Experience Twain Harte...
It's a town with a difference--Sixty foot tall pine trees and a beautiful mountain lake.
There are gift shops, antique stores, and variety stores: The Harte Collection, All that Matters, Nature's Nook.
A variety of restaurants can be found downtown and nearby. There is breakfast at the Sportsman Cafe, Little Cottage Cafe, and The Rock.
For lunch, there is traditional food, Mexican, Italian, and Chinese all downtown. For pizza, there is Neopolitan pizza and wine at The Prospector in downtown, and traditional pizza at the Pizza Factory in the Village Center.
You can stay overnight in Twain Harte at one of the motels, lodges, bed-and-breakfasts or rental cabins and spend time in the town and also visit recreational opportunities higher up the mountain. Pinecrest Lake, fifteen miles east of Twain Harte, (shown in the slide show) offers boating, kayaking and bicycling (rentals available), bank and boat fishing, a beach, and hiking.
There is also sightseeing with a beautiful drive up into the higher country along the Stanislaus River (shown in slide show).
What's Nearby
Twain Harte is up the mountain from the foothills towns of Jamestown, Sonora, Columbia, and Murphys. Further up Hwy 108 are Mi Wuk Village and Pinecrest Lake.
It's a town with a difference--Sixty foot tall pine trees and a beautiful mountain lake.
There are gift shops, antique stores, and variety stores: The Harte Collection, All that Matters, Nature's Nook.
Wine tasting is available at Sierra Cellars and at events such as the Art & Wine
Festival held in July.
A variety of restaurants can be found downtown and nearby. There is breakfast at the Sportsman Cafe, Little Cottage Cafe, and The Rock.
For lunch, there is traditional food, Mexican, Italian, and Chinese all downtown. For pizza, there is Neopolitan pizza and wine at The Prospector in downtown, and traditional pizza at the Pizza Factory in the Village Center.
You can stay overnight in Twain Harte at one of the motels, lodges, bed-and-breakfasts or rental cabins and spend time in the town and also visit recreational opportunities higher up the mountain. Pinecrest Lake, fifteen miles east of Twain Harte, (shown in the slide show) offers boating, kayaking and bicycling (rentals available), bank and boat fishing, a beach, and hiking.
There is also sightseeing with a beautiful drive up into the higher country along the Stanislaus River (shown in slide show).
What's Nearby
Twain Harte is up the mountain from the foothills towns of Jamestown, Sonora, Columbia, and Murphys. Further up Hwy 108 are Mi Wuk Village and Pinecrest Lake.
Video Tour of Twain Harte
Mark Twain and Bret Harte
Twain Harte was named for Mark Twain and Bret Harte, the two most famous American writers of the last half of the nineteenth century. Both wrote stories and tall tales based on their experiences living in the area, then known as the "Tuolumne Hills". Click to read about Mark Twain and read his stories and read about Bret Harte and read his stories.
History of Twain Harte
For centuries before whites appeared in California the MiWok Indians lived, in season, next to what is now Twain Harte Lake. They built houses known as "U'macha's", conical structures made from cedar bark. A U'macha' is shown in the slide show above.
During the Gold Rush Twain Harte was the site of flume-and-ditch building to supply water needed to wash the dirt and gravel to yield gold. This system still exists and supplies the county from Lyons Reservoir. (Lyons Dam is shown in the slide show.)
At the turn into the twentieth century the Sugar Pine Railway was built through Twain Harte. This railway carried logs from the high country to the sawmill in Standard.
In the 1920s and 30s the Twain Harte area was developed as a resort and as what is believed to be the first private subdivision in the Sierra. It was named Twain Harte Lodge in the 1920s after the famous authors Mark Twain and Bret Harte, who had lived in the general area. The first version of the well-known Twain Harte "Arch" was built in 1933. The golf course was built in the 1930s. Over the years Twain Harte has developed into a community with several thousand permanent residents.
Twain Harte was named for Mark Twain and Bret Harte, the two most famous American writers of the last half of the nineteenth century. Both wrote stories and tall tales based on their experiences living in the area, then known as the "Tuolumne Hills". Click to read about Mark Twain and read his stories and read about Bret Harte and read his stories.
History of Twain Harte
For centuries before whites appeared in California the MiWok Indians lived, in season, next to what is now Twain Harte Lake. They built houses known as "U'macha's", conical structures made from cedar bark. A U'macha' is shown in the slide show above.
During the Gold Rush Twain Harte was the site of flume-and-ditch building to supply water needed to wash the dirt and gravel to yield gold. This system still exists and supplies the county from Lyons Reservoir. (Lyons Dam is shown in the slide show.)
At the turn into the twentieth century the Sugar Pine Railway was built through Twain Harte. This railway carried logs from the high country to the sawmill in Standard.
In the 1920s and 30s the Twain Harte area was developed as a resort and as what is believed to be the first private subdivision in the Sierra. It was named Twain Harte Lodge in the 1920s after the famous authors Mark Twain and Bret Harte, who had lived in the general area. The first version of the well-known Twain Harte "Arch" was built in 1933. The golf course was built in the 1930s. Over the years Twain Harte has developed into a community with several thousand permanent residents.
Entrance to the Forest
Twain Harte is just above the foothills towns of Sonora and Jamestown—we get snow some of the time—we're about 3650 feet above sea level. We're in the forest, with tall trees everywhere. It's a great place to stop for lunch or dinner or to stay overnight on your way to take sightseeing drives in the Stanislaus National Forest and stops at Pinecrest Lake for fishing, boating, playing in the sand.
Events in Twain Harte
These are major events that happen every year:
Concerts in the Pines. Summer concerts on Saturdays, 6pm-8pm, June-September, 2013.
Movies in the Pines. Summer movies outdoors on Fridays, 8:30pm.
Twain Harte a la Carte. Saturday, May 18-28, 2013, 4pm-7pm. Wine and food in Meadow Park.
Arts & Wine Festival. Saturday-Sunday, July 27-28, 2013, 10am-4pm. Crafts fair with over 100 craftspeople and artists, live entertainment, wine tasting.
Oktoberfest. Sometime in October, 2013. Beer tasting, live music, arts, crafts.
Slide Show At Top Of Page. This shows Twain Harte Lake, the Twain Harte Golf Course, the Twain Harte Arch, deer near the Village shopping center, Lyons Dam, a replica of a MiWok U'Macha' home, a beach at Pinecrest Lake, and the Stanislaus River near Kennedy Meadows.
Twain Harte is just above the foothills towns of Sonora and Jamestown—we get snow some of the time—we're about 3650 feet above sea level. We're in the forest, with tall trees everywhere. It's a great place to stop for lunch or dinner or to stay overnight on your way to take sightseeing drives in the Stanislaus National Forest and stops at Pinecrest Lake for fishing, boating, playing in the sand.
Events in Twain Harte
| June 1, 2013. Twain Harte Community Yard Sale. Town wide community yard sale!! Details June 15, 2013. Concerts In The Pines 2013 Presents " British Invasion ". Twain Harte area Chamber Of Commerce presents its 2013 Concerts in the Pines season. It begins with " British Invasion... Details June 22, 2013. Concerts In The Pines 2013 Presents " The Hills Brothers Band ". Twain Harte area Chamber Of Commerce presents its 2013 season featuring " The Hills Brothers Band " a classic rock,... Details July 4, 2013. Twain Harte 4th of July Celebration. Twain Harte's 4th of July Celebration! Parade at 11:30am, children's activities, live music and food. Details July 6, 2013. Concerts In The Pines 2013 Presents " Rock Of Ages ". Twain Harte area Chamber Of Commerce presents its 2013 season featuring " Rock of Ages " bringing you hits from the... Details July 13, 2013. Concerts In The Pines 2013 Presents " Jana & Friends ". Twain Harte area Chamber Of Commerce presents its 2013 season featuring " Jana & Friends ", a blues and jazz band.... Details July 20, 2013. Concerts In The Pines 2013 Presents Mitch Ballard. Twain Harte area Chamber Of Commerce presents its 2013 season featuring Mitch Ballard, playing country western.... Details July 27, 2013–July 28, 2013. Twain Harte Summer Arts & Wine Festival. The 36th Annual Twain Harte Summer Arts & Wine Festival! Over 100 fine artisans, live entertainment, dancing, wine... Details July 27, 2013. Concerts In The Pines Presents " Homegrown ". Twain Harte area Chamber Of Commerce presents its 2013 season featuring " Homegrown " playing a mix of rock and dance... Details July 27, 2013–July 28, 2013. Twain Harte " Wines In The Pines " Arts & Wine Festival. Twain Harte area Chamber Of Commerce presents their annual event which features handmade crafts, entertainment... Details August 3, 2013. Concert In The Pines 2013 Presents " Blues Box Bayou Band ". Twain Harte area Chamber Of Commerce presents its 2013 season featuring " Blues Box Bayou Band " bringing you... Details August 10, 2013. Concerts In The Pines Presents " The Corvairs ". Twain Harte area Chamber Of Commerce presents its 2013 season featuring " The Corvairs " playing classic rock.... Details August 17, 2013. Concerts In The Pines Presents " Chains Required " And Annual Rotary BBQ. Twain Harte area Chamber Of Commerce presents its 2013 season featuring " Chains Required ", bringing you all your... Details August 24, 2013. Twain Harte Town Wide Community Yard Sale!. Twain Harte TOWN WIDE COMMUNITY YARD SALE! Details August 24, 2013. Concerts In The Pines Presents " Jimmy And The Wave Runners Band ". Twain Harte area Chamber Of Commerce presents its 2013 season featuring " Jimmy And The Wave Runners" Jimmy Buffet... Details August 30, 2013–September 2, 2013. Filmfest Twain Harte. As a non-profit organization, Film Fest Twain Harte raises money through the festival to create scholarships, enabling... Details August 31, 2013. Concerts In The Pines Presents " Rod Harris Big Band ". Twain Harte area Chamber Of Commerce presents its 2013 season featuring " Rod Harris Big Band " bringing you Big Band... Details September 7, 2013. Dam Duck Race at Twain Harte Lake. 1 pm to Duck: Wine and Quackers, music, games and prizes for the winning rubber ducks! Details September 7, 2013. Twain Harte " Dam Duck Race " At Twain Harte Lake. Fun Rubber Duck Race! Details October 5, 2013–October 6, 2013. Twain Harte Octoberfest Fundraiser Event. Join Twain Harte for their 8th annual event to raise money for their Chamber Scholarship Fund. Great beer tasting on... Details December 6, 2013. Winter Wonderland – Twain Harte Christmas Parade. The "Fun for all" Christmas parade beings at 6 pm in downtown Twain Harte. Details (Events are courtesy of the Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau) |
These are major events that happen every year:
Concerts in the Pines. Summer concerts on Saturdays, 6pm-8pm, June-September, 2013.
Movies in the Pines. Summer movies outdoors on Fridays, 8:30pm.
Twain Harte a la Carte. Saturday, May 18-28, 2013, 4pm-7pm. Wine and food in Meadow Park.
Arts & Wine Festival. Saturday-Sunday, July 27-28, 2013, 10am-4pm. Crafts fair with over 100 craftspeople and artists, live entertainment, wine tasting.
Oktoberfest. Sometime in October, 2013. Beer tasting, live music, arts, crafts.
Slide Show At Top Of Page. This shows Twain Harte Lake, the Twain Harte Golf Course, the Twain Harte Arch, deer near the Village shopping center, Lyons Dam, a replica of a MiWok U'Macha' home, a beach at Pinecrest Lake, and the Stanislaus River near Kennedy Meadows.