Peoria Airport (6CL9) — Jamestown, California

Peoria Airport, designated by the FAA with the identifier 6CL9, is a private-use general aviation airfield located in Jamestown, California, an unincorporated community in Tuolumne County situated in the Sierra Nevada foothills at the heart of California's historic Gold Rush country. The airport sits at coordinates 37.9217° N, 120.5150° W, placing it squarely in the rolling oak-woodland terrain that characterizes this stretch of the western Sierra Nevada at elevations between 1,400 and 2,000 feet above sea level. Tuolumne County's rugged topography, seasonal weather patterns, and sparse population define the operational environment for pilots using this facility.

Jamestown itself carries one of the most storied histories in California. Founded in 1848 by Colonel George F. James just months after gold was first discovered at Sutter's Mill, Jamestown became one of the earliest permanent settlements in Tuolumne County and earned the designation as the first place gold was discovered in the county — a distinction underscored by the legendary recovery of a 75-pound gold nugget from the area's rich placer deposits. Known as the "gateway to the Mother Lode," Jamestown drew prospectors, merchants, and settlers who established the tight-knit community of approximately 3,478 residents (2020 U.S. Census) that persists to this day along CA-49, the historic Gold Rush highway threading through the Sierra Nevada foothills. The community's character — a blend of Gold Rush-era architecture, working ranches, and proximity to Tuolumne County's outdoor recreation assets — creates a specific demand profile for general aviation access that Peoria Airport helps serve.

As a private-use facility, Peoria Airport is not open to the general public without prior permission from the owner or operator. Pilots intending to use 6CL9 must coordinate access in advance. This private status distinguishes Peoria Airport from nearby public-use facilities such as Columbia Airport (O22), which lies approximately 7.8 miles to the northwest and serves as the principal general aviation airport for this part of Tuolumne County. Columbia Airport, owned by Tuolumne County, is publicly accessible and features a paved runway, aviation fuel, and the infrastructure that Peoria Airport, as a private field, does not publicly advertise. Pilots based in or near Jamestown who require public services typically use Columbia as their primary field, while Peoria serves its specific private operational needs.

The broader general aviation landscape in this portion of the Sierra Nevada foothills includes several additional facilities relevant to pilots operating in the region. Pine Mountain Lake Airport (FAA identifier E45), located near Groveland in Tuolumne County approximately 15 miles to the southeast of Jamestown, serves the Pine Mountain Lake community development and provides another private-use general aviation option in the county. Pilots familiar with the Sierra Nevada foothill airspace will also note Livermore Municipal Airport (IATA: LVK) in Livermore, Alameda County, situated roughly 80 miles to the west across the Central Valley and the Diablo Range, which functions as one of the busiest general aviation airports in Northern California and serves as a practical IFR alternate and fuel stop for pilots transiting between the San Francisco Bay Area and the Sierra Nevada.

For those requiring commercial airline service, Jamestown's location in the interior Sierra Nevada foothills places it at a significant distance from any scheduled air carrier airport. The two nearest commercial service airports are Merced Regional Airport (IATA: MCE, ICAO: KMCE), located approximately 56 miles to the southwest in the San Joaquin Valley near Merced, and Stockton Metropolitan Airport (IATA: SCK, ICAO: KSCK), approximately 57 miles to the northwest in San Joaquin County. Both airports provide connections to larger airline hubs, though travelers from Jamestown more commonly access commercial service via Modesto City-County Airport (MOD) or Sacramento International Airport (SMF), the latter being roughly 100 miles north via CA-49 and CA-99, or Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT), approximately 90 miles to the south. These distances are a function of Jamestown's inland Sierra Nevada position and its relatively small population of under 3,500 residents, which historically has not supported commuter air service directly to or from the community.

The terrain surrounding Peoria Airport demands pilot awareness of the Sierra Nevada foothill environment. Density altitude becomes a meaningful factor during summer months when temperatures regularly exceed 90°F at Jamestown's elevation, compressing aircraft performance margins for takeoff and climb. Mountain wave turbulence originating from the Sierra Nevada crest to the east can affect the area during strong westerly flow events, particularly in winter and spring. Pilots should consult current aviation weather products including AIRMETs for mountain obscuration and turbulence before any flight operation in this area. The proximity of Yosemite National Park airspace, located to the northeast, and associated VFR corridors and restrictions further shapes route planning for pilots departing or arriving at facilities in Tuolumne County including 6CL9.

Peoria Airport Contact Information

Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in Jamestown, California.

Name Peoria Airport
Address 17775 California 108, Jamestown CA 95327 Map
Phone (209) 984-8750
Website
Hours

Map of Peoria Airport


Airports near Jamestown

Frequently Asked Questions — Peoria Airport (6CL9), Jamestown, CA

Peoria Airport (FAA identifier 6CL9) is a private-use facility and is not open to the general public without prior authorization from the airport owner or operator. Pilots who wish to use 6CL9 must obtain permission in advance. The nearest publicly accessible general aviation airport in the area is Columbia Airport (FAA identifier O22), approximately 7.8 miles northwest of Jamestown in Tuolumne County. Columbia Airport is owned by Tuolumne County and offers public access along with a paved runway and aviation services including fuel. Pilots based in Jamestown who require public-use facilities, instrument approaches, or fueling services will find Columbia Airport the appropriate alternative.

Peoria Airport (6CL9) is located in Jamestown, an unincorporated community in Tuolumne County, California, in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Its precise coordinates are latitude 37.9217° N, longitude 120.5150° W. Jamestown sits along CA-49, the historic Mother Lode highway, approximately 2 miles south of Sonora (the Tuolumne County seat) and roughly 60 miles east of Modesto in the Central Valley. The airport is set in the oak woodland and grassland terrain characteristic of the western Sierra Nevada foothills at elevations ranging from approximately 1,400 to 2,000 feet MSL. The community of Jamestown itself had a population of approximately 3,478 according to the 2020 U.S. Census.

The closest general aviation airports to Peoria Airport (6CL9) in Jamestown are Columbia Airport (O22), approximately 7.8 miles to the northwest in Tuolumne County, and Pine Mountain Lake Airport (E45), approximately 15 miles to the southeast near Groveland. Columbia Airport is publicly accessible and operated by Tuolumne County, making it the primary general aviation facility for the area. For commercial airline service, the nearest airports are Merced Regional Airport (MCE) approximately 56 miles to the southwest and Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) approximately 57 miles to the northwest. Livermore Municipal Airport (LVK) in Alameda County, a major Northern California general aviation hub, is located roughly 80 miles to the west via the Central Valley.

Pilots operating in the Jamestown and Tuolumne County area near Peoria Airport (6CL9) should be aware of several significant environmental and airspace factors. Density altitude is a critical summer consideration — temperatures regularly exceeding 90°F at the roughly 1,400–2,000 foot field elevation can substantially reduce aircraft climb performance. Mountain wave turbulence originating from the Sierra Nevada crest east of Tuolumne County can affect the foothill area during strong westerly flow, particularly in winter and spring; check AIRMETs for mountain wave and turbulence before departure. Additionally, Yosemite National Park airspace lies to the northeast of Jamestown, and pilots should review current VFR restrictions and temporary flight restrictions associated with the park. Columbia Airport (O22), 7.8 miles from 6CL9, is the local public-use field with the most current NOTAM and service information for this area.

Jamestown, the unincorporated Tuolumne County community where Peoria Airport (6CL9) is situated, was founded in 1848 by Colonel George F. James in the first months of California's Gold Rush. It holds the distinction of being the first location where gold was discovered in Tuolumne County, and the area's placer deposits yielded extraordinary finds including a legendary 75-pound gold nugget. Jamestown became known as the "gateway to the Mother Lode" — a title that reflects its strategic position along what is now CA-49, the historic highway linking Gold Rush-era settlements from Mariposa to Nevada City. Today Jamestown retains much of its 19th-century commercial streetscape and is home to approximately 3,478 residents (2020 Census), with heritage tourism, railroad history at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park, and proximity to Yosemite National Park and Columbia State Historic Park defining the community's identity alongside its ranching and agricultural roots.

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