Tell someone you're going to Fish Camp, Sugar Pine, or Oakhurst, and chances are you'll get a blank stare. Say they're the towns strung along State 41, south of Yosemite National Park, and suddenly you're no longer speaking Greek.

Yosemite is the brand-name destination in these parts. Still, with all due respect to the park, it's not all there is. For a day or two, anyway, forget about Yosemite and explore the three towns just south of the park boundary and the surrounding portion of Eastern Madera County. Your rewards: A train ride powered by a rare logging locomotive, an eyeful of some of the world's most massive giant sequoias (minus the crowds), and one of the most memorable meals anywhere in California.

Ride the rails, revel in romance

"People don't realize what it took to build America, and the Sugar Pine Railroad was part of it," says Max Stauffer, president of the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad, a narrow-gauge railroad that once played a key role in transporting lumber for the central Sierra's largest, most important logging company. "The need for wood was as much a part of Western history as the Gold Rush."

So, for the past 20 years, Stauffer has been inviting visitors to experience that history firsthand. On narrated rides aboard the Sugar Pine Railroad, you sit in a passenger car carved from huge logs, connected to one of the last intact Shay locomotives remaining in the world. As you listen to the whistle scream and watch steam shoot up through the trees, parting the branches with a flurry of wind, you will understand what draws rail fans here from all over the world. The locomotive's ability to climb steep grades and negotiate rugged terrain still stands out as one of the technological marvels of the 19th century.

Marvels of a different kind are close at hand: the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees, at the southern tip of Yosemite, and, just outside the park boundary, the Nelder Grove--both home to some of the world's largest giant sequoias. At the Nelder Grove, you're likely to have the enormous trees all to yourself.

Down in Oakhurst, indulge in another wonder--this time at Erna's Elderberry House, a four-star Relais & Chateaux restaurant that's almost as much of an institution as the steam train and the sequoias. In 1983, Erna Kubin-Clanin, a native of Austria, chose to open her restaurant in Oakhurst, of all places, because, as she puts it, "it's almost like Europe, only without the ancient little villages."

"People all have the same question: 'Why here?'" Kubin-Clanin says. "I don't think it's that unusual. You have Yosemite right here. You have this wonderful combination of wilderness and elegance."

A combination that's best experienced if you also spend the night in one of the 10 enchanting guest rooms of her Chateau du Sureau next door--like a castle in the woods.

RELATED ARTICLE: Southern Yosemite travel planner.

Oakhurst is on State 41, about 20 miles from the southern entrance to Yosemite National Park. The Sugar Pine Railroad is in Fish Camp, about 4 miles south of Yosemite along State 41.

For more information, contact the Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau (40637 State 41, Oakhurst; 559/683-4636 or www.go2yosemite.net).

Activities

Fresno Flats Historical Park. Take a self-guided tour of 19th-century log buildings. Dawn to dusk daily; free. School Rd. (Rd. 427), off Crane Valley Rd. (Rd. 426), Oakhurst; (559) 683-6570.

Lewis Creek National Recreation Trail. One of the area's most scenic hikes (with two small waterfalls), the 3.7-mile trail parallels part of the historic route of the Madera Sugar Pine Lumber Company flume. Access the northernmost trailhead from Sugar Pine Rd. off State 41, near the community of Sugar Pine. Mariposa Grove of Big Trees. One of the world's most impressive giant sequoia groves--also one of the most crowded. 2 miles east of State 41, near the park's south entrance.

Nelder Grove. Despite John Muir's attempts to have this grove added to Yosemite National Park; it was partially logged in the late 1800s; as a result, massive stumps of felled sequoias stand next to towering giants. State 41 to Sky Ranch Rd. (Rd. 632); follow signs to Nelder Grove Campground and Shadow of the Giants National Recreation Trail.

Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad. Rides aboard the logging steam train are available daily from May to September and on weekends in April and October. From May to October, "moonlight specials" are offered, including a barbecue dinner. $12.50; $35.50 for moonlight special. 56001 State 41, Fish Camp; (559) 683-7273 or www.ymsprr.com.

Dining

Erna's Elderberry House. Elaborate, six-course meals; expect to spend upwards of $80 per person. 48688 Victoria Lane, off State 41, Oakhurst; (559) 683-6800.

Oka. Sushi and Japanese specialties. 40291 Junction Dr., off State 49, Oakburst; (559) 642-4850.

Three Sisters. Aside from Erna's, this is the most sophisticated food you'll find in the area. Caveat: Hours are quirky and the restaurant is closed for half of the week. 8-1 Wed-Sun, 5:30-7 Thu-Sat (reservations recommended). 39993 State 41, Oakhurst; (559) 642-2253.

Lodging

Chateau du Sureau. Ten sumptuous guest rooms are filled with exquisite antiques and finery. From $350. Next door to Erna's (see "Dining"); (559) 683-6860 or www.chateausurean.com.

The Homestead. Five meticulously maintained adobe-and-stone cottages, all with full kitchens, occupy 160 acres of oak-wooded land. From $134. 41110 Rd. 600, off State 49, Ahwabnee; (559) 683-0495 or www.homesteadcottages.com.

Narrow Gauge Inn. This charming, 26-room mountain inn is next to the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad depot. From $129. 48571 State 41, Fish Camp; (888) 644-9050, (559) 683-7720, or www.narrowgaugeinn.com.

Wawona Hotel. National Historic Landmark with 104 guest rooms, all decorated in period style. An atmospheric and affordable alternative to the Ahwahnee. From $161. Yosemite National Park; (800) 678-8946, (559) 252-4848, or www.yosemitepark.com

COPYRIGHT 2002 Sunset Publishing Corp.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group