Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad

Great history nice ride kids had fun but prices a bit too high overall… trip was fun very nice staff but very crowded and not that much to see… especially for $ 25pp!

Such a fun activity — this was one of our favorite parts of our recent family trip to Yosemite. There is a cute shop, a delicious smelling BBQ outside restaurant, a little museum, and a place for the kids to pan for gold.
We went in the morning for the one hour ride. You line up and wait for the bell to ring and the conductor to call «All Aboard»! You ride on a train car made from a giant log. It was really cool and great for all ages. The train goes on an old logging path that was used to carry the giant trees out of the woods to be sent to factories for building purposes. It is narrated and goes at a slow and steady pace thru woods the entire time.
We stopped for about 15 minutes where they do the bonfires at night and got to explore. It was really fun, the kids loved it!
We liked it so much we plan to go back again and do their MoonLight dinner, music, campfire and train ride.

We had a great time aboard the stream train. Very family oriented and lots of great information on the ride. They also do a night train on Saturday nights with steak dinner for a romantic trip

First off the staff were VERY friendly. We arrived right as the train was leaving and they let us jump on and we got to bring our dog :) The train ride was fun and interesting and we got to stop and walk around half way through. After the ride we stopped by the museum, book store, and gift shop. They have some cute stuff and we ended up purchasing a really cool old train sign. It was a fun little adventure and I highly recommend coming here and checking it out.

Extremely disappointed. We drove into Yosemite yesterday to find out that the entire valley was engulfed in smoke due to the recent fires in the area. As we pulled up to the Ranger Station before entering into the park one of the Rangers recommended against us staying there for the weekend saying that the smoke was toxic to breath and could be hazardous to our health, but being that we had already paid for a 2 night stay at Yosemite Scenic Wonders and for a Saturday night train ride with dinner on the Sugar Pine Railroad we decided to go into the park anyhow. When we got out of our car to walk into our cabin my wife had an asthma attack from breathing in the toxic smoke. I immediately called the reservations department for Yosemite Scenic Wonders explaining to them what the circumstances were and they were gracious enough to give us a refund for the cabin that we were supposed to stay at. I wish I could say the same thing for Sugar Pine Railroad, I called them and explained what had happened and they told me that there was nothing they could do, the man that I spoke to on the phone made no effort whatsoever to show that he cared, he said «well I’m sorry we had to buy food for you for dinner, so it costs us money». We paid $ 220 for 4 people… I know damn well that your cost for food for 4 people was nowhere near that. He could have at least said that they will take out the cost for the food and then return to us the difference, but instead we were offered nothing at all. So we basically flushed $ 220 down the toilet. We drove 8 hours yesterday, 4 up and 4 back, and I had to go through watching my wife have a serious health scare yet Sugar Pines Railroad could care a less. I manage a restaurant in the Bay Area and I would never treat my customers the way that Sugar Pine Railroad treated me.

(August 22, 2015) Our family including small children (ages 2 thru 8) took the Moon Light Train Ride. From 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The BBQ food was good and the singers were too followed by a train ride into the woods where you get off and are entertained by the same musical group while you are seated beside a camp fire. They sang a lot of fun songs that made for a fun evening. All were encouraged to release our «inner
wolf» and howl like you’ve never howled before! I’m sure the couple visiting from England will have an interesting story to tell about those «crazy Americans» sitting around the camp fire howling at the moon. Lots of fun… the return train ride through the ‘dark forest’ made for a spooky experience that our kids will never forget. This is a fun family experience and a great way to spend the evening. AHOOOO! AHOOOO!

What a fun adventure. Whether you are a local looking to get away from the valley heat/​smog/​fog, or you’re a tourist on a once in a lifetime trip to Yosemite, this is a great place for anyone who loves history or is a kid at heart.
The trains are pulled by narrow gauge steam engines which were used during logging operations in the area in the 1800’s. You can choose to go for a regular ride during the day (3 mile track with a stop half way to «refuel» and for visitors to stretch their legs/​huddle around a campfire), or you can enjoy one of their Saturday events… You can choose their melodrama ride (at the campfire halfway point, I believe there is a theatrical entertainment)…I’ve never had the pleasure.
Or you can select the moonlight special which is the last ride of the night every Saturday in summer. I’ve done this twice. Not only do you get a train ride at 7pm, but there is a delicious barbecue dinner around 6 pm complete with either steak (very delicious), chicken or hot dogs, along with campfire beans, corn salsa (delicious as well), rolls, and dessert. Punch, ice water and coffee are complimentary, with a no-​host bar providing alcohol and sodas.
There is a musical ensemble called the Sugar Pines that plays through dinner and at the campfire. Not only does their music perfectly compliment the event, but they are amazingly skilled at getting the participants involved in a group sing along at the campfire.
The train ride itself is pretty bumpy – but a bit better if you sit inside one of the enclosed cars as opposed to the open air log bench cars.
In all, this is a really fun place great for children (my toddler loved it) and adults alike. On the ride back, it was dark enough and clear enough to see a beautiful mountain sky.
Oh yeah. they have great gift shops and a gold panning demonstration as well.

Great customer service, very nice & welcoming. Shane who did the tour was great. Very engaging & love the happy face they did on the ticket. My son was loving it. Even though it was pricey (22.00 per adults & 11.00 for children). It was worth it.

If you’re looking for a great family outing while in the Yosemite/​Oakhurst area then you should definitely checkout the Sugar Pine Railroad.
Not the cheapest activity ($ 22 for adults, $ 11 for kids) but it was educational and entertaining. It’s an out-​and-​in trip so if you think you missed a site on the way out no need to worry as you’ll see them on the way back. The conductor/​tour guides are very friendly and are easy to understand. It was nice to see them interact directly with the kids as well to keep them engaged. There’s a point at the bottom of the ride where you can explore a small camp area. This is also the point where the steam train fills up the tank.
The museum and gift shop is ok at best. The shops are a bit gimmicky and there’s nothing you can’t live without. My recommendation is not to go here hungry. The food options are very limited unless you’re there for the catered BBQ.
So if you’re looking to get out with the kiddies and enjoy a bit of California history the Sugar Pine Railroad is just the ticket!

For $ 22 adult and $ 11 child its an awesome but pricey tourist «must do» should you be in Fresno (only 70 minutes away) or while visiting Yosemite, but here is a fair warning; If your looking for special effects, water gushing, earthquakes, action and fire, your on the wrong train– please head to disneyland for that. This one hour ride is about the experience riding a historic REAL old steam engine like in the Harry Potter movie (rarely found today) through the dense Sierra forrest– so yes it might seem boring to adrenaline junkies, but it was awesome for me and would certainly thrill the kids.
Parking is very easy here, plenty of parking, and its free. While tickets can be purchased online or at the store, I would suggest buying online if your going to arrive late, it takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes to get here from Fresno. Do observe their website for time, because the train leaves on schedule, and its never the same every month, it changes with season, so be aware of that. Also do check for their special events like moonlight tours, I haven’t been to one, but it does sound exciting.
The price itself was painful for $ 22 at first, because all it was is a ride into the forrest for 20 minutes, short stop for 15 minutes while the conductor fills the train with water and then a ride back up again for 20 minutes. Although I dislike the $ 22 spent, I did enjoy the experience of riding through the forrest real slow, felt therapeutic and utterly relaxing to get the fresh air brushing to your face. The opportunity and experience of being able to be so close and touch an old steam engine locomotive is once in a lifetime. I felt myself as if transported into the Hogwarts Express on harry Potter, because the steam engine really looks and sounds like one. Its also nice to be able to touch the old train. So i guess the price is justified.
The only suggestion I would make is to invest in a better speaker system– it was breaking up and had lots of breaking sounds, I couldn’t hear a word at all, it seems all gibberish while I was on the ride. Overall great tourist experience to do at least once in a lifetime. There is also a gold rush area for $ 10 where you can skim gold like in the old days, it was fun to try.

A short train ride through the picturesque forest with plenty of history and information provided as you journey (I can now distinguish cedars from sugar pines!). The ride is lovely and the overall experience is one I wouldn’t mind repeating.
I just went during the day, but they also have an evening dinner train. I think this would be a great option if you have children with you. You have dinner at the station (both adult pleasing meals as well as more kid friendly options), board the train, and then ride through the forest to outdoor seating area where you can enjoy a campfire, songs, and fun before boarding the train and heading back to the station. Sounds like a great evening!
A must stop to complete any vacation to Yosemite!
Get to it!

In all honesty it was just ok, especially for the price. We did the 1 hour train ride. My hubby and kids were excited to see and ride a real logger steam train. We rode for about 20 minutes, the train stops so you can use the restroom or take a break… um it’s only been 20 minutes… the conductor adds water to the train. Then you ride 20 minutes back to the beginning. Yes, you’re in the middle of a forest, yes you’re taking a step back in time, but it wasn’t worth $ 66 for a family of 4!

Did this today with my 5 & 2 year old. They loved it. We were concerned our 2 year old wouldn’t sit through the whole hour or be frightened by the whistle & steam of the train. Neither, both kiddos enjoyed. Trip was a little bumpy, but nothing major. Whistle was fine. There were sleeping babies on board that were unfazed. It’s a narrated hour round trip, that goes by quick. There’s a 15min stop in between in a small camp site of sorts. Ride itself is pretty slow ’bout 15 mph. Pack a snack or lunch, gift shops are cute. Restrooms very clean & bring a jacket, weather fluctuates. Fun little outing. Staff was friendly & informative. If interested, check it out, you’ll enjoy.

For many years we have passed the Sugar Pine Railroad on our way to Yosemite, always too much in a hurry to get to the park to stop and enjoy a local tourist attraction. Also, for many years we worked at Sugar Pine Christian Camps and would hear the train whistle of the Sugar Pine steam engine during the summer days. Again, too busy to go try the train for ourselves.
Finally, with grandchildren who enjoy trains, we made the trip specifically to ride the rails. It was an all-​round fun adventure. You will want to check on times and dates for the train schedule. Also check on prices. This is not cheap entertainment. Be sure you really want to ride a steam locomotive into the forest for an hour. The ride can be noisy due to the steam locomotive and train whistle. It can also be a bit jarring as the train stops and starts.
There are picnic grounds and small shops scattered around the train depot so feel free to pack a picnic lunch, or you can get a bite to eat once you arrive. Clean restrooms are available.
If you really want something different, and more expensive, look into the moonlight rail trip or the summer melodrama trip.

We were here and rode the train through the fresh snow. At the risk of sounding like a 12 year old girl: it was magical. Honestly. It would probably be pretty cool any time of year, but it was really amazing in the snow. The train stopped half way around the mountain and everyone got off to play in the snow. Even our dog loved it. If you’re a fan of steam locomotives and old-​timey frontier stuff, you should make time for this.

This was a magical moment for our little family riding the train! It was freezing, but that crisp, cold air breezing through while we rode the tracks was outstanding. The gift shop was delightful, with reasonable prices. The snack bar served delicious hot cocoa. The museum was hands on and full of memories from yesteryear. And my fave… the bathrooms were spotless! I appreciate that SO MUCH in public places… it is so rare today! THANK YOU YMSPR. The cost was $ 21 per adult and around $ 12 for our boy! We had a blast!!! Thank you for offering great family fun!

On our 4 day camping trip I was scooting up to yosemite for the day. I have passed this railroad for 12 years and finally decided to stop. Boy am i glad I did. Great railroad museum, nice little snack bar and great gift shop. But the Logger Steam locomotive was the star of the show. When you take the train ride it is just over a 4 mile trip. At about the halfway point they stop and let you stretch your legs and go potty while they re fuel with water for the trip back. They tell you the story of the logging industry back in the day. My nephew was fully entertained as well as the adults. A very cool note. 3 days a week they do a Moonlight Ride. A little vaudeville show a small ride and dinner. We will be doing that on our next trip.

The highlight of our trip to Yosemite! We paid about $ 55 per person for the Wednesday Night Special which includes dinner, the train ride, and entertainment. (They have the night time train rides on Wed and Sat only).
We arrived to a 4-​piece country/​bluegrass-​ish band playing some tunes while we scoped out a picnic table to call our own for dinner. The smell of steaks n hot dogs was enticing our pallets. The ambiance was great!
The steaks weren’t filet mignon by any means, but still good. The whole meal was really filling.
After we filled our stomachs, we piled onto the trains. I’d recommend sitting up front in the log «train cars». I feel you can see more that way. There’s something really magical about riding around at night in an old-​timey logging train. It was so neat!
The entertainment at the little campfire area was great. The performers played tunes the whole family could enjoy. I still remember one of the performers doing the splits to spice up his Elvis song! Wowzer!
This whole experience was magical! We had a lot of fun as a couple, but I think families/​kids would get a big kick out of this (…which makes sense, as I am totally a 9 year old at heart). Would definitely recommend!

This was a wonderful experience and I would recommend people of all ages doing it, regardless if you are alone or bring the children. You should just try it at least once, I don’t think you’ll regret it.
Truth be told, I didn’t do a whole lot of research when I made my purchase. I had seen a Groupon offered, and thought it sounded cool. The Groupon special was $ 32 for 4 people, and then I got an additional 20% off (thru Groupon) and so I ended up paying less than $ 26!!! For this very reason, I think it made my trip that much more enjoyable. The regular price for an Adult is $ 21.
I was kind of worried that I wouldn’t be able to find this place. My GPS was a little off because it still showed me going at least 4 more miles up the road. This place is not hard to miss, they have a GIGANTIC sign out in front off of the road. The driveway is very steep and you gotta watch for people walking up and down, but there are stairs for people to take. They also have parking for handicapped persons up higher and towards the front of the store.
This place has a lot of charm. They have the Thornberry Museum where you can check out some neat things while you are waiting for your train and read up on a little bit of history.
They have restrooms located next to the museum and are modern, no outhouses here.
The gift/​ticket shop is really nice. They have a lot of cool souvenirs here and at affordable prices. The employees are really nice.
The train ride itself is really cool and relaxing. After making my purchase I did some research on it, kind of worked backwards… I know. I read some Unilocal reviews and on trip advisor. I wasn’t too sure cause I had heard people complaining about how it was boring and not worth it. I found it to be the opposite, for me anyways. They have some covered cars and then some that aren’t. I had contemplated sitting in the open one, but the sun would have been brutal. There was plenty of seating for everyone and the ride was smooth.
The conductors were very friendly and narrated along the ride. The ride was just very comfortable and relaxing, not to mention beautiful views. The ride is a roundtrip total of 4 miles, so not very long. The train moves at a slow pace, so it seems longer. The train goes to a ½ way point where they need to ‘refuel’ and the train lets off some steam, so have your camera ready… if you’re into things like that. When they stop, you are allowed to get out and this little area and explore. There is a tiny little creek that runs thru and there are a lot of photo ops. It is just a really peaceful place.
When they are ready to head back to the station (about 15 min) they give everyone a chance to go aboard to where the conductor sits and take pics. It is a high/​steep climb, FYI. Little ones are the most excited to go up, so you gotta give them an extra lift. It is very hot up there, as you can imagine but it is a neat experience.
All in all this was a great little day trip and I would do it again, given the chance AND another Groupon. It is not something that I would do often, but maybe once every year. I would also like to try it in the winter months, that would be awesome.
#flagproof

This is a cool little stop. steam power trains a small museum and my favorite gift shops
I love photographing new things so this was a fun experience they got train rides BBQ and fun