The Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad is a 1-hour, 4-mile narrated railroad excursion at Yosemite National Park’s south gate. The ride allows you to see what it was like when geared steam locomotives hauled massive log trains through the Sierra Nevadas. It is a restored segment of the old narrow gauge Madera Sugar Pine Lumber Company Railroad, with a portion of the original right-of-way reconstructed using the same techniques as 100 years ago.
Choices
Two geared Shay steam locomotives, Nos. 10 and 15, formerly used on the West Side Lumber Company, power the excursion trains on the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad. A unique experience is riding a Jenny railcar powered by a Model A Ford automobile engine, which operates beginning in March. The Moonlight Special, which operates Saturday nights in September and Saturday and Wednesday nights during the summer, begins with a steak dinner and features masked bandits, moonlight, and campfire sing-alongs.
When to go
The Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad operates daily from March into October. At close to 5,000 feet elevation, it can get chilly at Fish Camp, even in the summertime. At the height of the summer tourist season, Yosemite National Park gets extremely crowded.
Good to know
Refurbished railcars, once used to transport logging crews, now carry excursion passengers.
Worth doing
You can easily spend an entire day or longer in the area. Other activities in the Fish Camp area include fishing, backpacking, hiking, camping, and mountain biking. You can even try your hand at panning for gold.
Don’t miss
For a fun evening, try the moonlight melodrama, which starts with a steak dinner, continues with music and a steam train excursion, and finishes with a play and music in the woods.
Getting there
Fish Camp is 40 miles north of Fresno and 60 miles east of Modesto on Highway 41.
Location: 56001 CA-41, Fish Camp, CA
Phone: 559-683-7273
Website: ymsprr.com
E-mail: Form on website
