Howard G.

The Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad near Fish Camp, California, is a must-see for anyone who loves trains or just wants a unique experience on the way to Yosemite. The ride takes you on a historic narrow-gauge logging train through the beautiful Sierra forests, and the entire experience is super smooth—from parking to ticketing and boarding, it’s all really well-organized.

Now, if you’re a train buff like me, the ride itself is the real star. You’re not just getting some random train ride—you’re riding behind a working vintage Shay steam locomotive, one of the coolest and most powerful steam engines used back in the day for logging. Watching it in action as it hauls the train up the grades and through the woods is an attraction in itself!

It’s great for the whole family, with plenty to keep kids and adults entertained.

Now, I’ll be honest—there are a few negative reviews floating around. But from what I’ve seen, it’s mostly from people who built up this romantic image of the train ride in their heads and ended up with a case of “Paris syndrome.” They probably imagined something out of a postcard and didn’t get the postcard-perfect shot they were hoping for. If you go in with realistic expectations, you’ll have a blast. It’s an authentic, relaxing trip through some stunning forest scenery.

Bottom line: don’t miss it! It’s a great pit stop that lets you experience a piece of living history before diving into Yosemite’s grandeur. Just keep your expectations realistic, and you’ll have a blast.

Daphne K.

I’ve been on a lot of trains and this is one of my favorites. I love the area with all my heart and this is a very fun train ride. The staff are very kind and helpful. The location grounds are beautiful and very close to nearby lodging and the park. I like their little shop and museum. I wish the gold panning was a bit bigger. First class is a lil more expensive but very worth it. The caboose is beautiful and fun to experience.

EmilyAndrea

We had a great time today! My kids, husband and myself all agreed it was an enjoyable train ride experience. Pet friendly too. Our family dog enjoyed getting a dog treat in the gift shop and my kids enjoyed getting a little souvenir. The man in the museum was very friendly. Overall we had a good experience and enjoyed it 😊

Ashley G.

This was an amazing day. Hour was a prefect about of time. Bring some snacks and water. Never know if you get peckish. The staff is great, and the conductor was hilarious with his dad jokes. Bring the whole family or great for a date. Parking is a little crazy so bring patience. There's no need to go nuts about a parking spot.

Michelle S.

Great experience. I will admit the train ride was slow and bumpy. But it's fun and you get to see some beautiful sites. Conductor Will was very informative and told great jokes. And pet friendly.

And don't forget to visit the Train Museum it's small but nice

Azucena C.

Don't get discouraged with the bad reviews, some of them made me laugh so hard! My family and I enjoy the tour, and the history is very interesting. Yes, you will be seeing a lot of pine trees, but John made our ride super fun. We were in train #10. I been to Yosemite so many times and never had the time to stop here. if you have kids this is a must, they will love it! Definitely doing it again!

Allison W.

Great train ride! Parking was difficult. They have people directing you and we ended up parked on a steep slope which wasn't my favorite.

Tara B.

This was so much fun! We decided to do the first class caboose and it was great. We had a one on one with a fantastic conductor that was full of great information and history about the railroad and the surrounding forest. Would definitely recommend this to anyone coming through to Yosemite or if you are local, this makes a great day trip.