The "Horseshoe Route" should not be confused with the "Triangle Tours," offered by the Big Tree Auto Tours. It was not a Yosemite Valley Railroad side trip, but the YVRR was bundled into the package and shared the income from this tour.

         The "Horseshoe Route" was named because of its shape, the Peck-Judah Company, a travel agency was instrumental in its development. The idea of the route was "in one way and out the other." Hence, the "Horseshoe" prevented traveling over the same ground twice. Also, there was a savings of several dollars for the traveler. That is take an automobile from Madera to Miami Lodge, the Mariposa Big Trees, Wawona, Inspiration Point, Artists Point, Yosemite Valley, and El Portal, then the Yosemite Valley Railroad to Merced. Or the reverse depending on the direction one traveled through the San Joaquin Valley, see inset ad map.

         Eventually the Yosemite Park and Curry Company and its subsidiary the Yosemite Transportation System, YTS, changed the "Horseshoe's" southern terminus from Madera to Fresno. Also as could be expected and competition being what it is, after the new "all year" highway from Merced to El Portal was completed the YTS began offering the coach service between Merced to El Portal, hence cutting the YVRR out of the "loop." Even though the option to take the YVRR to El portal was still offered as a part of the "Horseshoe" package, for all intents and purpose the YVRR's part disappeared from the trip. In many ways that was sad because along the rail route was a great deal of history as well as picturesque scenery.

         Yet to this day, the "Horseshoe" trip is available to the touring public.