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Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad
FISH CAMP, CA
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About Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad
The Logger Steam Train departs from the depot at 56001 State Route 41 in Fish Camp, climbing a 4.5 % grade through second‑growth ponderosa and mixed conifer forest before reaching the Lewis Creek loop, then returning on a 4‑mile (6.4 km) round‑trip excursion.
📍 FISH CAMP, CA 93623
History
The Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad is founded by Rudy Stauffer in 1961, rebuilding a portion of the former Madera Sugar Pine Lumber Company grade that had been abandoned in 1931 after the original company—originating in 1874 as the California Lumber Company—ceased operations. Public service begins in 1966 with the debut of Shay locomotive No. 10, described as the largest narrow‑gauge Shay ever built, and the line expands in 1986 when it acquires a second Shay, No. 15, from the West Side and Cherry Valley Railroad. After Rudy Stauffer retires in 1981, ownership passes to his son Max Stauffer, who remains operator until his death on March 10, 2017. In August 2017 the Railroad Fire destroys several pieces of former West Side Lumber Company equipment stored on a side track, prompting a recovery effort that leads to the 2026 acquisition of Shay No. 12 from the Colorado Railroad Museum.
The Trains
The Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad runs a 4‑mile (6.4 km) 3‑ft (914 mm) narrow‑gauge round‑trip from its depot at 56001 State Route 41 in Fish Camp to a loop in Lewis Creek Canyon, climbing a 4.5 % grade on the return leg. Its steam fleet includes three‑truck Shay No. 10 (built 1928, the largest narrow‑gauge Shay ever built), Shay No. 15 (acquired 1986), and Shay No. 12 (acquired 2026 from the Colorado Railroad Museum); the line also uses “Jenny” railcars in the off‑season, open‑air and covered passenger cars for guests, and the West Side Lumber Company narrow‑gauge snowplow No. 2 for maintenance.
Nearby
Tucked into Fish Camp, California, the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad is a forested ride worth a deliberate stop.
Where to Stay
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