This is a HOOT! My friends and I were able to get spots on the 9am and had so much fun. It was a little chilly- I would bring layers. Our guides, Matt and Kate, were so helpful and were able to make sure we were all safe while also ensuring there were good spirits all around. We loved them! The ride is gorgeous and fun. We loved it! Many kids and elderly people were doing it, but we also decided to go all out and get a great workout. I would say this is an all levels activity. There is nowhere to put a purse, so def bring a cross body! I brought a light colored water bottle and the cup holder left crazy marks all over it, so also bring a water bottle you don't love. This is a great way to see some forest, get some fresh air, and enjoy the area. Another note- bring an epi pen if you are allergic to bees. I have gone twice and both times, someone has gotten stung. read more

A very well run operation. The guides were friendly and informative. I had family visiting and it was the perfect outing. The only negative was it was all through the forest( somewhat boring) and a little chilly the day we went. The pedaling on the way back was welcome to get the blood pumping though. read more

We were early as instructed for safety training, but some groups were late, so that was a little aggravating but the employees were funny and informative so entertaining. Our group of six, so took up 1 car plus two of us went with another couple. It was a blast laughing and being silly. It was fairly easy to pedal the cars and if your group gets tired, the staff ATV will give the whole group on the ride at the time, pushes! Most of the ride was in the trees for shade and some pretty scenery looking at Goldsborough creek. read more

We had an awesome time. The guides were friendly and explained things well. The terrain was lovely and we didn't kill ourselves pedaling. Worth it! I would recommend to out of towners looking for an unusual experience. Shelton downtown isn't too far away and has some cool shops too,15 mins away. read more

It was such a fun and beautiful ride through various terrain! Keep eyes peeled for those wood creatures. We cruised our quadricycle going 15 mph at one point. Highly recommend this locally fun thing to do! read more

The experience of this rail ride was truly exceptional, with the 13 miles being particularly outstanding. The staff were very courteous and professional in informing us about the procedures and expectations during the ride. read more

This was something none of us had ever done before and was awesome! Crew was energetic and friendly, ride was cool. I would definitely do this again and highly recommend it to anyone! read more

If you're looking to do something a little different this is a great family outing! The staff is just wonderful and so enthusiastic about what they do, they really do their absolute best to make sure that everyone has a wonderful experience. I will surely be doing this one again and have already been recommending this to friends and family. read more

Great experience. Got to meet a nice couple that helped us pedal on the railroad tracks. Trevor and the other staff fantastic. They are right there for you. of the way back. Everybody started to get tired and they were right there to help push us up the harder part. read more

Amazing experience! The guides were awesome and kept it funny. The excursion was beautiful and 10/10 highly recommend! Fun for all ages. read more

Vance Creek Railriders - Recreation Centers Near Me - Shelton, Washington

Our family had a great time. Took my elderly mom and my young grandson and a baby. It's definitely fun for all ages. It's more athletic than we expected, thank goodness for the guy with the motorized cast that helps! read more

While visiting my niece in Shelton Washington we were looking for an active activity to do. She had never done the railrider at Vance Creek so it was an easy choice! We booked it for the last ride on a Monday (3pm) and it was great! The rail carts are a four-seater pedal bike that you pedal on the train tracks. There were three in our group and it was perfect. You can pedal with two people, but if you can pair up with another group 4 is a lot easier to pedal. You will work hard to pedal the cart along to ~6 mile ride it is down hill mostly on the way out and uphill on the way back. They do have a motor car in the back to give you a push on the way back if you need it (so if that is the case pick the first cart!) The views are pretty- you do pass by private residences some of which are not in great shape but that added to the charm for me. The ride took two hours and we were in the middle of the pack. The very last leg of the ride to motor cart caught up to us and we ended up being pushed the remainder of the way. I was little disappointed I didn't get to choose that, but it was a good ride and experience. I loved it and would do it again! It would be awesome if they were open in October and did some night/spooky rides. read more

Vance Creek Railriders - Canopy of trees over tracks on ride. - Recreation Centers Near Me - Shelton, Washington

What an experience! Because I'm not one for the heat, we decided to do the 9:00am ride and it was definitely the right choice! It was a little chilly, so I recommend you dress in layers. They say the 3:00 can be pretty warm, so keep that in mind if that's what you want! Our guides were Terry and Caroline, and they were amazing! So friendly, funny and helpful! They definitely added to the fun of the trip. They are pretty clean on what the trip entails. Going down is easy peasy and we flew! Coming back is a little harder, so they let you know what 'car' to choose if you think you will need some help getting back up the hill. With only three of us, we managed fine! The push cars caught up to us for a little bit before we pulled away again. It was a blast. I will tell everyone that they need to do it. Biking through the woods was absolutely stunning. So many green trees, a couple of bridges and ponds and streams throughout. Go do it, you won't regret it! read more

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This is an amazing fun adventure for the whole family, no matter what your physical ability is. The three adults who rode in our car are all physically fit so we took the last car so on the way back we could be first to be let loose and go as fast as we wanted without any other cars in front of us. My 10 year old daughter didn't pedal all the time but it really did help when she did. This adventure embodies "every little bit helps". So young and old all contribute to the adventure. It is work, but it is so enjoyable to be rumbling across railroad tracks, enjoying the lush scenery and visiting with your family that it went by way too fast. The whole adventure took about 2 hours. Booking online was simple, check in was a breeze, and all of the employees were very nice. They have a few snacks and drinks for sale as well as tshirts and stickers. I felt the prices were reasonable for what you get and whenever I have visitors in town, this is where I will take them. I hope they have fall rides as I would love to do the ride and see the leaves turning. Excellent adventure. They book up so make your reservations today! You will not be sorry! Oh and if you don't like the heat booka spot at 0900 so you can get some shade as you travel along the tracks. And......when you finish up, head into Taqueria Las Palmas in downtown Shelton - OMG - YUMMY authentic and reasonably priced Mexican food. Perfect day trip for anyone in the Puget Sound. read more

0/10 because these guys are inconsiderate of people emergency situations. We had a reservation for 6 adults 1 child and 2 infants. We were not able to make it on time because of an emergency situation, as we had to take our infant to the emergency room because of high fever ( i offered to prove it if needed), this caused a huge delay in our timeline since we were driving all the way from Mill Creek up north, we were supposed to reach on time but because of the horrible traffic situation on the i-5 southbound that day due to a long weekend . the ETA kept moving forward and we called called them 3 times while we were on the way giving them updates, and when we felt that there is no way that we are making it before the time we called again, and a the person who picked up told us that there is no point to continue our journey ( at that point we're driving for more than 2 hours) since he will not accommodate us since it's going to be too late. This is when we decided to stop and head back home. they refused to refunds or reschedule even though i kindly requested them to do an exception because we genuinely tried our best to come and we literally drove 2 and half hours toward them but still couldn't make it because of our emergency situation in the 1st place. But the guys was super cold and said no Bottom line unless u are 100000% sure u will make it on time don't book, they are inconsiderate and have no feelings of others emergency. read more

This is a great family outing. It would be good if you're in moderate shape. But it's doable either way. Bring a backpack that can strap onto the back of the seat. There's no place to put a bag. They do provide cupholders, but they don't hold a 1 L bottle just skinny cans or bottles. Super easy to drop things on the track, so make sure everything you own is zipped in a pocket or secured in your backpack. For older ones, it's doable, but it could hurt knees, or arthritic backs. It's not a smooth, ride the tracks bump a lot. The seats rock, but are perfectly safe. It's wonderful for families for sure! Or just a group a bunch of girlfriends like we did, we had a blast! read more

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This was a different but fun experience! The guides were friendly and funny. Safety is their main concern. Fun ride going but a little hard work, on the way back. Not too long... read more

Vance Creek Railriders - Everyone getting ready - Recreation Centers Near Me - Shelton, Washington

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Such a unique experience! Our kids (7yo amd 9yo) loved the ride, not too long so they got bored. We did get a bit annoyed at the folks in front of us going super slow but so long as you aren't looking for a strenuous exercise it is great. Ride back you can feel a bit of a burn even with the assist. read more

Vance Creek Railriders - Tracks - Recreation Centers Near Me - Shelton, Washington

This was so much fun!!! We went as a Group of four. Would totally recommend trying to go as a foursome as opposed to a twosome. It's a 2 hour ride round trip. The way up is a breeze, mostly downhill. At the halfway mark you can hit the honey bucket and the guides will flip the cart around. The way back is tough; all up hill. It was fun and the scenery is beautiful. If you like outdoorsy stuff like hiking this is right up your alley read more

Vance Creek Railriders - Recreation Centers Near Me - Shelton, Washington

We had a great time today on the rails! We are two size 16/18 people and were a little nervous even thought we fell under the weight limit. But the seats were fine (not comfortable, but we did fit), the seat belts were long, and the level of physical activity was hard but doable. If you're on the fence about needing the push from the motorized cart, get the push. Otherwise it's a hard slog back. We were in the 4th cart from the motorized cart and it was perfect. About 15 minutes of really tough pedaling, then a relaxing ride once the motor kicked in. All in all, we had a blast! read more

Vance Creek Railriders - Recreation Centers Near Me - Shelton, Washington

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I can't exactly recall how I first learned about this, but I knew it was something I had to do. I'm all about trying new things and make it to Shelton every once in awhile. I had never heard of such an experience before, but what a great way to experience an old rail road track. Unfortunately my friend who lives nearby exceeded the weigh limit and wasn't able to check it out with me, but I was able to wrestle up some coworkers and we made a group outing day of it. Booking online for a summer Saturday at noon was super easy. We were each able to register and pay for ourselves separately. This is their 2nd season. It's a long drive out to Shelton, so do plan accordingly. You should show up 15 minutes early and bring water/sunscreen. They do sell water there, but why not bring your own? There was plenty of parking and porta pottys on site. I opted to ride in the back with a guide who was informative and provided us with so much info about the area and the experience. The first half of the ride is the most pleasant, there is a downhill part where you feel like you are on a roller coaster. Do be aware that what goes down must go up. There is a break and a bathroom stop halfway thru before you start your uphill journey. There is an option to have your cart helped by machine power, but even with this it is still a physical activity. I consider myself fairly athletic and was surprised this was harder than I thought it would be. Don't be deterred though. It's a beautiful way to spend a day outside. We saw an owl, rode by creeks in the trees and got to chat amongst each other most of the way. I definitely plan to check out some of their sister locations when I travel. read more

Such a fun and unique activity. It's a beautiful activity and mildly active. Bring water!!!

We had an awesome time! My husband and kids really enjoyed doing this. We definitely got a good workout. The people that worked there were super nice and helpful. Take the last cart if you don't want anyone in front of you going back. We were pedaling pretty quickly going back so got way ahead of the carts. We turned on some music and rocked out while we pedaled back. read more

Vance Creek Railriders - Recreation Centers Near Me - Shelton, Washington

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The gentleman I spoke with was so sweet. He was very apologetic about their being fully booked for the dates that I had called to ask about. I think my hubby and I found out about this experience through either IG or FB. Either way it looked like a fun way to spend an afternoon with the kiddos when we go up to the PNW. I haven't had a chance to experience this for myself but after having just spoken with whomever it was that answered the phone, I can tell you that they are very helpful and very sweet. I can't wait for an opportunity to get out toe the railriders. read more

This was so much fun for all ages. 4 peeps per car heavier weight in back two seats so younger or people that can't peddle can go in the front 2 seats. Really friendly staff. I think it was 6.5 miles oneway then you stop and guide turns the rail cycles around for return trip. There is a restroom at start & at the turnaround point that are kept very clean. read more

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Last day of the season, but so glad we did this in 2020 (glimmer of happiness in a otherwise bad year). The staff are incredibly hilarious! Think funny flight attendant, but in private rail riding instead of flying. There are a lot of safety rules to get through, and in order to keep everyone engaged, he made is so fun! The journey to the turn around point, 6.5 miles away, was all downhill and SO fun! The journey back was uphill and required a lot of energy. If you have kids, you will be doing all the uphill peddling...which is not easy, but still fun! They have a motor cart at the back of the pack, and they ended up helping all of us (8 carts today, but varies for each event depending on how many sign up), and we were cruising by the end. It was so much fun,and the scenery was absolutely incredible. Going through the old growth forest was perfect, serene, and very relaxing. The minute we finished, we booked for next year (Season is May through September)...Book soon, the times fill up QUICK! Love love love this! read more

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Do it! You won't regret it. This was by far one of the most fun experiences. It's 6.5 down and 6.5 back. The back part is pretty much up hill which means the ride down is fun. But don't worry they have a cart that assists you back up the hill but you still have to pedal. read more

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BEWARE: if you are coming from Seattle, despite the ETA on maps I-5 traffic heading towards Shelton is unbearable, so be sure to leave for your booking 4+ hours in advance. We took the day off for my boyfriends birthday and we're thrilled for this excursion all week and left 3 hours early. We called and gave notice of the traffic hours before our scheduled ride to see if it was possible to reschedule to later in the day, another day, or even week, or month, and was immediately informed we would have to get there at 3:10 or no ride. We still pushed and drove as fast as we could and arrived at 3:20 and no acceptions were made. We explained our situation of driving 3.5 hours in traffic from Seattle and it was the day of my boyfriends birthday and no acceptions of a refund or reschedule we're offered, and the gentleman at the stand was extremely unpleasant and rude. So we had to drive back to Seattle, and the whole day was wasted driving nearly 6 hours to Shelton and back. There was another car behind us and the same exact situation happened to them, so I'm assuming this is a common occurrence and a decent way the business cashes out. Before writing my review, I even tried to reach out privately to see if there was possibility of rescheduling considering the circumstances that we spent $40 on gas, and a wasted day, but they were not willing to reschedule us. While we were really looking forward to this experience and bet that it would be seriously amazing, we will not even consider paying another $70 to rebook with the chances of getting stuck in irreparable traffic and being met with no understanding at all. heck, we would even be happy with rebooking a rainy season but I guess these people are more concerned about keeping your money than providing a good experience to paying customers. So if you're traveling from Seattle, be careful!! read more

No customer service whatsoever. Unfriendly staff and poorly ran. Don't encounter unprofessionalism like this very often, such a bummer when it does happen. read more

What a fun time! Thanks for leading this so well My wife, son and I really enjoyed the time in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest while getting a nice little workout in as well. You guys did a great job; we would do this again. read more