Hike Through History In The Sierra Calif. Mountains

For more than 50 years around the turn of the century, the Sugar Pine Railway operated steam engines to haul lumber along the Stanislaus River in Central California. Now it boasts an amazing easy hiking or biking trail with a gentle 3% incline and a walk through history. 

The trail is lined with posts that mark historical highlights. You can pick up a guide at the Mi-Wok Ranger Station. 

The railway spans 70 miles with more than 400 miles of branches so this is just a small 5-mile span. But it's beautiful as it hugs the river and ends in a meadow. Much of the trail is also shaded. There is limited parking at the trailhead on Fraser Flat Road. Check with the ranger in the winter to see if the road is open.