Ah, springtime-when the snow melts, the flowers bloom and the sunny days start getting longer and longer. In Yosemite National Park, one of the most scenic places on the planet, springtime means rushing waterfalls, blooming dogwoods and redbuds, and a wildflower season that people come from all over the world to see.
If you’re taking the Gold Runner train, your Park admission is free. You can get to Yosemite by getting off the train at the Merced station and taking Route 15—a Thruway Bus serviced by the Yosemite Area Regional Transit System—directly into Yosemite Valley. Once you’re there, here are some experiences you won’t want to miss:
Because of the melting snow, the waterfalls are spectacular in the spring. Bridalveil Fall, Horsetail Fall and one of the world’s tallest falls, Ribbon Fall, are three Instagramable falls you should see.
From Mid-April to May, the Mountain Dogwoods blossom beautiful white flowers throughout the valley. In March, one of the best trails to see wildflowers is the Hite Cove trail (seven miles outside of the Park). You can see poppies, lupines, redbuds and owl’s clover. By mid-May, milkweed, shooting stars, pine violets and more flowers bloom in an abundance of shapes and colors.
California’s railroads shaped the movement of people, goods, and ideas across the state. In historic Old Sacramento, that story continues at the California State Railroad Museum, where restored locomotives, hands-on exhibits, and excursion rides connect past and present in one place.
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(February 2, Stockton, CA) – In honor of Black History Month, Gold Runner will run special trains to Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park for its 2026 Black History Month Festival. The event will take place Saturday, February 7, 2026, beginning at 11:00 AM and concluding at 4:00 PM. Gold Runner has scheduled a special stop at the park for multiple trains, bookable at exclusive half-price “Allensworth fares.”
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Gold Runner Trains 712/717 will be temporarily cancelled from February 2 – February 4. Additional updates will be shared as they become available.
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