Railtown 1897 State Historic Park

Railtown 1897 is the best rainy-day outing on the Highway 120 side of Yosemite and a genuine treat for anyone who loves trains. In the Gold Country town of Jamestown in Tuolumne County, about an hour's drive west of Groveland, California State Parks preserves the shops and roundhouse of the Sierra Railway, which began building here in 1897 to haul freight and passengers into the foothills. Unlike most railroad museums, this is a working site: the roundhouse still services historic equipment, the smell of oil and coal hangs in the air, and you walk among locomotives and cars that have been kept running for well over a century. Generations of filmmakers have used the line and its engines, which is why the park is often called the movie railroad, and its rolling stock has appeared in westerns and other productions over the years. The grounds, depot, museum displays and roundhouse are open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day, with shorter winter hours from November through March. Admission is inexpensive, with discounts for youths and free entry for small children, and it is included with an excursion train ticket. Excursion trains run on a seasonal schedule, so check the park's calendar before promising a ride; the park also hosts themed holiday events, including a licensed Polar Express train ride, whose 2026 dates were not posted when we checked. Even without a train ride, an hour or two exploring the yard, the roundhouse and the depot is time well spent, especially for children.

Why it belongs in a Yosemite trip. Railroads shaped how people reached Yosemite — the Sierra Railway and later the Yosemite Valley Railroad carried early tourists to the foothills before the age of the automobile, and the Hetch Hetchy Railroad was built to haul materials for O'Shaughnessy Dam. Railtown is the most complete surviving piece of that story, and it pairs naturally with a stay in Groveland or at Rush Creek or Evergreen Lodge. Because it is low elevation, it is snow-free and accessible all winter, when the high country is closed.

Planning the visit. Check the park's events page first: if an excursion train or holiday event runs during your trip, book it, since the train is the highlight and admission to the grounds is included. Otherwise arrive mid-morning, start at the depot, then walk the yard and the roundhouse, where docents can explain what is being worked on. Jamestown's historic Main Street is a short walk or drive away for lunch, and neighboring Sonora and Columbia State Historic Park round out a Gold Country day.

Who it suits. Families with train-mad children, rail and film history fans, and anyone looking for a wet-weather alternative on the north side of the park. It is a detour — roughly an hour each way from Groveland — so travelers with only one or two days for Yosemite itself should save it for the drive in or out. Pair it with the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad near Fish Camp for a two-railroad trip around the park.