three million overnight visitors annually.
The geographic make-up of Tuolumne County is rural and mountainous with response times to the most remote boundaries measured in hours rather than minutes.
The Sonora Area has traffic safety responsibilities for Tuolumne County (excluding Yosemite National Park) and a small portion of northern Mariposa County. The areas of patrol and collision investigation responsibility include approximately 72 miles of State-Route108, 56 miles of State-Route 120, 37 miles of State-Route 49, 19 miles of State-Route 132, and approximately 2,859 miles of graded national forest roads. Additionally, Sonora Area CHP officers patrol approximately 604 miles of paved county roads and handle accident investigation responsibility for approximately 2,859 miles of graded national forest roads.
