West Side Railroad Trail to the Tuolumne North Fork is a 10.5 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Tuolumne, California that features a river and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, horses, and mountain biking and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
This is a perfect hike geared towards anyone in any skill level. You casually stroll along a flat surface winding around the mountainside wandering the same trail that years ago had rails used for logging until the trail became to narrow for a train. Most of the rails are pulled up so even biking is possible. Keep in mind there are occasional ruts though. Butterflies and picturesque views afford anyone a good time. You can have dogs on the trail with you.
April 11, 2021Perfectly flat singletrack most of the way. Gorgeous flowers all over the hills this time of year. There’s a water spigot (potable) a few hundred yards past the parking lot and you can duck right at the very end of the trail to cut down to the creek.
April 10, 2021Disclaimer: I only hiked the first 3.5 miles of this 5 mile one way route. After about 3 miles it became boring. For the first 1.5 miles there is a wonderful display of poppies, lupine and Indian paintbrush. After that then much less. There are picnic tables out to about 3 miles but none after. The hike is flat with valley views. The trail narrows as you go further and the side growth becomes more intrusive. There is a lot of poison oak growing close to the narrowed hiking path. The surface is flat almost wheelchair accessible. No elevation gain as far as I went.
April 10, 2021started about 9:00 a.m., and ended up with very little shade. bring bug spray and sunblock. extraordinary views!
April 10, 2021No trains. :/ Railroad was broken. 2/5 for railroad quality :/ pretty views, lots of poison oak. Would not recommend for dogs unless you’re ok with poison oak. Gorgeous wildflowers and amazing views into the valley! Wildflowers were not yummy. Do not recommend eating them. Fairly shady. Very flat, no noticeable elevation change. When AllTrails tells you that there is elevation change, they’re lying. Flat. Interesting history, but sad there are no trains. Cute picnic benches + tables, perfect for quick snacks (not the flowers). Nice hike! Good for casual hikes :) No bathrooms at trailhead, but there are nearby gas stations.
April 9, 2021I was pleasantly surprised with this trail. It was an easy hike and has beautiful views. The trail markers are clear, and there are benches and tables a long the way to rest at or eat lunch. Be cautious with bringing your dogs though, my friend’s dog went with us on the hike and he ended up getting ticks.
April 8, 2021pretty trails! Nice wildflowers and gorgeous views of the valley! Interesting history! Very flat trail (didn’t notice any elevation gain at all), nice for a casual hike. There is a lot of poison oak on the trail, so I’m glad we didn’t bring our dogs. There were lots of benches + picnic tables, cute spots for snacks.
April 1, 2021Stunning views and beautiful wildflowers! Flat and easy.
March 29, 2021Mary’s first whole trail walk!
March 28, 2021The flowers are just starting to bloom. It’s great for bike rides if you’re okay with some narrower paths.
March 20, 2021Saw some golden eagles and deer tracks Some voltures
March 19, 2021Rainy day Saw a young bobcat Frequent mountain lion reported in the area according to locals
March 13, 2021First half downhill is easy, second half isn’t too hard uphill. Lots of cool viewpoints.
March 13, 202112 Miles forgot to end hike.
March 7, 2021March 2, 2021Trail was clear easy to walk and family oriented. Very nice people on the trail we had a nice time. Nice view of the mountains and you can see the river down below at times. History markers about the railroad that ran on the trail and the tracks are still along the trail.
February 19, 2021Very family friendly trail. Lots of history. Beautiful views. Awesome training run. Some poison oak spots. Not bad though.
January 17, 2021@alltrails who approved this elevation? This trail has a scant 400 elevation the entire way. It’s a nice, well groomed trail along an old railroad. I’d recommend for families. Not much variation, as noted-no incline, and very straight.
January 17, 2021Great trail. We only had time for 6 miles today but we plan to return soon to do the whole thing. Great views and not much climbing so a pretty easy one. If you want great coffee, go to Revive in the town of Tuolumne.
December 21, 2020December 14, 2020it's an easy trail. same scenery all the way.
December 9, 2020December 7, 2020mira Monte rd to the very end . turned around on the street at the end of the trail.
December 6, 2020December 5, 2020December 2, 2020December 1, 2020November 29, 2020November 14, 2020November 3, 2020October 25, 2020
