Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad

We had such a fun time! The ride up to the mountains was pretty easy and short. We went early in the morning and we didn't get stuck in traffic. We arrive about 30 minutes before our train departure. There was plenty of parking for us. Also, plenty of time to check out the shop before and after the ride. So glad we bought our tickets online and in advance. The train ride times were all sold out in person. There were a lot of people that had to get turned away because they thought they would be able to buy tickets right before the train ride. The ride was about an hour long, which was enough time to enjoy the scenery and the jokes made by the conductor. Staff were really nice and offered to take our picture in front of the train before our departure time and also took a few more pictures when we took a break. Another staff member was helping guests get off and on the train when we took a break about half way through the ride. You are allowed to bring snacks and drinks. Make sure you bring a jacket/blanket/snuggle buddy. It does get cold. Definitely something we want to do every year as a tradition!

Immersing ourselves in nature on our tour was a delightful reminder of the beauty surrounding us, inspiring a deeper connection to the world.Unraveling the mysteries of ancient ruins during our tour was not just educational but also a thrilling journey through time that ignited our imaginations tour. We enjoyed the tour and everyone was accommodating and nice.

Such a fun and memorable experience for visitors of all ages. Website and previous reviews mentioned railroad possibly closing at the end of October so we were unsure if it would be open or not. Drove up to see and luckily they are open for a few more weeks pending weather- their hope is to last until first week of December. Apart from online tickets they also sell in person at their gift shop. Other fun stops while you wait to board your train ride include the kids depot, museum, gold mining and the snack shop- there is something for everyone here. Railroad takes you on a slow ride through history with live narration, a pit stop in the woods for photos ops and sight seeing before returning you back after your hour ride. It is fairly cold up there so don't forget to bundle up and be sure to check out before their season ends!!Dogs welcomed too!

This is a great activity option when you are at Yosemite - located just outside the south entrance near the Mariposa Grove. Train enthusiasts, kiddos, and general tourists will all enjoy this approximately 1 hour ride through the forest. This is definitely a forest ride through trees - not too many big vistas, but it is a calm and relaxing journey with useful commentary to give you the history of the region and the forestry industry. Not a bad seat on the train. There is a short 15-minute stop about halfway through to stretch your legs and get pictures with the train.

Booked the Moonlight Special. Here's how it went ...Arrived early, checked in and were given wrist bands and a table number. Picked a table, left our stuff and number on the table and then went on to explore the surrounding area. Refreshments (water, coffee, and lemonade) were available for free and we could help ourselves. Alcoholic drinks and sodas were available but extra. When it was time to eat they called up table numbers to come and get your food. There was a choice of steak, chicken, hot dog or vegetarian (veggie burger). For all of you vegetarians out there, they cooked the garlic bread and veggie burgers before any of the meats on the grill and set them aside. So this place is definitely vegetarian friendly.Everyone is given a plate with their protein of choice, along with garlic bread, beans and coleslaw. You then went back to your table and sat down to eat. Later you are served bread pudding for dessert.Just a note on the food. The people manning the grill did a fantastic job! The meat was cooked perfectly. I got the chicken (boneless skinless chicken breast) and although it can sometimes be dry. This was not. It was so juicy and tender. I couldn't believe it. These people know what they're doing. And the steak looked equally good. And the portions were a good size as well. The food here did not disappoint. Everyone in our group enjoyed their meal.Throughout the meal, the Sugar Pine Band entertained everyone. After the meal everyone got onto the logger steam train to head down to Lewis Creek Canyon. During the ride the conductor gave out historical information as well as some facts on the surrounding wildlife. After about a 30 min ride, we stepped off the train to an area that had a stage, fire pit, and seating for everyone.The Sugar Pine Band continued entertaining everyone with their music, jokes and overall cheery disposition. They encouraged audience participation and it was an amusing evening. At the end everyone headed to the train to ride it one more time back to the station.I really recommend coming here. Everyone had so much fun and it was not only entertaining but informative. The people working here had smiles on their faces the whole time and had the best attitudes. A great night was had by all.

An informative train ride through the Sierra Mountains. We choose the Logger Steam Train Excursion. It's a one-hour tour narrated by the conductors. You learn about the history of the Sierra Mountains. There is a small shop with souvenirs and other goodies. It's a good experience for kids and adults. I am glad I was able to experience it. I recommend you purchase your tickets online for a discount. If you buy in person, you may not find tickets available since it's a popular place.

The Thornberry museum (in the same location as the railroad) is a log cabin built in 1875 and lived in by the Thornberry family. The cabin was originally located on Thornberry mountain near mudge ranch. It was donated to the railroad and moved to this location in 1968.It is filled with artifacts, photographs and information from this historical time period. The museum curator is very friendly and informative.Rudy Stauffer and his family relocated from Hungary and Switzerland to the United States in 1950. Sometime in 1965 Rudy & family started Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad after purchasing their first Shay locomotive. The Stauffer family still runs the railroad to this day.The railroad ride is narrated with relevant history and filled with beautiful scenery. They stop approximately half way through the ride. At this point you may step off the train and stretch your legs a bit and snap some photo's.They also offer various train rides including dinner and a show. I highly recommend taking a train ride. It's super fun with such lovely scenery.

PROS: - Located in the Sierra Mountains about an hour from Yosemite Valley. - Employees at the location are generally friendly. - Parking attendants on site to get you a parking spot somewhere on the property. - Cool seeing a steam train and hearing the whistle blow. - It was educational to hear the history of the train and the logging that went on back in the day. - The train is PET FRIENDLY, as long as your furry little family member is well behaved. CONS: - The price could be a little cheaper relative to what you're getting.- You ride the train SLOWLY through the forest for about half an hour. You quickly stop and are right back on the train to head back. As someone else has mentioned in the reviews, there's not much to see on the train ride but a bunch of trees and plants. There's nothing scenic to see, so keep that in mind if you're expecting spectacular views. - If you sit closer to the engine, you will notice some strong fuel and oil smells. FINAL THOUGHTS: - I think if you have really small children, they'll get a kick out of this experience, but if you have no kids or older kids, this is mediocre at best. After experiencing the Roaring Camp Redwood Forest steam train in Santa Cruz, there's no comparison. This is a one and done experience.

With all dre respect, but this is just one bad experience. There are no scenic views, a slow boring ride through a dense forest with a bunch of old lugs around. We had two 10-years old with us, this is a big no-go if you have kids with you. The best part of the experience was a gold mining hands-on process and a little museum with a bunch of old tools and few rocks for sale. Staff is super nice, they try very hard and seems that they are proud of that little train station. If it was $10 for adults and free for kids, I might've understood, however at the current price point of $30 per person including kids, it is just one bad ride.The reply from the so called business manager to the initial review prompted me to edit it. I can't give it zero stars but that reply pretty much tells the story - this one staff member who doesn't even try.

Nothing much to see. Not sure why it has high reviews. Not worth the money. Did gold panning and this was informative with brief gold rush history.Service was nice but nothing much to see.