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    Roaring Camp Railroads

    3.8 (934 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    Sho R.

    I travelled in the diesel train staring from Board Walk. In one hour it reached Roaring Camp. There I got 1 hour to explore Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. It was a small but serene park. Beautiful tall trees. Then there was 1 hour travel back to Boardwalk. That way, I was able to spend my rest of the day in the Boardwalk. It was a fun slow ride through the nature.

    Shivani P.

    Such a wonderful place to go with family. My husband and I went with my parents and brother for the redwood train. The whole experience was amazing, the steam engine and learning about the narrow gauge, steam engine history and also the coastal redwoods and the environment. We started at 10:30am and ended at 11:45 which was a decent ride with lots of fun info and wonderful calm scenery amongst the redwoods.

    The beach train passes all kinds of scenery.
    Scott F.

    This is a great way to experience redwoods. - There is a $10 parking fee for Roaring Camp. but it's good all day; so after the train ride, you can hike Henry Cowell redwoods right next door, and not have to pay the Henry Cowell $10 day-use fee per car. - I took the beach train. Riding in the open-top car is great; you can see the towering redwoods. There is very good narration throughout the entire trip, with interesting factoids about the redwoods and Santa Cruz. - The train passes the Garden of Eden clothing-optinoal Skinny-dipping swimming hole, plus a very long tunnel when approaching the beach. There is also an interesting bridge from 1909, and a tressle.

    Nina Z.

    Really cool experience! How often do you get to ride a steam-powered train through a redwood forest? Our conductor Colin was humorous, informative, and gave us plenty to knowledge bits and time to enjoy the redwoods. The train has two types of train cars: covered and uncovered. I would definitely recommend opting for the uncovered parking to fully enjoy the majestic redwoods! We went during Easter weekend, so the tickets were slightly more than usual, and there were lots of kids on the train with their Easter baskets. We didn't realize the Easter egg hunt was only for kids, so we were disappointed in that we didn't get to participate; although, now that I think about it, I guess they can't have a bunch of people running through the woods looking for Easter eggs...a disaster waiting to happen (LOL). Definitely recommend booking tickets ahead of time. Parking is $10. We got to the campgrounds early so watched a blacksmith demonstrating his craft, played some games, and walked the Nature Walk Loop at Henry Cowell Regional Park, which was literally right across the railroad tracks. They also had some shops, kid activities, and a musician. Food nothing to write home about, but it's available if needed. If you're making a trip to Santa Cruz, it's worth stopping by!

    Ida J.

    Omg such a cool place for railroad enthusiasts who love an old timey style! I took my line for a steam train ride and it's about 1.5 hours going through the redwoods. The conductor and staff were extremely friendly and knowledgeable and we learned so much about the beautiful redwoods. We had a brief stop to get off and explore the trees and even spotted some banana slugs! Before or after the ride they have spots for food, shops for souvenirs, and can even do candle making or look for gold!

    Jenny X.

    I came here on my own and went on a run beforehand. Good: - They really play up the acting and make the experience entertaining - I liked that it was a beautiful day and the train ride wasn't too slow and still fun for an adult - There are some nice food options in the area so you can grab food and coffee before riding - The area is super well themed, feels like you're transported into the past - Easy ticketing pickup and logistics - Area is good for a long run! Bad: - We didn't start on time, we were delayed by 20 min or so so I was confused where to go Overall this was a very calming experience and I felt super zen and refreshed as I was sitting on the train.

    Dawn F.

    Felton, CA What a wonderful steam locomotive train ride through the redwoods. I will admit that I was not pleased with the parking attendant who did not direct us to the correct space for handicap accessible entry. When seeking more info, the staff on the property was more than accommodating once we got on the property and helped us navigate a drop off pick up point, a wheelchair since the place we parked was too far a distance to walk for someone in our party and even reserved a spot on the train for us while we made our way to the depot. Buying tickets agead of time is highly recommended. The train was completely full I think some people were not able to get on. The train ride through the forest is beautiful and scenic I would highly recommend it especially if you love trains and forests. The conductor was so great we had such a blast! Towards the end of the ride you will get steam mist in your face if you are sitting up in the front FYI.

    Katie R.

    After years of going to Henry Cowell and walking around Roaring Camp afterwards, we finally decided to go on one of the trains! We booked a Mother's Day train ride online a few days beforehand and arrived ready to ride under the redwoods! Check-in was easy, we went to the ticket booth, gave our name, and then got our tickets. Order instructions didn't tell us to do this, but you will need to get physical tickets here since they do check them on the ride. We did one of the redwood trains vs the beach train. Online it said the train ride was 75 minutes, but it was actually closer to 90 minutes. We got a couple of minutes to get off the train in the mountains and walk around/use the bathroom if needed. The train seemed to stay fairly close to the park, but spent a good amount of time going up. Since it was a lot of up hill, the ride was pretty slow. The train had groups of all ages, I figured it would only be families with little kids, but there were just as many families with adult kids as there were small children, lots of couples as well. I was worried about getting burnt so I sat in one of the covered cars. Big mistake, there's a lot of shade on the ride and you spend very little time in the sun, so if you want a better view of the trees up above, the uncovered cars are the way to go. One thing that was annoying, I was charged $10 for parking, which I didn't see as a charge or an option to uncheck when purchasing the tickets. We have a state park pass and parked and walked at Henry Cowell first, so it was an unnecessary $10 charge.

    Persey taking a break
    Kashyap J.

    This was our second time riding the trains. Toddler loves trains and this was a great opportunity for him to ride the trains with his "train buddy". Lot of fun activities building blocks, Lego, train puzzles, photo ops and pumpkin decorating to kiddos engaged. They have a huge parking lot and you might have to park in additional ones. It's definitely a walk from parking lots to the station. The park itself is open and free even if you are not riding the trains. The two locomotives as "Thomas" and "Persey" were quite entertaining. They have food options like burger, chicken nuggets, sandwiches, fries and beverages. The bigger gift shop also has the toys on display where the kids could play. Overall ride took 35-40 minutes. It's not exciting if you have done any other train ride at least for adults. Definitely a huge line to take photos with Thomas and Persey. Tip: reach early!

    Trees
    Kat K.

    We were running a tad bit later than the train was supposed to depart. When called, the employees were sweet enough to let us know we'd have enough time to board early on. The train ride through the forest was a sweet experience, seeing large redwood trees and Lucious plants. Through the ride we were given a small history lesson behind the steam trains inventions, which was interesting. The conductor Colin (I believe was his name,) was very kind and enthusiastic about their job. Overall, it was a nice experience for my family.

    Santa Cruz train
    Joyce T.

    Expensive train ride. There are two trains, newer train goes to Santa Cruz and back, older train (steam engine) go around the park, both trains ride cost $42+ per person. Love the old town vibe in the train station. Go there and visit the Henry cowell redwood park together, pay one parking $10 for two locations

    Lauren W.

    The reasons are so much fun! With or without kids this is such an amazing immersive experience into the history of steam trains and the conservation of old growth redwoods. Our conductor Colin was a delight! Gave us a great narration as we made our way up the mountain.

    Claudia L.

    We were hiking in Henry Cowell State Park and kept hearing the train whistle so we decided to check this place out. It's a short walk from the main parking lot of the state park and we found ourselves in a little old-fashioned Western style town. We didn't have time to check out the shops as we literally got the last tickets on the 2 pm steam train for the day - they were nice enough to hold the train for us! It was well worth the three hour trip - an hour through the beautiful redwoods into Santa Cruz, an hour on the boardwalk, and then an hour train ride back through the mountains with the late afternoon sun filtering through the leaves. They had a carriage where you could sit completely enclosed, one carriage that was open to the elements, and we sat in the car with a canvas roof tent because we didn't want to sit in the sun. Overall, a great value for the experience to ride an old-fashioned steam train through the woods. Our guide shared interesting stories about the area without talking the whole time, which I appreciated so that we could enjoy the ride.

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    Page 1 of 24

    Ask the Community - Roaring Camp Railroads

    Does the train have bathrooms?

    The drain does not but it has a stop along the ride where you can access one.

    Is the train appropriate for 2 older adults with mobility issues?

    I would say no. You did sit aloe and it is a slow pace but you also get down to walk. So if they have machines and stuff to help them along their way no. It is about getting in and off like a tram. Have you been to the tram in universal studios… 

    Are Tickets required for both the Parents to enter the Camp , if one of the Parents chooses not to board the Train?

    We paid at the parking entrance at the booth. Then we were able to walk around at no extra charge to look at the stores. It didn't cost extra to walk the trail. We had to purchase a train ticket for each person riding the train. Their website has a… 

    Has anyone asked if there's a microwave for public use? Do they provide hot water?

    Do they have food for sale on site? Or is there anything nearby?

    Yes they have food for purchase, you can eat before you board the train. They had a sandwich, chips, orange, bottled water and a cookie.

    Are there a lot of twists & turns? Has anyone gotten motion sickness from riding the train?

    It's very slow and the turns are gentle/they take the curves slowly. I get a little motion sick if I ride in the back seat of the car but I was fine for this.

    Is there signal for cell phone to make calls?

    I was able to use my cell phone with data. I took videos etc

    Are there bathrooms nearby or on the trains?

    Yes, Restrooms are available near the Train Depot. No restrooms available on the train.

    Do they still do the BBQ dinners and evening train ride?

    In 2022 the dates are 7/9, 8/13, 9/10 and 10/1. Check the Roaring Camp website for more info and… 

    Is this good for 4 year olds?

    If they have the patience for a 90 minute train ride, then probably yes.

    I see that there is a picnic basket option, can we also bring outside food or drink to picnic?

    Yes we brought our own lunches and ate at picnic tables.

    The SANTA CRUZ BEACH TRAIN ride is 3 hrs. in duration according to their website. Is that from Felton to Santa Cruz? Or that accounts for a roundtrip?

    The 3 hours is for a round trip as it takes the beach train 1 hour to travel from Felton to Santa Cruz where it drops you off at the boardwalk, a 1 hour layover at the boardwalk, and 1 hour back. . If you go in the morning @10 you can choose the 1… 

    Does the ticket price include round trip or one way only?

    It's a "loop ride".... They took us out and back

    Are there bathrooms on the train?

    There are very clean bathrooms available before you get on the train!

    What does b -train stand for?

    Often times they will put "A train" or "B Train" when they have multiple departures going out back to back. For example, 11 AM and 11:15 AM. The 11 am would be the "A" Train" and the 11:15 AM would be the "B Train." Other than a different steam… 

    On the Boardwalk train do you have to come back on the next available train or can you wait until the last train ride at 4?

    You can take either return trip from the Boardwalk back to Felton. Either at 12:15 PM or 4:15 PM. Many people like to take the 10:15 AM from Felton in the morning and wait to take the 4:15 PM return trip so they have 5 hours to explore in Santa… 

    Is the train ride wheelchair accessible?

    yes it is , they have a place for wheelchairs to get on and get off.

    Are dogs allowed on the trains? Tried calling multiple times to ask but no one ever answered... I just wanna make sure ahead of time so that we don't bring our dog with advance purchase tickets only to find out that we can't bring him with us!

    I bought my dog with me and she was allowed on the train! I got some pictures I posted too!

    When can I purchase tickets from this summer's Day Out With Thomas? Looks like tickets are currently not on sale yet on Ticketweb.

    Should I purchase a ticket for the open car closest to Thomas? I will be bringing my 22 month old toddler with me.

    It's mostly an open cart ride. It would depend on the weather

    View All 24 Questions

    Review Highlights - Roaring Camp Railroads

    The check in was smooth and our conductor, Charlie, was knowledgeable, full of energy, and very funny.

    Mentioned in 152 reviews

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