Roaring Camp Railroads

5401 Graham Hill Rd.
Felton, California 95018
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Local Phone: (831) 335-4484

roaring camp railroad sign
Family-friendly (dogs included, of course) railroad operates steam excursion trains on a narrow-gauge track once used to haul giant redwood logs from the forest.

The second-growth trees on the site are still impressive, as are the wooden trestles and 19th-century engines used to pull the trains from Roaring Camp up a grade to Bear Mountain, where a picnic stop awaits.

The many special events put on at Roaring Camp throughout the year make for delightful multigenerational outings.

The Roaring Camp Railroad also operates Beach Trains running along the San Lorenzo River to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park. The park is not dog-friendly, however.

Photo Credit: Joop Reubens

steam locomotive engine special events redwoods trestle beach train roaring camp felton santa cruz county

Cruising for history and scenery in Santa Cruz County

Engineer in-training on Roaring Camp Railroad. Photo by Visit Santa Cruz.

Roaring Camp Railroads, based out of Felton in Santa Cruz County, provide more than just a dog-friendly ride. The company’s Redwood Forest Steam Trains roll on a narrow-gauge track once used to haul giant redwood logs from the forest. They cruise now on 75-minute trips from Roaring Camp to Bear Mountain, where a picnic stop and hiking trails await.

There’s also a Beach Train that makes 3-hour excursions along the San Lorenzo River to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park (sorry; it’s not dog-friendly). more »

Your home base for fun

Henri at Four Points Sheraton. Photo by Visit Santa Cruz County.

Tucked conveniently close to towering redwoods and coastal adventures, Four Points by Sheraton Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley is a welcoming favorite among four-legged guests and the humans who follow. From here, it’s a short trip to the Roaring Camp Railroads, where you can ride the rails with your pooch. Or, head over to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and West Glenwood Open Space Preserve for paw-friendly hiking trails.

After a full day of activities in Scotts Valley, swing by 5030 Restaurant & Lounge for California small plates and pints brewed just down the road. Looking for other overnight options? Here are a few more of Santa Cruz County’s best dog-friendly hotels. more »

All aboard a historic train through the redwoods

Roaring Camp railroads. Photo by Visit Santa Cruz.

See California’s towering redwoods from an authentic 19th-century steam train through the Big Trees to the summit of Bear Mountain at Roaring Camp Railroads. Well-behaved dogs are welcome aboard and will love to put their nose to the sky as they take in the smells of the redwoods. And for the active pups that want to get some miles in, there are plenty of trails and grounds to explore! more »

Things to Do in Santa Cruz County

Roaring Camp Railroads - Photo Credit: zak_the_vizsla

All Aboard A Family-Friendly Choo-Choo

Wednesday rides the Skunk Train, Fort Bragg <br/> Photo Credit: @wandering_wednesday

Wednesday rides the Skunk Train, Fort Bragg
Photo Credit: @wandering_wednesday

The chug-chug and urgent whistle call of an approaching train is always exciting, especially when a vintage steam engine leads the charge. How can you hear it and see it and not want to be on it? Several family-friendly excursion trains in California welcome dogs as well as parents, grandparents and youngsters aboard. Here’s a rundown. more »

Riding through the Redwoods

Photo Credit: Diana Spiewak

After a recent move from Illinois to California, Diana and her pups set out to explore dog-friendly California. She shared one of their California adventures with us: more »

A Day (Or More) in the Redwoods

Presley at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. <br/> Photo Credit: @alisonrainw

Presley at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.
Photo Credit: @alisonrainw

Santa Cruz County is famous for its groves of towering coast redwoods, and Big Basin Redwoods State Park is just one place to see them. If you’re traveling with youngsters of the two-legged variety as well as those with fur, you’re sure to enjoy a ride on a narrow-gauge railroad once used to haul redwood logs out of the Santa Cruz Mountains. more »

Set the Scene in Santa Cruz County

Loki in Santa Cruz. Photo Credit: Kim Williams

Just a short hop south of the Bay Area, Santa Cruz County is diverse and exceedingly dog-friendly. Variety is the name of the game when it comes to dog-friendly lodging and dining—as well as other options for a yappy, outdoor-centric getaway. Here are some suggestions to get tails a’wagging. more »

Things to Do With Your Dog in Santa Cruz County

Photo credit: Don DeBold (CC)

When it comes to things to do with your dog in Santa Cruz County, there’s the obvious (beaches, wineries), and the not-so-obvious—like Byrne-Milliron Forest, a 400-acre Land Trust of Santa Cruz County property managed as a working forest and laced with dog-friendly trails (off-leash hiking for dogs with reliable recall is allowed). Another option for hikers is Pogonip, a 640-acre nature reserve/greenbelt with numerous dog-friendly trails. Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is one of few state-run parks in California that allows dogs on some (but not all) trails. Got kids? Roaring Camp Railroads offers dog- and family-friendly steam train excursions through the redwoods. Another gem is Felton Covered Bridge Park, where the photo opps are as good as the picnic grounds are shady.

Of course, for first-time visitors, the obvious may not be so obvious. Suggestions for a yappy day: more »

Pups Welcome on the Roaring Camp Railroads

Photo courtesy: Roaring Camp Railroads

It's hard to beat a day in the redwoods, especially if the visit includes a ride on a narrow-gauge railroad once used to haul Bunyan-size logs out of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Roaring Camp Railroad's vintage steam engines date to the 1890s, but today more »

Steaming Through the Redwoods

It's hard to beat a day in the redwoods, especially if the day includes a ride on a narrow-gauge railroad once used to haul redwood logs out of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Roaring Camp Railroad's vintage steam engines date to the 1890s, but today they haul people—and dogs, if leashed and well behaved—on a scenic route through towering redwood groves and up a winding grade to the summit of Bear Mountain. more »

Roaring Camp Railroads

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