Sierra Railway Rail-Trail
Years: 2001–2004

Location
Jamestown to Standard, Sierra Nevada foothills of California

Prepared for
Sierra Railroad Company

Partners
Sierra Railroad Company; City of Oakdale; Tuolumne County; Stanislaus County

Project Deliverable
Sierra Railway Preliminary Trail Report

Read the Report
Pages 1 to 11 (PDF)
Pages 12 to 33 (PDF)

Trail Description
The owner of the Sierra Railroad Company offered to donate a 49-mile strip of land for the purpose of establishing a trail next to an active rail line—a "rail-with-trail." Traversing a unique and dynamic cross-section of the Sierra Nevada foothills, this trail will offer the residents of Stanislaus and Tuolumne Counties not only a recreational trail with striking views of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range and open plains of the Central Valley, but an alternative transportation corridor.

Project Description
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy partnered with the railroad owner and convened a stakeholder group, including local trail advocates and representatives of the city of Oakdale and Tuolumne County to initiate the project's planning process. This work led to the creation of a preliminary report which outlines the issues related to this corridor's potential as a rail-trail, and is intended as a first step toward future planning, funding, construction and maintenance of the trail.