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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Coulterville
Half a day: walk the historic main street, visit the history center and eat lunch. Not a base unless you want a quiet night near Yosemite's west entrance.
Coulterville is a Gold Rush ghost town with a preserved 1850s main street, a small history museum and one historic hotel. It sits 43 km northwest of Mariposa and about 30 km from Yosemite's west entrance. Most travellers stop for 1–2 hours on the way to or from Yosemite.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, fire risk), Dec–Feb (cold, some businesses close)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–100 excl. bed · Mid $100–180 excl. bed · High $180+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Mariposa County Sheriff (non-emergency) 209-966-3615
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–5 |
| Burger at the saloon | $12–16 |
| Beer (bottle) | $5–7 |
| History Center donation | $5 suggested |
| Gas (per gallon) | check |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- FAT · Fresno Yosemite International
- About 1 h 45 min drive via CA-99 and CA-132
- SMF · Sacramento International
- About 2 h 15 min drive via CA-99 and CA-132
Typical fares
- Fresno Airport → Coulterville (rental car)
- about $60–80 rental per day, 1 h 45 min drive
- Sacramento Airport → Coulterville (rental car)
- about $60–80 rental per day, 2 h 15 min drive
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Coulterville is walkable (one main street). A car is needed to reach Yosemite or Mariposa.
See and do
Known for
- Gold Rush history
- Northern Mariposa County History Center
- Hotel Jeffery
- Quiet gateway to Yosemite
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Yosemite National Park (west entrance) | CA-132 west to Big Oak Flat entrance, about 30 min drive | About 30 min |
| Mariposa | CA-49 south, about 30 min drive | About 30 min |
| Groveland | CA-120 west, about 25 min drive | About 25 min |
Sleep
- Main Street / Highway 49
- Hotel Jeffery and a few B&Bs; walkable to the history center and saloon.
- Greeley Hill Road
- Yosemite Springs offers camping, airstreams and a B&B; about 15 min drive from the village.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hello |
| Thank you | Thank you |
| How much? | How much? |
| Where is the restroom? | Where is the restroom? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Some businesses close early or are seasonal; check hours ahead.
- Cell service can be spotty in the canyon; download maps offline.
- No gas station in the village; fill up in Mariposa or Groveland.
Very safe; the main risk is driving on winding mountain roads, especially at night or in wet weather.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Coulterville yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Gold Rush history
- Northern Mariposa County History Center
- Hotel Jeffery
- Quiet gateway to Yosemite
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Hotel Jeffery: hoteljefferygold.com/
- Wikivoyage: Coulterville, revision 4804368 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4804368
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Coulterville
Take me to this address
Take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Mariposa County Sheriff (non-emergency)209-966-3615
Nearest consulates in San Francisco (about 3 h drive).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/coulterville). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.