Amador County Airport: Serving the Gold Country Foothills from Sutter Creek
Amador County Airport serves the historic gold rush foothill communities of Jackson, Sutter Creek, Amador City, and Ione from its location near Sutter Creek in the Sierra Nevada's western foothills east of Sacramento. The airport sits at approximately 1,350 feet MSL on a plateau above the American River drainage, providing generally reliable VMC conditions and scenic views of the surrounding oak-and-pine woodland landscape that defines this iconic stretch of California's Highway 49 corridor. As the county's public-use general aviation facility, Amador County Airport fills an essential transportation role for a rural community roughly 45 miles southeast of Sacramento, serving business travelers, agricultural operations, medical emergency support, and recreational pilots drawn to the wine country and gold rush heritage destinations.
The single paved runway accommodates light single-engine and twin-engine piston aircraft typical of rural county airport operations throughout California's foothill regions. Caltrans Division of Aeronautics provides regulatory oversight and has historically supported infrastructure improvements at facilities like Amador County Airport through state aviation programs funded by fuel taxes and federal FAA grants under the Airport Improvement Program. The airport's elevation means pilots must account for density altitude effects during summer months when temperatures in the foothills regularly reach the 90s°F. Amador County Airport serves as an important alternative landing site during the summer months when aerial firefighting operations in the Sierra Nevada require staging and coordination, with the surrounding forested terrain prone to lightning-ignited and human-caused wildfires requiring Cal Fire and USFS air tanker response.
Is Amador County Airport open to the public?
Yes, Amador County Airport is a public-use general aviation facility open to all pilots during daylight and reasonable operating hours. Fuel availability should be confirmed before arrival for remote foothill operations where fuel stops require planning.
What services are available at Amador County Airport?
The airport typically offers fuel (100LL avgas), aircraft tie-downs, and basic facilities. Services at rural county airports can vary; pilots are encouraged to contact the airport manager or check published airport information for current fuel availability, hours, and any temporary restrictions.
How far is Amador County Airport from Jackson and Sutter Creek?
The airport is located within a few miles of both Sutter Creek and Jackson, the county seat. Both towns are easily accessible by car from the airport via Highway 49, the primary north-south corridor through the Sierra Nevada foothills gold country.
Does Amador County Airport play a role in wildfire response?
Foothill airports like Amador County Airport can support aerial firefighting logistics during major wildfire seasons, serving as fuel stops or staging areas for air tankers, helicopters, and air attack aircraft working fires in the Amador County and surrounding Sierra Nevada foothill terrain. Cal Fire and USFS coordinate these operations through regional air attack bases.
Are there instrument approaches at Amador County Airport?
Instrument approach availability at rural foothill airports like Amador County varies; pilots should check current chart supplement data and NOTAMs for instrument approach procedures. IFR operations into the foothills require careful attention to terrain clearance given the surrounding elevated ridgelines.
Amador County Airport Contact Information
Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in Sutter Creek, California.
| Name | Amador County Airport |
| Address | 12370 Airport Road, Sutter Creek CA 95685 Map |
| Phone | (209) 223-2376 |
| Website | |
| Hours |
Map of Amador County Airport
Airports near Sutter Creek
Amador County Airport and the Gold Country Aviation Community
Amador County Airport anchors the small but active pilot community of California's Mother Lode country, where the tradition of personal aviation blends naturally with the independent, self-reliant character of foothill rural life. Pilots based at Amador County Airport enjoy relatively uncongested airspace, excellent VFR cross-country flying conditions for most of the year, and easy access to destinations including Lake Tahoe's South Lake Tahoe Airport (TVL), Sacramento Executive (SAC), Stockton Metropolitan (SCK), and the San Francisco Bay Area's general aviation airports. The surrounding Shenandoah Valley wine region draws visitors year-round, and fly-in winery events are a popular feature of the Northern California general aviation calendar.
The airport is an essential public infrastructure asset for Amador County, which lacks commercial airline service and depends on general aviation for emergency medical transportation, law enforcement support, search and rescue coordination, and business connectivity for the county's agricultural and light industrial sectors. The California Department of Transportation's Division of Aeronautics allocates state aviation funds to maintain and improve airports like Amador County's facility, recognizing the disproportionate importance of small rural airports to communities that would otherwise be isolated from California's transportation network. Future infrastructure needs at Amador County Airport are addressed through the county's Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan and the Caltrans California Aviation System Plan.