Here are my top finds for Oakhurst, California:
🏨Hotels: The Pines Resort at Bass Lake, Chateau du Sureau
📍Tours: Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine RR, Yosemite Highlights Small Group Tour
🐻 Going to Yosemite? Save time & Buy your National Park Pass before going
Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad
There is something about a steam locomotive that stops people in their tracks. The hiss of steam, the smell of wood smoke, the slow groan of the whistle before the train lurches forward. Tammilee and I have ridden the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad several times now, and it gets us every single visit. Whether you are 6 or 76, something about climbing aboard a narrow-gauge steam train rolling through the Sierra Nevada puts a smile on your face that is hard to explain and impossible to fake.
Located just 10 minutes from Yosemite National Park's south entrance in Fish Camp, California and about 15 minutes north of Oakhurst, the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad is one of the most unique and underrated experiences in the entire Yosemite area. If you are using Oakhurst as your base for exploring Yosemite and Madera County, this is an easy and worthwhile addition to any day on the road. It is not just a train ride. It is a living piece of California history.
The history behind the tracks
The story of this railroad goes back long before the tourist trains ever ran. The Madera Sugar Pine Lumber Company was incorporated in 1899 and established its principal mill at Sugar Pine, south of Fish Camp. From 1899 to 1931, the company logged over 30,000 acres in the immediate area, sawing almost a billion and a half board feet of lumber. Wood-burning Shay locomotives hauled the logs from the woods over a large network of narrow-gauge rails to the sawmill at Sugar Pine.
The rough-sawn lumber was then transported by a 54-mile flume all the way to Madera in the San Joaquin Valley, where it was planed and shipped to a worldwide market. The company's reach reshaped the entire region. Its operations contributed directly to the establishment of the towns of Madera, Fish Camp, and Sugar Pine, as well as the growth of Fresno Flats, the historic Gold Rush-era settlement that is today known as Oakhurst, the primary gateway community to Yosemite's south entrance and the heart of Madera County tourism. Madera County itself was formed in part because of the scale of this logging enterprise. At its peak, the operation employed over 600 men.
The logging era ended in the early 1930s as the timber supply dwindled and the Great Depression set in. The Stauffer family developed land in Fish Camp in the 1950s and 1960s near the old right-of-way of the Madera Sugar Pine Lumber Company, and the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad made its first run in 1967. The track now used is restored on exactly the same grade used from 1908 to 1924. Today the railroad preserves about 2 miles of what was once a 140-mile logging network threading through the central Sierra Nevada.
It is worth noting the connection to Yosemite itself. The aggressive logging of the Sierra Nevada in the late 19th century was one of the driving forces behind the early conservation movement that shaped Yosemite National Park. John Muir and others watched the forests being stripped and pushed for federal protection. The land the Sugar Pine Railroad now rolls through is second-growth forest, the same Sierra Nevada that conservationists fought to protect just as the logging industry was at its peak.
Check the full schedule and book your seat on the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad. Check Rates and Availability
The rides
The Logger Steam Train runs daily and is the best starting point for first-time visitors. All other rides are seasonal or offered on a limited schedule.
Check the full schedule and book your seat on the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad.
Logger Steam Train
⏱ 1 hour 👨👩👧 All age ♿ Wheelchair accessible
The classic ride runs every signle day and the most popular option. A conductor-narrated one-hour excursion through the Sierra National Forest on a historic Shay steam locomotive. You have two seating options for the standard ride: the open-air log cars, where the seats are carved directly from rough-hewn split logs on original flatcars, giving you a completely open-air experience with the wind in your face and the forest all around you, or the covered coaches, which have wooden sides and a roof for shade and shelter with bench seating along both sides. Both are a great experience and the log cars in particular are a hit with kids.
The train makes a midway water stop where you can stretch, watch the crew service the engine, and take photos before heading back.
First Class Upgrade: Caboose and Cupola
For a premium experience, upgrade to the First Class Caboose. The main gallery level seats 12 with cushioned seating, complimentary snacks and a beverage, and a dedicated onboard attendant. Above that sits the Cupola, a raised section with 4 seats offering a bird's-eye view above the rest of the train. Both include personalized narration. First Class Caboose is $80 and the Cupola is $95.
Moonlight Special
⏱ 3 hours 👨👩👧 All ages ♿ Wheelchair accessible 📅 Seasonal / select dates
Dinner at the Yosemite Mountain Depot followed by an evening steam train ride through Lewis Creek Canyon with a fun stop that includes live entertainment. One of the best date nights in the Yosemite area, and a hit with families too.
Moonlight Melodrama
⏱ 3 hours 👨👩👧 All ages ♿ Wheelchair accessible 📅 Seasonal / select dates
Dinner, a train ride, and a full theatrical show at the Lewis Creek Canyon amphitheater performed by the Golden Chain Theatre. A full evening out in the Sierra Nevada unlike anything else near Yosemite.
Roosevelt's Birthday Ride
⏱ 2 hours ♿ Wheelchair accessible 📅 Limited series
A storytelling evening with New York Times bestselling author Chris Epting covering Theodore Roosevelt's landmark trip to Yosemite, John Muir's role in the conservation movement, Abraham Lincoln's influence on protecting Yosemite, early park photography, and the contributions of the Buffalo Soldiers who patrolled and protected the area. For anyone who loves the history behind Yosemite, this one is worth going out of your way for.
Yosemite Jazz Train
⏱ 3 hours 👨👩👧 All ages ♿ Wheelchair accessible 📅 Select Sundays only
A steam excursion through the Sierra paired with a live jazz performance on select Sundays. Book through jazzconcerts.com. A very different kind of Yosemite evening.
Halloween Limited & Holiday Magic Train
⏱ 1 to 3.5 hours depending on event 👨👩👧 All ages 📅 Seasonal / October only
Seasonal special event trains running in October and December. The Halloween Limited includes costume contests, trick or treating, and food. The Holiday Magic Train is a one-hour evening ride with twinkling lights and hot cocoa. Both are a big hit with families.
Holiday Magic Train
⏱ 1 hour 📅 Seasonal / December only 👨👩👧 All ages
A one-hour evening ride through the forest decorated with twinkling lights and holiday music, with hot cocoa on board. A wonderful family tradition for anyone in the Yosemite area in December.
Check the full schedule and book your seat on the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad.
Beyond the train
The railroad is much more than the ride itself. The grounds include gold panning with hands-on instruction from knowledgeable staff, the Thornberry Museum housed in a relocated 19th-century log cabin with exhibits on Sierra Nevada logging history, and the Kids' Depot Toy Store. All rides are wheelchair accessible. Dogs are welcome on board on a leash, which is not something you get at many attractions near Yosemite.
The railroad is open April through December. The Logger Steam Train runs daily during the season. Special event trains run on select dates. The railroad is located at 56001 CA-41 in Fish Camp, about 10 minutes from Yosemite's south entrance and about 15 minutes north of Oakhurst.
Oakhurst is the primary gateway community for visitors arriving at Yosemite from the south and one of the best bases in Madera County for exploring the park and the surrounding Sierra Nevada. The Sugar Pine Railroad makes a natural and easy addition to any Oakhurst-based Yosemite itinerary.
Important Information to remember
- Location - Fish Camp, CA (15 min north of Oakhurst)
- Season - Open April through December
- Dogs welcome on leash
- All rides wheelchair accessible
- Rides from 1 to 3.5 hours
Check the full schedule and book your seat on the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad. Check Rates and Availability
Lodging Near Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad
⭐️ 4.1 of 5 Stars - The Narrow Guage Inn - Click here for Rates and Availability.
A charming rustic mountain inn just 4 miles from Yosemite's South Gate entrance, sitting next door to the beloved Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad where historic steam trains whistle through the Sierra Nevada pines!
The 26 individually decorated rooms and suites feature rustic Western decor, private bathrooms, flat-screen TVs, coffee makers, mini-fridges, and private patios or balconies, with mountain and forest views. After a long day in Yosemite, unwind at the seasonal outdoor pool and hot tub, or grab a seat on the creekside sitting area and listen to the stream roll by. The on-site Aroma Tavern and Buffalo Bar and Restaurant serve hearty American cuisine Tuesday through Sunday evenings with a full bar, local craft beers, and regional wines. Free WiFi, free parking, gift shop, nature trail, tour and ticket desk, ADA accessible rooms, and pet friendly. Open year-round!
⭐️ 4.4 of 5 Stars - The Pines Resort at Bass Lake - Click here for Rates and Availability.
The only lakeside resort in the Yosemite area, sitting right on the shores of Bass Lake just 17 miles from Yosemite National Park's South Gate with a private beach, full marina, and some of the best sunsets in the Sierra Nevada!
Choose from lakeside suites with log-burning fireplaces, wet bars, and lake-view decks, two-story chalets with full kitchens, or a romantic Honeymoon Suite with an oversized jetted tub. Ducey's on the Lake serves farm-to-table cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with stunning water views, and the poolside beach bar is perfect for after-hike refreshments. Amenities include a seasonal outdoor pool with pool hoist, hot tub, full-service spa, 24-hour fitness center, yoga classes, boat and kayak rentals, two tennis courts, billiards room, convenience market, live entertainment, coin-operated laundry, free WiFi, and free parking. Pet friendly and open year-round!
⭐️ 4.8 of 5 Stars - Chateau du Sureau - Click here for Rates and Availability.
A Forbes Five Star, AAA Four Diamond Provence-inspired castle tucked in the Sierra Nevada foothills just 20 miles from Yosemite's South Gate, widely regarded as the finest luxury hotel in the entire Yosemite region!
The 11 individually designed rooms and suites feature working fireplaces, pillowtop mattresses, down comforters, hypoallergenic bedding, separate soaking tubs and showers, Moulton Brown toiletries, slippers, robes, and private balconies overlooking nine acres of terraced French gardens. A bottle of local rosé awaits you on arrival, and a full gourmet breakfast is included each morning with fresh-squeezed orange juice. The legendary Erna's Elderberry House restaurant is one of California's most celebrated dining destinations, drawing food lovers from across the state for its tasting menus and wine pairings. Additional amenities include a full-service spa, seasonal outdoor pool, bocce court, concierge, valet parking, room service, free WiFi, and free parking. No children under 10. Pet friendly with a fee, open year-round!
Click on this link or the map below to see additional lodging options near Yosemite NP.
https://www.stay22.com/embed/61f07d51cbb4390015c70b0f
Yosemite National Park Resources
- Complete Guide to Exploring Yosemite National Park
- Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias - The grove is outside of the valley on Highway 41 next to the southern entrance to the park.
- Things to do in Yosemite
- 1-Day in Yosemite guide
- Yosemite Winter Guide
- Yosemite Lodging Guide
- Yosemite National Park Camping Guide
Things To Do Near Yosemite National Park
- Oakhurst, California, the Southern Entrance to Yosemite
- Bass Lake Travel Guide
- The Sierra Vista Scenic Byway
- Wassama Round House State Historic Park
- Oakhurst Lodging Guide
- Oakhurst Restaurant Guide
- Madera Wine Trail
Check out all of the California National Parks along with neighboring Arizona National Parks, Oregon National Parks, and National Parks in Nevada
Make sure to follow Park Ranger John on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok
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