Roaring Camp Railroads Reviews

We absolutely enjoyed our daughters tenth birthday party at the roaring camp - special shout-out to Leatha our advisor at the roaring camp . It was a party with 78 people and Leatha and I were connected on email for a month trying to coordinate the logistics and she made it absolutely easy and flawless for us . The ride itself was just amazing as expected and all my guests were awed from the experience !

Thanks roaring camp and Leatha

It is a beautiful place for adults and especially for kids. You can spend the whole day here. Other than amazing train ride, various things for the kids to see like old black shop, old printing press, how to get a thread from wool using manual tools.
You can also hike on nearby accessible trails. Trails are all in shed by tallest (Redwood) creatures in this world.
If you are going with kids, don't forget to get the stamp booklet. Kids can get free stamps at printing press and blacksmith shop. There are series of free rewards for kids for the number of stamps they get from various shops and stalls.
It's wonderful experience with kids. Have fun time.

This place does not deserve to be in business. We booked the 10:30 train. At 10:30 they said there would be an hour delay. At 11:30 they said there would be another 45 minute delay. At 12:30 there were no updates and the people in the ticket office were clueless. It’s one thing to have a broken train but it’s unacceptable not to provide updates. They clearly don’t care about their customers at all. We left after waiting for 3 hours so they ruined our entire day. Don’t make this place part of your vacation plan unless you want a ruined vacation.

If you love old trains, this place has it all. Lots of history, shay locomotives, climbing thru the redwoods....it's really hard to beat !! The station area is exciting in itself...

The train ride was wonderful. The only reason I did not give this the highest rateing was becasue the experice was not all that was advertised. The web site says they have a whole town to see and a program for kids to get stamps in a book at each place to earn prizes. We arrived an hour early for these activities. The only thing open was their kitchen and gift shop. They need to fix their web site to explain that no activiites or town buildings are open. They also need some signage at the parking gate to let people know that the gate shed is not manned and to park anwhere and walk into the train area.

This was such a great experience, train Ride through the red woods. Train Conductor was very knowledgeable and added to this experience. Afterwards we crossed over and took a hike in Henry Cowell State Park. Beautiful!!

A unique, breathtaking experience Riding through the redwoods. Enjoyed listening to the history from the informed conductor

"Start with a hearty barbecue chicken and steak dinner"- No chicken unless you ask for it.. the default is steak. the salad had no dressing, very bland overall.

"The steam train stops atop Bear Mountain to a glowing campfire"- one tiny pit was not sufficient for all the patrons, by the time you made it thru the bathroom line, we had to get back on the train. Needed more time to enjoy the 2 person band.

"Upon returning to Roaring Camp, hot apple pie and a live band band await you" - NOPE, the pie was served before we left and cold. The band during dinner was good.

"Get into the swing of things by line dancing or two-stepping the night away"- There was an instructor, who taught the steps without music, then we only got to dance to two whole songs. Was not leisurely free for all dancing.

Also NO alcohol, unless you bring your own.

Bundle up for an informative ride on a real steam engine. The conductor was dressed in period clothing and narrated the history of the train.

Great place to take the family! Ride a train into the redwoods or take a train to and from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk! Fur for everyone!

We visited California for the first time and knew we wanted to see the redwoods on our trip. The train ride was awesome and made our first experience so much fun! It’s peaceful to hike through the park but to take a steam locomotive through the mountain made it an unforgettable experience. There are restrooms at the top of the mountain and a tour guide that is very knowledgeable (you can tell he loves his job). Next to roaring camp is the Henry Cowell Nat’l Park and all you have to do is walk down a sidewalk and your in the park and it’s free! It’s so beautiful!!

A very interesting ride amid the magnificent trees. A 100 year old steam locomotive in action on steep grades is a wonderful engineering experience. The Conductor/Narrator expertly covered the dream, the building, the challenges, the operation or the railroad, and how the locomotive works. A superb job! All in all an impressive and enjoyable experience!

A well organised narrow guage railway trip through the Redwood forest. The commentary was first class. It's a must do if you are in the area. And the food and coffee from the cook house was reasonably priced and pretty good. The Redwood trees and in particular the cathedral at the the top of the trip where you get out before going back down was amazing.

Our multi generation family of 2 grandparents, 4 adult children and 3 grandchildren (ages 6, 4, 1) had a really fun time together. We arrived early to an almost empty parking area, and walked in the nearby redwood trail for < 1 mile before our ride. That personally was my favorite part. But the train ride was fun, and got lots of enthusiasm from our 6 year old train lover. The stop at the half way point was just enough for pictures and to stretch our legs. The scenery was beautiful and the narration interesting but extremely difficult to understand. Overall - good experience, but definitely a one time thing. Busy enough though - so it appears to remain a popular destination.

There were adults, seniors and several families with toddlers. Every one in our train car was so happy and thoroughly enjoying this ride. Travis was really good a narrating the history of the railroad and shared information about the redwoods and this forest, and gave us quiet time also to enjoy the sights. It was nice to stretch our legs at the top of Beart Mountain before our ride to return to the camp.

We did the Holiday Lights Train and the only thing that was lighted was the train itself. There was nothing to see outside of the train. I was rather disappointed with that. If you have family with smallish children it would be amazing. Or certainly someone is serious about the holiday. The sing along holiday songs were nice, Santa does come through so you and your group can take a picture with your own device, the cider is good too. I was just expecting more lights on display as we moved. NOTE: It doesn't really matter where you sit (front or back) as you go on one track then the train goes back the same direction. Get there early if you are specific about where you want to sit, there are lines that form for the 4 entrances. Folks with handicaps are assisted with a lift about midway through the train.

Excellent place to spend a day with the family.
Kids have plenty of activities to do in Roaring Camp beside the riding the train.

We took the beach train from Felton to Santa Cruz. Distancewise it is probably 10 miles or so but it took almost an hour for the train ride. So it is not going that fast which means it is not that windy even in the open air carriage which offers a better scenic view than the enclosed carriages. The train passed by the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, the San Lorenzo River gorge, through a pitch dark tunnel before emerging onto suburban Santa Cruz. One could spend either an hour or 5 hours on the Santa Cruz Boardwalk before taking returning to Felton. After returning to Felton, visiting the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is really easy as it is just right across the railroad tracks.

If you consider the $20-25 per person for the 'Thomas' train, plus $10 for parking, plus food if you haven't brought your own, as the cost of a half-day out in the hills with a 30-minute train ride in the forest then the outing is decent value for money. If you have the time to go for a hike in the adjacent Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park (you don't need to re-park), then it's even more worth it. You obviously wouldn't pay for the Thomas special train without kid(s) who are Thomas fans, and it's a waste of money on kids who are too young to know who Thomas is. If you consider the money spent as a way to get on a special train, then you'll be disappointed. The Thomas engine in the photos isn't actually an engine, it's a disguised small train car with a whistle and controls for the piped commentary (funny at times if you can understand it) and muzak (too loud they need to re-balance the recording) and the real pushing and pulling is done by a diesel engine at the other end of the train. The ride is a 30 minute total out and back into the redwood forest. Tip - to view down into the pretty gorge of the San Lorenzo river, sit on the near side of the cars i.e. the side you climb up from. The Redwood Forest Steam trains, run by the Roaring Camp people, are much better value for money - these are smaller trains also with open and covered cars pulled by real steam engines which are lovely to look at both standing still and moving.

I have lived in Northern California for years and had never heard of Roaring Camp Railroads. The grandkids were in town and a friend recommneded an excursion there. We all loved the authentic 1913 steam engine as it pulled us up the hill through beautiful coastal Sequoia. The 90 minute round trip returned us to the camp which was just right for a picnic lunch. It's just minutes from downtown Santa Cruz and we finished our day playing on the beach.

Full of great information & presented in a very easy way. The “conductor” did a great job; even with the corny jokes. Great way to appreciate nature

A ride through the redwoods in an open air vintage train was magical, educational and fun for all ages. The towering redwoods surrounded us as we traveled through the forest. Before board the train plenty of open air space and lots of kid friendly things to see. Definitely recommend getting your tickets beforehand. Great time for all ages!

We visited Roaring Camp Railroad 2 years ago but missed the beach train and were only able to take the Redwoods train.
We couldn’t wait to return and take the beach train. And it did not disappoint.

We took the early train and returned on the late one. It was a full day for sure. Our 4 year old is a huge train fan so he was in heaven. Our family are a HUGE fans of Roaring Camp and both the beach and Redwood trains.

A wonderful experience for the family! I bought tickets online, which was quick and easy. The area is beautiful and is surrounded by tall redwoods. The conductor was entertaining and staff were all friendly and welcoming. The ride itself was fun, with some parts being a bit warm and more dense shaded areas were cooler. Overall didn’t really use a sweater. The trees and scenery were absolutely stunning! It is a great outing for families. So glad we finally did it and crossed it off our bucket list!

Great excursion. The splendor of the redwoods, the fact that the engine once pulled tree trunks on this very route, the history of how these redwoods were saved a century ago, the fun of having to back up a small part of the route to get to a higher level--this was perhaps the best of excursion trains I've taken in the Western U.S.

I grew up in the Bay Area but can't believe that it took me 40 years to discover this gem of a railroad! Our party of 6 including both adults and kids loved this train ride. We bought our tickets online for the 11 am train. Sit in the open car for an excellent view (once you get up the hill it is very shady so don't worry about getting hot). Being surrounded by the beautiful redwoods was wonderful and serene. The tour guide was also very informative and interesting. If you have kids, this is a must do in the area. They just loved it. Plan to bring bottled water and some snacks so that everyone is comfortable.

The moonlight train ride was awesome. It was a quarter moon the night we rode and there were so many stars out. I could have ridden all night.

I didn't feel there was enough direction on what to do, expect, etc.

The bbq was ok but I'd rather just take a ride and skip the bbq. The apple pie was very very good. There was a yellow jacket trap at each table but the yellow jackets at our table seemed more interested in our food.

The music by the house band Wild and Blue was pretty good for the most part and April did an outstanding job on each song she sang whether by herself or with her dad.

The town can be seen in under an hour so no use going too early. I wish they had had beer for sale but alas they didn't. However, they did allow in our own food and water so that was really good. :)

We will go again to ride during the day and when there's a full moon.

Who likes trains? How about tall majestic Redwood trees? The beach? Well, Roaring Camp Railroad can provide all these plus more.

My wife and I had an enjoyable time riding the trains. Got to learn a bit of history. Even better, we got to admire the Redwood trees up close and personal.

Definitely had a good time. Not sure that I would do it again, though. Once was enough.

So, first, if you're like me, it's easy to wreck a car straining your neck to see the gorgeous redwoods when driving in the mountains. This checks so many boxes - family friendly, easy going, relaxing. You arrive (get there about 15-20 minutes early) and you load up (there isn't a bad seat, so calm down) and bring snacks (we brought our late breakfast and coffee). They have GREAT hosts that tell you all about the area and the trees and the trains. OMG...the train. A steam engine on a narrow gauge track. Never felt unsafe and the cars are re-purposed logging cars that are comfortable. We brought a larger tote with all that we needed and it fit nicely under the seat. The train takes you up the mountain through the trees, across a trestle. You stop at the top where there are bathrooms and walk around for about 15 minutes. There are more trees and just a nice break. Back at camp, there is plenty of affordable food (you can also PRE ORDER a picnic to take with you) and a gift shop (sadly, they had very little inventory on shirts). Overall, it was a wonderfully relaxing way to start the day. Parking is $10.00 and you walk into the camp. They had a blacksmith and a sheriff on a horse. Kids activities and crafts also. HIGHLY recommended.

We loved the only car without the top. Choose the left side for seating. The open air car gave us the ability to see the very tops of the tree canopy overhead. Bench seating. The train goes slow enough so we didn’t feel motion sick - others may not like it for the very reason we did. Slow was great for us. LOVED the conductor John! Great knowledge. Great personality. On our ride he used the mike from our car so we enjoyed his visuals. We would take this ride again. Mid October was strong sun and hot at the 12:30 ride but perfect temps when we started in the redwoods full of shade

We began our slow train journey through old-growth redwoods on a sunny but chilly Saturday afternoon. The train was crowded but not uncomfortably so. (Hint: book your reservations ahead of time. They sell out quickly). Our conductor was attired in period costume and was pleasant and very informative throughout the trip. The redwoods were spectacular and it is astonishing to think that some of them are over 2,000 years old. My two-year-old grandson loved the train ride and was able to sit still for the most part. Roaring Camp itself encompasses well-kept hiking trails, wide-open spaces and plenty for even very young children to do. You can buy food there or take your own picnic and dine next to one of the man-made lakes. Truly a lovely day!

Informational tour but scenery was only trees. Not sure what we expected but my family found it boring.

An ideal way for this old man to enjoy riding behind a Heisler steam engine while my wife enjoyed the open gondola ride through the coastal redwoods. The ride was just under two hours which also make it a good place where parents can take smaller children.

Hi this train is a blast from the past. We went on the steam train to the red woods. Unfortunately we went on a carriage under cover thinking it's hot and I'm fair skinned. Mistake you can not look up to see how tall the trees are and the train goes into a forest where it's shaded. The guard is full of info and the journey lasted about 1.5 hours. Enjoy we did. Also there is a train that takes you Santa Cruz . If you arrive early in the morning pay the $10 parking , You can take this train come back on the last train and you have had a good day and no parking issues .

Whether you take this trip or the one from the boardwalk, or both, you can't go wrong. The cool thing about this one is it's an old steam engine. You get the real feel and sound of steam power, traveling out of the "camp" and through time to one of the places they used to cut and stack the lumber.. fortunately these woods are now protected, but it's a trip back in history, interesting to experience and fun to boot.. Yo can't go wrong! Go next door to the state park to walk around the big red wood circle too. Nice gift shop etc at both places.

I took y mom here while driving down the coast. She said this was her favorite stop that we did. They are very knowledgeable and the narrator was fantastic!

Also, it is right next to a state park with even better redwoods. You can park in either for $10/day and walk to the other via a short path (20 ft or so).

We really enjoyed the redwood forest steam train. Get there early so you can sit in an open-top car to truly enjoy the forest. There is plenty to check out there and you can even walk into Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. Kevin, our conductor, provided insight into the history of the equipment, tracks, route, and trees. You get a brief stop at the top of the mountain, long enough to check out a cathedral grove of redwoods.

Redwood lovers don't miss this. Funny and knowledgeable tour guide. It's not cheap but I think it's worth it. Good Covid practices. Very clean trains. Easy to find and very accessible.

For me, this was a repeat trip to take the train trip thorugh the redwoods. This is a narrow gauge railroad and quite fun.

There is also a store, cafe, and some other buildings to wander through.

Since it is Christmas time, there were some holiday decorations.

We made reservations on line and arrived at Roaring Camp one hour early. During the week the snack bar is not open. There is a $10.00 charge for parking.
Weekdays the steam train is not in operation. At least in the fall it wasn't. The diesel train is powerful, but be prepared for diesel fuel smells. We sat in the covered car and at times the smell of the diesel fuel was quite strong.
The train conductor had the speakers turned up quite loud in the cars while he was talking which didn't make for a peaceful ride through the forest.
A nice 10 minute stop at the top of the hill with real bathrooms and great places for photos among the redwoods was welcomed.

We have participated in the Moonlight Dinner Train and it has always been great time. Good food, music and train ride.

This is a must if in the area. To avoid disappointment would recommend booking in advance as the train gets booked up. Ample parking at $10 a day. There is a general store, cafeteria, restrooms and a couple of other buildings that you can look around and purchase souvenirs and refreshments. Worth getting there about 45 minutes before the train leaves. The trip itself is through the redwood trees and the conductor does a very good commentary.

Good train ride in the woods which go to the top of the bear mountain. Duration is almost 1.5 hr. Kids enjoy that. The souvenir shop at the station is just empty and boring. Overall ok to visit with kids.

Nice little train ride through the redwoods. Our conductor Gary was very knowledgeable about the area since he’s been working there for 40+ years and very cordial to all the guests. It’s part of a much larger area that includes little shops, restaurants and historic info, plus picnic areas. We would recommend it if you’re in the area.

As there are 300 reviews, at this writing, on what the ride actually is, I will spend my time on what we liked and the context of our visit.

Trip context: My family of 5 (Ages 51, 50, 23, 20, 15) were on a family vacation and were travellling from San Francisco down to Carmel. The drive is only 2-3 hour long, so we wanted to supplement the day with something that we would naturally pass between those two locations. There were many tech and museum things to do in San Jose, but we wanted to find something more family interactive and unique,. This Railroad tour was perfect for this.

Planning: I wasn't sure how far in advance these rides book, particularlly since our trip was in the high tourism month of July, so I booked online. It was easy to do and picking up the tickets at the willcall once we arrived was equally easy.

Arrival. Felton is a small town but does have several fast food and nicer diner-ish restuarants for getting a snack or lunch/dinner before or after the ride.
Once a the tour locatioon, parking was easy. it cost $10, which just felt like capitalistic gouging. The parking lost was gravel and you had to use it for the ride, so it just felt like double dipping and there really aree not other options... hence gouging. That said, $10 didn't break the bank and compared to San Francisco parking pricing, which is borderline criminal in my mind, this was reasonable.
Everyone related to the tour was very nice and accomodating... from the parking attendant, the ticket office, to the train conductor.
The bathrooms were particularly nice. Many stalls and well kept.
We didn't really take adantange of on-premise food or the gift shop, so I can't speak to the quality of those.

Ride: There are a couple of rides available. One through the redwoods (about 1 hour long) and one to and from Santa Cruz boardwalk. We did the shorter redwoods ride.

Tips on the ride;
1. When you first get there, you will likely want to go into the covereed cars because the sun it beating down on you. DON'T. The view on the ride is all "up", and is mostly shaded through the forest. As such, you will want to be in the open cars for the best views.
2. Mark your spot in the open car. After you get to the top and all the people in the covered cars discover Tip 1, they will move to the front. Our original seats were taken. Fortunately, the cars weren't full booked so we could reposition and still be in an open car. On a busy day, you may not be that lucky.

Final thoughts.
This ride had something for all of my familly. First the views of the Redwoods were fantastic. The history of how this railroad was created as one of the earliest eco-tourism spots was enriching for my wife and I. Many cool Insta-picture opportunities for the younger generation. Finally, compared to many of the hiking and wallking days we had arlleady, thyis was a nice departure to just sit and enjoy nature and the surroundings and hsitory and actually take a break at the same time.

The trip through the redwoods on the train was a lot of fun. The conductor offered a lot of information on the forest and history of the area. Halfway through the trip the train stops and lets the passengers off. This gives time to ask the conductor and engineers questions, stop at the restrooms, or do just a little exploring of the redwoods.

Fun place for a family outing, located in Felton California, the train ride is on an old 1880 steam engine train, the ride takes you threw scenic Henry Cowell National Forest, to Bear Mountain, the train ride is 75 minutes long, you can buy tickets on line. After the train ride walk threw the little old time town and stop in at the cute gift shops, you can buy old time candy, tee shirts, books about Roaring Camp Railroad, the history of railroads as well as books about the history of the area, etc.
If you get hungry there is a snack bar that sells hamburgers and hot dogs, chicken, water soft drinks, and during the summer months you can eat at the Chuck Wagon Barbeque open until September.
There is a second train ride on a 1875 narrow gauge train that takes you threw Santa Cruz this train drops and later picks you up at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.
Roaring Camp has all sorts of events throughout the year, go on line to find out what events are scheduled and prices for tickets.
The parking lot has a tendency to full up during special events, I believe there is a charge of $8.00 for parking, plan to go early to these events, and prepare for a little walk from the parking lot to the train station.
Felton can get pretty hot in the summer months, and very cold during the winter months dress accordingly.
One last thing the tickets to ride the train, can be a little pricey about $30.00 on up, for adults, I am not sure how much the price for the children tickets, or what the rates for seniors tickets are, you can find out prices, times, dates and events and pre order tickets on the Roaring Camp website the website is easy to use and very informative.
Have fun!

The boarding was chaotic but once on it's way it was low key fun. Very informative crew and the views were very good.

One word summery, DISAPOINTED.
Many things wrong with this outing. For the price of $33 per person I had a good expectation that this would be romantic, cozy and or entertaining. They tried, and the potential is there for all those things to actually take place but they sure didn’t. The people singing Christmas carols need to be replaced, except for the female, she was real good. Super corny / not funny jokes, poor vocal abilities, and they really couldn’t carry a tune even if they had a bucket. Maybe they should just play the actual carols in MP4 format so it’s more enjoyable. Also, the staff had ZERO energy. Santa had a little bit, but the other creatures roaming the train were like Christmas zombies. When “Mrs. Claus was handing out sugar cookies she was wearing latex gloves…. Some people / kids are allergic to latex; but that’s not the main issue… she kept touching the dirty seats and her hair, and then would hand out cookies with that same gloved hand. The hot apple cider was actually boiling cider that had to cool down for 5 min before you drank it…. I didn’t know that and flash fried the inside of my mouth.
As if that wasn’t enough, let’s talk about the “scenery”. You go through a tight tunnel, that’s kind of cool…. You cross a few streets, people wave at you and honk…. but there are homeless encampments all along the way and how can you have a merry time when you’re looking at freezing homeless people?? The train doesn’t go very far… and there are hardly any nice houses or Christmas lights to enjoy.
In summary here is what you can expect: dirty cookies, boiling cider, poorly sung carols, homeless people, and a $80 date (with parking) with your wife that should of just been a Netflix and chill……..

A very nice trip thru the redwoods. Really nice train. Did think it was a little pricey for what it was but did have a nice time

We loved this beautiful train ride and the educational narration by one of the workers. My almost 2 year old thought it was the coolest thing and it was nice that we could get off and walk around before we turned around and went back. It’s also nice that the ride back is faster than the ride there, but we still needed snacks and a sticker book to keep him happy until we reached the very end.

We absolutely loved this trip. It was so interesting and so much fun. The commentary was en route was very informative but also very entertaining. The journey is great as the train climbs Bear Mountain, doing switch backs and crossing trestles. A really great experience and would highly recommend.

We did this with my 91 year old dad and 25 year old son. All of us enjoyed it! There were lots of children on the trip as well as tourists.

The conductor was very knowledgeable about trains as well as Botany, and we enjoyed what we learned in both categories.

There were people there on a wait list to get on the train if people did not show up. We were somewhat surprised by how popular it was— but by the end we understood.

I will say that it was a long walk from the parking lot to the train for my father with his walker. Before we walked back, we asked if we could bring our car down and pick him up and they were very nice about it. I imagine if we had asked we could have brought him to the train that way as well.

One additional comment: unless inclement weather justifies it, I would not recommend the covered cars. It would have interfered with our experience of looking up at the trees. You are mostly in the shade throughout the ride.

It was a glorious way to see some redwoods. Highly recommend!

The train ride was a great experience for us and our grandkids. Educational and when you ride in the open cars, you get an incredible up-close view of a Redwood Forest. It was a hot day, but not on the train with the forest shade.
There was less to do in the town than we expected, but mainly because we were there on a weekday. Note: our train at noon and the one after were basically full.

The Roaring Camp Railroad team did a great job with Covid precautions. We felt very safe, and it was so nice to be able to do something FUN! The team was very professional, the scenery lovely, and the other passengers were respectful. Picked up some history, and learned more about the great redwoods!

We all enjoyed the train ride through the trees. The train whistles were eerie through the trees. Our conductor Charlie was funny and entertaining. My kids range from ages 15 down to 4 and everyone enjoyed the ride!

Roaring Camp Railroad is a great experience for the whole family. I was pleasantly surprised at the education on the redwoods! The kids loved it because, well, trains!!!

Place could be rented for events and fairs. Some estern buildings are near the train station. Trip going the redwoods to the santa cruz boardwalk is nice! Hopefully they could improve their PA system so we could hear the conductor explain. It is also quite expensive for the train amenities. Nonetheless it was a fun experience. My verdict: recommended to try for first but not for the second time around. See images and videos for fuether information.

This is my first time visiting California. I have always seen the Redwood FOREST on vacation TV shows. I am so happy I finally got to visit the forest for myself. I also brought my son with me. The scenery, trees, and train are unforgettable.

We spent a delightful afternoon being pulled by Engine 40 up to Bear Mountain. Being cool wintry day made the trip even more fun. Our first time being pulled by # 40 and it was a different experience that the regular Steam trains.

We began this train ride at Roaring camp, which is a fun little town made to look like a ghost town. Parking is $10 or if you have a California park pass already you could park next door at the Henr

I haven’t been to the Roaring camp in over 20 years and it was just as I remembered.. actually better now that I’m older and can truly appreciate the beauty and surroundings! If you have children and are in Santa Cruz, you’d cheat yourself if you don’t come ride the train through the forest. Make sure you book prior to coming up. I heard a few people get denied access this afternoon due to being sold out. Such great memories created today with the family that I’ll cherish forever!

We had such a great time on the train. Delightful, charming, and educational.
As a native Californian, I didn't realize how much deforestation has destroyed
these magnificent trees. The young conductor was a font of information. His
patter was very interesting and informing. Great job!

Beautiful park among the redwoods next to the magnificent Cowell State Park.

Roaring camp is the best place for any train enthusiast to find a hidden gem in the Redwood Forest with many, many many trains. One of which LGB has a model coming out in 2025 of that would be the number 7... The staff are really really nice and enjoy questions and your company.

So, the positives: the narrow gauge train ride is a splendid hour of going up steep mountainside tracks through privately owned, original growth redwoods...pretty stunning on both beauty and technology grounds. The Roaring Camp is a sort of Williamsburg of the West, without characters in costume. They sure set about charging for everything they can think of. Don't pay the $10 for parking...just park in the Henry Cowell Redwood Park immediately next door. Then, bring your own lunch, and avoid all the stores. That way the $30 a pop for the train will feel worth it. We had a delightful afternoon of hiking in the park and riding the train.

Our group of 5 enjoyed this 75-90 minute narrow gauge train excursion behind a 1912 Shay steam gear-driven locomotive (meaningful for train buffs). This type of locomotive was used for steep and heavy loads, usually logging or mining. This location was established to save massive redwoods from logging. The tourist train was built to go up the steep hill among the trees with minimal clearing. Choose open, covered, or canopied train cars (open is best!) and listen to the guide's comments (sometimes hard to hear, sometimes rambling, but the scenery and experience are worth it). There are food, shopping, and related historic buildings and replicas at the Roaring Camp depot. Parking is included in the ticket price. The railroad has several other historic steam trains (Heisler, Climax) and some small old diesels. The company also operates a standard gauge train to the beach in Santa Cruise using CF-7 (ex Santa Fe) diesels. Make sure to have a reservation for the Roaring Camp and Big Trees as their excursions do sell out.

I like riding trains, even a commute by train is a positive for me, so I'm disposed to like heritage railways. The two Roaring Camp rides are both fine, both a little expensive - family of four spends $100 for each ride - and perhaps lacking in excitement, however we enjoyed our trips. I'll focus on the Boardwalk trip, which is Diesel-hauled, standard gauge, trundle through the redwoods down to Santa Cruz Beach and its boardwalk. We enjoyed this more than the steam-hauled narrow gauge trip up the mountain, as that was little more than a close look at lots of nice trees.

The Beach train starts out moving though the redwoods and if you sit of the left side facing forward you get some nice glimpses of the river valley, we then cross a couple of roads (plenty waving at the cars waiting for us to pass) and then go through a quite long dark tunnel before a quite fun ride down the middle of a surburban street and finally reversing into the busy boardwalk amusement area. If you want to catch the same train back you then have an hour to stroll and grab a bite to eat. You may have the option of catching a later train back and of you want to do some of the many rides on the boardwalk this is probably a better option.

Overall I feel that Roaring Camp could make the experience a little more special. There's not much for kids to do at the depot, just an exhibition by a smith and some gold-panning. Other heritage railways have some railway exhibitions and model trains. The food is unexciting and the line gets long. The carpark costs an exorbitant extra $10 and it's a bit of a trek from there to the railway.

For me all this was just fine. I'm not sure that kids would find these trips very engaging, I might spend the money down on the boardwalk!

We had an amazing time. The kids really enjoyed the steam train ride and panning for gold afterwards. The staff was very welcoming and interactive. Will definitely visit again.

Absolutely terrible farce. Waiting in the heat for 4 hours. It was hot. The train never showed. They said someone was ill but there was no official announcement or apology or explanation. When the train arrived they loaded us on and we all just sat there in the heat, and sat. and sat.
Then they kicked us all off and said they had a wedding coming up so we were all cancelled. NO APOLOGY! Just told we’d get a refund. 4 hours wasted there and 2 hours journey time either end WASTED!!
Can’t help it if a person gets ill. I hope they are ok. But really badly handled by Roaring Camp. Terrible communication and their customer service was nonexistent.
What a waste of time and vacation.

Do not go on the Moonlight Dinner Evening Dinner rude. You pay right about $90 then for the food and train ride. Then they charge you $10 for parking! You get an email reminder stating you get a hearty STEAK dinner. We happened to call to ask another question and I wanted to confirm it was a STEAK dinner. Then I was told it was some ribs and chicken meal. You don’t want to pay almost $100 for some lousy ribs and cheap chicken. Oh well, nothing I can do now.

My family took the beach boardwalk trip.
The views were awesome leaving the station and for most of the
dense forest area.
As we got closer to Santa Cruz we saw remnants of homeless encampments.
Basically old tents with trash scattered about.
The conductor said the authorities cleared it out 2 weeks before, but some
of them had come back in. Broke my heart to see this happen to this forest.
As we rode through the more industrial areas of the city to get to the beach,
the encampments were more prevalent and closer to the tracks.
You could actually see the drugs being smoked and they weren't bashful about it.
This is not how I remember it when I was a kid!
This is not RCR's fault, I sympathize with their problems they must have with a city
that does not address these conditions.

We came on a weekday to find almost everything was closed. The “general store” was open for ticket collection when we arrived, but following the ride absolutely everything was closed - even though there was no mention of the store closing when we collected our tickets!
The train ride wasn’t a steam train, even though that’s the title of the ticket type. The woman on the station said that was normal for a winter weekday and this was in the website but when I looked back there was no indication on the website or booking emails that it would be a diesel engine as standard on a winter weekday, or that everything would be closed. It was also apparently too windy to even stop at the top.
The ride itself was good, the conductor was insightful and helpful, but overall we were disappointed with the lack of an actual steam train ride and lack of any of the other activities advertised - you couldn’t even buy a coffee or some duck food!!!

Really interesting and informative trip - loved learning about the train and the trees - well worth doing and loved the low key giftshop at the end. The wildflowers when we arrived were stunning too. Great personable and amusing guide telling us about the local history and train factoids. We all loved it and our group spanned from 70 year olds to a 1 and 3 year old!

The setting is beautiful in a small valley surrounded by giant redwood trees. The "camp" has picnic areas, activity areas, restrooms, a small store, food options and vintage equipment to see. The steam train is a 1912 Shay gear driven locomotive specifically designed for heavy pulling on steep grades that regular steam and diesel trains cannot handle. The tracks take you up a hill through majestic trees and their is a stop at the top for restrooms and viewing a circular stand of redwoods , known as a Fairy Circle, where wedding ceremonies can take place.
The entire trip is narrated by a conductor who shares history, logging stories and information on the forest.
Our group had ages 75 - 4 months. The 3 year old found it fun and learned some things about the forest.
All staff were friendly, well trained and worked hard to make this a fun experience for all. The ride lasts a few hours and is not cheap, but operating a large facility and historic equipment is not inexpensive.
The Camp also offers train rides to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and back at least twice a day.

I'd give 5 stars for the Redwood Steam Train ride but only 3 stars for the "town/station" area.
The hubby and I decided to add the redwood train to our to do list while staying in Felton and we are glad we did! I debated because it's pricy at $68 for two adults but we had a really good time! Be sure to book IN ADVANCE! I assumed midweek in October wouldn't be busy, but I was wrong!! The schools bring bus loads of kids. They took up two whole cars on our train.
The open train offers great views of the impressive redwoods and the conductor's narrative was so interesting and informative. There is one stop during the ride for a bathroom break and to check out a popular redwood circle of trees.
The town area was cute but was more like a ghost town. There was only one "General" store open where you get your tickets, snacks and souvenirs. There are plenty of tables if you want a picnic with the kids. The schools had the same idea.
I would recommend parking in the Henry Cowell park instead of the Railroad parking. My friends did that and had access to the Railroad area from there. You pay the same $10, but it's a much prettier and quiet place to have a picnic and spend the rest of your day hiking. It makes the $10 more worth it.
The train is Dog Friendly so we planned to take our dog but a friend called and they said you may have to put the dog on your lap if they need to get by. Since my 52 lb French Shepherd is far from being a lap dog we opted not to take her. I think a small dog that can sit in your lap would be fine, but the vibrating motion of the train could be too much for a big dog left on the floor.
All in all the train was a really fun and beautiful experience (one time for us) that I can highly recommend!!

A wedding in the redwoods! I traveled to Felton from Fremont CA for a family wedding on Labor Day weekend 2019. It was very well run by Roaring Camp and it was really enjoyable. The trip through the redwoods was lovely and the spot for the wedding was really pretty. A quick ceremony and then back down the mountain. The hall on the property was a great reception venue. We all enjoyed the general store and just hanging out before the "wedding train" showed up! I think the train ride would be just as fun even without a wedding. There were some "outlaws" roaming around....I imagine they jump on the trains too...

This adventure was 10 min. by car from the Hampton Inn on Ocean St. in santa Cruz, Ca.
the 1/5hr. steam engine train trip took us up Bear mountain through the old growth coastal redwoods of the area via a narrow gauge rail track of long ago logging.. The sites and smells of pine forest lingered in the air throughout the comfortable ride. Customers had a choice of open air cars or those with only a canopy. Unobstructed views, close proximity to the tree boles, "fairy circle" tree formations greeted us. the time passed so quickly.

Roaring Camp site consisted of the general stop, depot, outdoor picnic spots and plenty of grassy area to have the kids play. Food was available like to french fries, burgers, etc. A solo country soloist serenaded us with banjo selections. We opted for the 0930 tour which left up time to explore the shops, eatery, picnic area etc.

The tour began and ended at the depot in "town". Car parking was about a 10 min. walk through a covered bridge to heart of the town. Waiting was 5 min.but the staff encouraged one to arrive 30 min. early to check in. Paths were gravel, uneven earth and difficult for wheeled transportation/pushing.

It was a great and very fine experience. To be recommended.
One item though. We bought thickets via the internet, and payed.
When we came on sight, we were charged an extra 10 $ for parking the car.
That is poor service.

Michael

Beautiful steam engine and experience on the train. Enjoyed listening to the conductor's narrative about the history of this place. Great place to visit.

There were no holiday lights except for a few houses and apartments that had been decorated which I could have seen for free. The route was through industrial and construction back sites and a Costco parking lot among other parking lots. The train was decorated and cider was nice once they refilled it. Santa came by and the Boardwalk was beautifully decorated but do not waste your money on the train.

This trip was well worth it. I have two young children and they loved the train . I do not recommend getting their picnic food there isn’t much space to eat or even time take snacks . This was an amazing fun trip as a family.

If it's cool, bundle up as the train gets cold. There are better places in California to view redwoods or sequoias than this location. Train ride had moderators. One, the "conductor", and some lady from a save-the-trees organization. "George The Conductor", finished the tour with a not-very-well-disguised political message mentioning some referendum vote coming up in California. Not appropriate.

In terms of ADA, as we had one person in our party with walking issues.... ADA passengers are in the last car in the train. There is a crank lift to raise ADA passengers to/from the level of the steps in the car. We had once wheelchair, one with walking issues, and one very elderly woman with ADA issues. But here's the protocol "George The Conductor" used.....
1. Allow ALL passengers to board the train, including the rear ADA car.
2. Then, ask those in the rear car to move to make room for any ADA passengers and their guests.
3. Load ADA passengers. (Note: after one wheelchair passenger was loaded, "George The Conductor" prepared to store the crank lift. Two other passengers with ADA equipment had him stop as they needed to be loaded. He said we should have said something! ???)
4. With some passengers not making room the the new ADA passengers, guests had to ask them again to move to other cars.
5. Once the ADA passengers are loaded, "George The Conductor" THEN announced to all passengers to visit the restrooms if they needed to as their were no restrooms on the train.

They need to work on the ADA protocol. Load ADA first, AFTER you have advised them to visit the restrooms, if needed.

Trip was bit boring. Kids seemed passively interested.

If you are visiting the central coast, this is great way to see the coastal redwood forest while riding a historic train. The trip features amazing views of the San Lorenzo River snaking around boulders at the bottom of the river valley while columns of redwoods tower above you.

The set up at Roaring Camp is a little cheesy, and though lunch is offered, you can do better if you bring your own picnic or deli sandwich. At the Roaring Camp terminal, your best entertainment value is to leave Roaring Camp and go to Henry Cowell Park next door. Its a one minute walk to the park.

While you're there, walk the redwood loop trail. Its less than a mile long (0.8 mi) level, and gives you an up close look at some interesting and old growth redwoods. The loop trail is right next to the train station. You'll be back in plenty of time to catch your train back to the beach.

Great attraction for all ages! This was on our bucket list for seeing the Redwoods. Ticketing and ordering lunch was easy online. The place was easy to find with the GPS. I will say there was quite a walk for folks between the parking lot and the train depot, but benches were available for our Thursday trip. The “town” was beautifully decorated with expected shops -general store, old-time photo, train depot, lunch at Georgie’s. There were plenty of picnic tables and bathrooms were available on site.

The staff spaced us appropriately on the trains. It was bench-style seating in the open air cars comfortable enough for plus size folks. The ride was very enjoyable - good talent behind the mic giving tidbits about the land and history. The views of the trees were everything you could want!

The train ride was a fun way to travel. We took an afternoon beach train to the boardwalk. I would suggest if you want to spend time at the boardwalk, take an early train from Felton and catch a late train back from boardwalk. By taking the train from Felton you pay cheaper parking ($10 at roaring camp). The train offers both open air cars and covered cars. Seating is first come first serve. The grounds where you catch the train in Felton have a great opportunity to expand upon an 1800s theme. They currently have a general store, small food area, blacksmith, and gold sluicing.

Roaring Camp Railroad offers a unique ride through towering redwoods, blending history with breathtaking scenery. My family and I enjoyed the informative commentary and the peaceful atmosphere of the open-air cars. The steam train adds a nostalgic touch, making it a memorable experience for all ages. Whether you're a history buff or a nature lover, this railroad adventure is worth the trip.

We took my dad there for Father's Day and had a great time in the outdoors. Roaring Camp has beautiful grounds,with many beautiful trees and it's set up like a western town. They have a marshall who rides around on his horse, a blacksmith and general store. You can pan for gold or enjoy a meal at the picnic tables. The train ride was not only enjoyable but I learned a ton about the steam engine and the early railroads in California. It was a great day.

I love this narrow gauge working railroad ride it was amazing I could do it over and over! The redwoods are gorgeous the steam engine is unique and everything about it was a joy! Thank you thank you thank you

We prebooked our family of 4 on the 11:00am Redwood train easily via the website. We got to Roaring Camp about an hour early and quickly got our tickets which left us about 45 minutes to explore. Very relaxing outdoor place amongst the trees and lots of cool activities for our young kids (they have a passbook they can complete to earn free prizes). They really follow thru on the old camp theme with custumes, horses, live banjo music, etc. Unfortunately many of the staff were off this day (July 5th) so we missed out seeing the printing press, blacksmith, and candy shop. Eh, no big deal. The gold panning spot was open and you get to prospect real gold! No pyrite stuff here and our kids were psyched to find a legit flake. Very cool! The train ride was relaxing but I wish more cars had no cover so we could gaze up at the forest. Ours had a fabric tarp so line up early if you want first pick. The guide was very informative and the stop at the top includes time to visit a “fairy ring” or circular grove of 200+ ft tall redwoods. Awesome experience being able to stand amongst those ancient trees and take pictures.
Food: you can grab the usual snack/food stand burgers, fries, etc. Not cheap but decent quality. My only food regret was not finding the Outdoor Bbq stand first that had tri-tip and pulled pork. All in all, a very memorable and satisfying experience. Thanks Roaring Camp!

My 15 year old athletic grandson, 10 years old theatrical granddaughter, and I enjoyed the train ride, learned about the redwoods, and reaffirmed the importance of caring for our planet. I highly recommend it, if you care anything about nature.

This was an excellent activity for locals and visitors! We were a group of both and all loved the train ride into the mountains and amazing trees. The conductor was super informative and also hilarious, and the trees are incredibly beautiful and majestic. So worthwhile. We did the train ride at noon (it’s 90 mins) and then went to the beach boardwalk for the afternoon. Perfect Santa Cruz day!

Taking the train at Roaring Camp near Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, to spend an afternoon at the beach and the boardwalk in Santa Cruz is relaxing and convenient! Didn't have to try to find parking in Santa Cruz which is difficult in best of cases. The views of the Redwood forest and the San Lorenzo River from the train were wonderful!

Too my daughter's family, including 5 yr old granddaughter. What a great place for all ages. Enjoyed the rain ride very much. Not a boring commentator, either. Granddaughter really enjoyed the toy train and tracks so much it was hard to get her away from it. Very very family oriented.

Road the train through the redwoods on a Friday mid morning (11 am). I was actually shocked with how many people were there. The train was full but we did not feel like sardines. I would hate to see what happens on a weekend. It was really relaxing and worth at least doing once. It would not be something that we regularly repeat since I feel the price is higher than it should be for what it is. Granted the upkeep of historical engines and tracks probably is not cheap. It was a gorgeous day and the lil town at camp was adorable. It was great to have well behaved dogs on the train as well.

We took the 10:30 steam engine train ride up the redwood forest railway Roaring Camp. The history of the steam engine was fascinating, the ride safe but exciting, and the learning about the coastal redwood trees was very helpful. The cost was quite reasonable for the experience. Roaring Camp is next to the Henry Crowe State Park which also had a great visitors center to learn about the native environment and habitats. We had no children with us but this is a must experience for households with children.

Roaring Camp Railroad was so fun! A great ride into a beautiful redwood forest. Just the right length. Shady the whole time. Fun for all!

We travelled to California from New York for a family wedding. It was held at Roaring Camp. The wedding party and all the guests rode up into the redwoods after the wedding ceremony. There was an ongoing explanation by the conductor, of what we were seeing. When we reached the top of the mountain, we were served a drink and pictures were taken. The reception was in a large meeting hall down at the camp. The barnlike structure was elegantly decorated for the occasion.
Roaring Camp is open not only for events but daily to the public, offering several steam train rides a day. It is reminiscent of a Western town and would be an interesting place to spend a day. It was perfect venue for the wedding and perfect day weatherwise. I guess the weather is almost always perfect in California!

So fun! We went with the family and it was fun for the kids and the adults. Great history lessons in a fun atmosphere. Make sure you bundle up even if it's warm in Santa Cruz... the climb in altitude and being shaded by the redwoods drops the temperature more than you'd imagine and I was freezing on the train! But, I absolutely will go next time I'm in the Santa Cruz area. Highly recommend!

Driving on a road trip from Davis to Ventura we put Roaring Camp on our agenda. I’m so glad we did. We had so much fun! My family and I loved the train ride up bear mountain but the trail was something else! So beautiful! We even saw banana slugs. We plan on returning in the winter when it’s cooler. I highly recommend Roaring Camp. Make sure you bring snacks and water.

This was a fun train ride through a forest with trees 2,000 years old! Sit in one of the open cars so you can look up at them. The conductor was fun and full of wonderful information! He even played us a little bit of fiddle while we were stopped at the top. By the way there is a restroom at the top so don't worry about no restroom for 75 minutes! The ticket price may seem pricey but keeping this historic Landmark and Forest is worth it!

Spent an afternoon being hauled through the Santa Cruz redwoods by a hundred plus year old steam engine! The conductor was terrific at explaining how the camp came to be, the impressive power of the engine and the grade in which it climbs. It was enjoyable, educational and of course lots of fun! I would bring some hiking shoes as the Henry Colwell Redwood State park is right next door and makes for an amazing day of walking through these giants!

We went here at the suggestion of an acquaintance and we weren't let down. We did the logging steam train as the Beach train was off season. The trains, the ride, the staff and train crews, the whole experience was great and, at $33 per person, was easily affordable.
We learned a lot about the history of the forest, trains and area in general and met some very nice people. We went in mid October and the weather was great and it wasn't crowded.
I highly recommend this excursion as a destination or if you're just in the Santa Cruz area.

Our family recently rode the steam train up Bear Mountain on the Roaring Camp Railroad. There are few actual operating vintage steam engines in regular use and this one was a fine example. The trip takes a little over an hour with a brief stop at the top of the mountain, traversing steep grades through the magnificent redwoods. A conductor narrates the trip providing a variety of interesting information about the redwoods, the engine and railroading in general, giving a valuable context for everything one experiences. He was very good a his job and added significantly to the trip. This was a rare opportunity for a unique experience enhanced by the crew and staff, all of whom were very accomplished at his or her job. There is a cluster of buildings at the station which sell food, souvenirs and the like. There are also picnic tables and ample restroom facilities. Masks are currently in general use and the cars are open air, adding to the general comfort level. Age range of passengers ran the gamut.

Perfect length of ride. Crowded so plan ahead. Ride in the open cars so you can look up. Allow time to hike too, incredible nature and redwood forest.

The ride reminds me of the smiling face of my daughter, one charming spring day and the steam passing through the towering redwood trees. The ascending pinnacles of the redwood trees ennoble the skyline. To equip these sentences of memory with the sharp edge of visuals, let me share some pictures with you. To read more about this trip please visit travelrealizations dot com and search steam train rides.

Roaring Camp is a sweet little hidden gem in Santa Cruz with attractions such as watching real blacksmiths and weavers, panning for gold, and love music, as well as connected hiking trails through the redwoods. The train ride was nothing short of magical! Gliding through the forest in thee open train car on a warm day, what more can you ask for? My only suggestion would be to book the trip from the boardwalk to Roaring Camp and back again. The one hour the in the boardwalk was not nearly enough time to do everything the boardwalk has to offer! All around a wonderful experience that I would highly recommend!

we came as a group of 200 people... the train ride was so enjoyable and we had learnt so much about steam train and the forest

Was cool. I debated whether to go or not because I felt it was a bit pricey . I looked everywhere for a coupon but no great ones out there to be had. Finally found one for 2.00 off . The chick did not know how to apply it, so I just said forget it.
I would not feel the need to every go on this again, but it was enjoyable and glad I went.

Five of us decided to visit the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and take this train. We walked the state park trail first then road the train. The train has enclosed cars, covered top cars and fully open cars to sit in, so pick your seat baded on weather. We had great weather, so we did the open for most of it. Parking was $10, the same as the State park, just across the tracks via a short walking path. So you could park in either to do the train ride. The train moves along at a slow pace, allowing nice views of the readwoods, rural areas, and eventually Santa Cruz as you make your way to the board walk. It was neat going along the center of the road, with traffic on each sides, and stopped cross traffic waving to us at interestions. It was about an hour ride to the boardwalk, an hour to walk around the board walk and out to the pier partway, the a hour back on the same route. Very enjoyable with good narration of notable areas you passed. If you take the morning train, and return on the afternoon train. You can get about 4hrs at the boardwalk, beach and pier if you desire a longer stay there. Neat trip.

The relatively short ride takes you into the redwoods, with funny and informative commentary and a real steam engine. Great for kids.

This was a cute little train station with a nice length train ride through the redwoods. We arrived early, expecting to take the first train ride, but the website did not indicate that the first one on the schedule would not be the first one running that day. Of well, we were able to enjoy walking around the property with no other visitors and still had time to walk the trail in the Henry Cowell Redwoods which was right next door. We had intended to do it after the train ride, but it worked out well doing it before. The train ride was just under an hour and a half. It makes one stop where you can get off and stretch your legs and use the restrooms. The price is a little high for what you get, but we still enjoyed it. Definitely wear warm clothing during this time of year because the train ride is in the shade the whole time and in open air railcars

It was a awesome train ride. Beautiful trees. Very interesting. Great for the price. I will definitely do it again.

The authentic 1911 build steam train is an experience in itself. Traveling with it up the mountain through the redwood forest is amazing. I highly recommend to do this if you are in the area.

Great experience especially for those of us with mobility needs like myself, or just simply those of us who don't get around as well as they used to or don't want to walk as far. There are bathrooms at the top of the mountain where there is a 15min break, great for the kids, and in general this train is great at keeping kids engaged without them running off, getting lost, or having a nasty fall on one of the trails.

Brunch was on time but the food was cold and was so so. They did a great job with decor. It was fun to do the train ride after.

The staff Is awesome the ride to the beach was awesome too. The scenery was beautiful except for the homeless camps along the way. I don't remember the conductors name I took the picture with but he was very funny and knowledgeable and very helpful.

This little hidden treasure of Santa Cruz was a fun day excursion. We arrived about an hour before our train trip’s scheduled departure, so we were able to walk the loop in the redwood forest. It is so beautiful. Then we got on the open car of the train and enjoyed a nice ride into the forest. It was very interesting and something different than our usual each time.

We have our team building events there. Besides the little train which takes you to the redwood and the river. We also participated in the gold panning for one;y $3 per person and handrace train for only less than $3 per person. Fantastic experience! And the staff there are very professional and friendly! Perfect for family and team building events!

I purchased tickets online for the 1:30 train tour. We arrived at 11:40 and was able to go on the 12:00 ride. The weather was perfect. The Redwood trees are beautiful. It was a nice ride. The camp had other things that were interesting. Kids and dogs are welcome. They both seem to like it there.

We took the train into the forest and enjoyed the train ride. The train will stop in the forest about 5-10 min for passengers to see the redwoods and take some photos. Our train ride was at noon time and we arrived at 10:30am, so we had enough time to explore the area and do a short hike at “Henry Cowell Redwood State Park” (which is just right next to the train depot). Highly suggest to arrive earlier or stay a bit longer since you are already in the area. The hike at the redwood park is absolutely worth it.

When you buy the train tickets online, you are required to buy the parking together. Suggest to park at “Roaring Camp” and walk over to “Henry Cowell Redwood State Park” (which is about 3 min walk from train depot.) if you park at “Henry Cowell State Park”, you will need to pay a separate parking fee. Also, don’t forget to get your physical train ticket at the ticket window when you arrive at the train depot. The train conductor does check the ticket during the ride.

my mother and i went and did the train through the santa cruz mountains and it was very enjoyable ! highly recommend

$140 for 4 @ $33.pp + $7 online fee on an unattractive 1 mile long street w views of apartment houses, homeless encampments, dump trucks, & a cement truck parking lot, that crawls more slowly than the average adult walks, & with no sense of being on an actual moving train, is not an experience I can recommend. Mix in a deafening decibel level, w cheap paper/plastic noisemakers w small silly hats and stick glow lights, & being packed in like sardines w no empty seats, & w no sights of xmas lights, except on the train's exterior, this is a complete waste of money. Kids enjoyed it because they can yell as loudly as they want, stand on the seats, & eat a cookie, but you don't need to travel to the Santa Cruz boardwalk to have that experience.
Bah Humbug! Scrooge would congratulate the organizers of this ride for having the resourcefulness of pulling off this ridiculous venture.

A living museum in itself, even the diesel engine going into downtown Santa Cruz is something that most Americans would never experience without enthusiast operated organizations like this. I was happy to see a big crowd and 3 trains running at the same time on the weekend after Thanksgiving!

The train ride was great. The recreation of the depot was a bit "Hollywood" with all the buildings being predominately occupied with gift shops. Worth the visit though.

We all enjoyed our steam train ride on the Dixianna up to Bear Mountain. Kudos to the Tour Guide who really had many facts to share about the history of Roaring Camp and the area and trains. Our little ones really enjoyed themselves, and the gold panning.

It was a lot of fun and something different. It was a bit of a walk from the parking lot to the train. My husband had recently had a stroke so he was slow going and it was a bit of a struggle for him. I was able to drive back to pick him up. There should be some kind of information that lets people know this and provide options. I could have pulled out a wheel chair or driven back but we couldn't tell how far and didn't know what our options were.

Being in amongst the trees and seeing lots of nature from an original 100 year old train was a wonderful experience. Thoroughly recommended for a family.

Best! Highly recommend! We took the steam train through the Forrest and it was majestic! The people who work there are across the board, awesome! Dogs can join you on the train and it was great to see train riders of all ages. The old fashioned candies and a few novelties were great at the store (small but great items, soap smelled delish!). Highly recommend the food there, vegan burgers were yummy, ice cream and nice cold sodas. Grateful!

Great steam train ride through a coastal redwood forest. Staff is knowledgeable & tells lots of history behind the camp, trains, & redwood & sequoia trees. Fun trip for all ages!

We thoroughly enjoyed this train ride. The conductor was very knowledgeable. The trip was really great and educational. The scenery is amazing! The ability to maneuver the train through the switchbacks and steep grades was awesome!

This roaring train journey was delightful and beyond my expectations. Not sure about the carbon footprint of the steam engine train and its impact on the environment, but other than that, you get the satisfaction of contributing to the conservation of these large trees and the precious Redwoods. The train station has fun filled infrastructure for kids including photo booths and gold mining activities. A must do once in few years with family. I will also plan to take the Beach train this summer.

Looking for different things to do in the Santa Cruz area, this popped up and looked like it would be a lot of fun. And it was.

I enjoyed the history of how this narrow gauge railroad in the California redwoods came to be. One man's dedication resulted in this adventure. The whole thing is not over-commercialized although it also is a little too rustic for some people's liking.

Parking in the dirt lot requires quite a hike to the actual grounds. There did not appear to be a lot of focus on ADA type of issues. That wasn't a concern for us but we saw a number of older folks who could have benefited from easier access to the site, the general store and even getting on and off the train.

An earlier reviewer pointed out one of the highlights was the narrator on the train. This was a gal who was also our ticket taker. She provided commentary almost continuously while also monitoring the well being of the passengers on the five cars. In our case most cars were open to the air. Only one had a canvas cover.

The train moves slowly which it did even back in the day. The train was used to pull logs out of the forest so there was no need to meet a time schedule. Seeing the natural beauty in this part of the world was incredible. The stop at the top of the mountain was just long enough to stretch your legs (there is no moving from your seat while the train is moving) before heading back down the mountain.

After our ride my daughter asked if this would be a good experience for her 6 year old and 3 year old. Sure, it is a train ride but for younger folks not interested in hearing the commentary, and being forced to sit for an hour and a half, I told her they are probably too young to enjoy this ride. I will leave you with that.

The description of their dining train rides are improperly described.
Good:
• train ride, that’s always fun
• trees, we love those.

Bad:
•food was bland and undercooked.
•support lied about the quality of the food when I emailed them prior to making a reservation as the food contained allergens, for which I was guaranteed there wouldn’t be.
•”line dancing” was a woman playing one of Pitbull’s recession songs with a poor attempt at dancing instruction.
•”games” at the camp constituted of checkers or chess within the Roaring Camp’s store

Overall, it was a poor experience. What is described is only a half true for what is provided.

Steam trains are awesome. Nice trip through the redwoods, amazing scenery, thr whole experience was super cool. The teenagers i had with me and even the young adults had a great time. I was hesitant about the money but it was well spent. Made some memories.

We had such a great day! The grounds are beautifully kept and fun for pictures or picnic. Train was fun and educational. Kids loved the ride to the beach where we played all day and was picked up at 4:15ish. My disabled parents were accommodated and helped. Great day trip!

We visited roaring camp with our adult kids and our grandchildren. This place is a big hit with the kids and the folks at roaring camp are very accommodating. I highly recommend that you pack a lunch as their snack bar is pricey, which is typical for this type of attraction. The train ride prices are expensive, and they charge you $10 to park, but overall the smiles on the grandkids makes it worth it.

Doing a road trip up the West Coast and wanted something different to beaches and boardwalks. Found this after a search and thought it was worth a go. Went with 11 and 15 year old boys.

We went 2 hours before our train (booked a 90 minute return journey on a steam train up to Bear Mountain and back to base) and filled our time with the activities.

There was a gift shop which we viewed but didn’t use and a food outlet and BBQ. Toilets were clean.

We had eaten so only had an ice cream and can’t comment on food but it looked nice.

We watched and bought from the blacksmith. He was making things live in front of the visitors and explaining the process.

We prospected for gold (BOTH my boys found gold to much excitement and hilarity) and played the horse shoe flinging game in special pits.

The time flew before our train and we enjoyed a cold drink listening to the C&W band entertaining those who were eating the BBQ.

The train ride was great! Special “nod” to the young man who kept a full train of tourists entertained on the way up the mountain and back down again. It was all very professional. Said young man had a wealth of knowledge about the trains, the history and fun information and facts about the trees themselves and the micro climate. He was a highlight of the day.

100% do this with kids to kill half a day. Perhaps take your own food if you want to keep the cost down, we had eaten so can’t comment.

All in all a VERY worthwhile visit and would thoroughly recommend for small and large children alike.

Thanks to all for a great day and again, a special mention to the young train conductor and the VERY patient lady who helped children of all ages at the gold prospecting station.

Thanks!

We found out that dogs are allowed on this train and decided it was the perfect addition to our road trip up the California coast. Daisy was more interested in the other dogs and kids on the train, but we enjoyed the trip into the cool Redwoods on a hot day. The narrator was a retired fifth grade teacher and was very knowledgeable about the trees, critters and history along the way. The camp from which the train departs has old-time storefronts, a blacksmith and a restaurant with an extensive menu. There is no need to pre-order a picnic lunch unless you want the cute box.

What a blast! We really enjoyed the train ride. Photos do not do these trees justice. They are majestic and ancient. Also, the conductor was hilarious!! (As well as informative) We also appreciated there was a live blacksmith to watch as well as a museum with relics from the past. It’s a beautiful drive there and back so even after you’re done, the experience lingers.

We loved the roaring camp railroad, the train was great, as were the amazing red wood trees. The journey was made even better by the conductors information about the history of the railroad and the trees as we were on the train. There was also a nice walking trail nearby which was an unexpected extra meaning we spend a good few hours there. Would definitely recommend.

My parents use to take me to RCRR when i was I was just knee high to a grasshopper. As we lived just down the road on glen arbor. We would take the train to the top of the mountain have a picnic. Mostly running from the bees trying to eat our goodys but good memories all the same. I later found my self taking my kids. That was 20 years ago. When we were young and was able to wonder off and float down the San Lorenzo River. We would hitch a ride back up to the train trestle and float back to the Garden of Eden. And repeat. The activities at RCRR really expanded in the past few years. Fun for all. Hopping on the train and going to the Boardwalk is a trip all should try. There are a lot of sites and people or should I say interesting characters along the way. Don’t forget to wave. So I should mention I am 62 now and when I hear that train whistle blowing through the redwoods I get a happy inside. Go and enjoy Roaring Camp Railroad you will never regret it.

This was a fun event. Lots of families and the little ones were having a blast. Music and the blacksmith were a really nice touch. Grounds were very well kept and bathroom was clean even as busy as they were. We really enjoyed hearing about the redwoods, truly a miracle from God. Only complaint is that handicapped parking is way too far away from everything. All the benches were great but still if you can’t walk very far this is a challenge.

Loved every second. Although it’s more geared for an 8-10 year old we had a great time. The scenery and information was excellent! The location couldn’t be better. Absolute joy!

Took my 5 year old grandson on the Beach Train round trip to/from the Boardwalk for our last summer fun before school starts Monday. He loved the whole experience and I must admit, I had as much fun as he did. It was a wonderful day with lots of new memories. It was made even more enjoyable by being “hosted” by Roaring Camp’s genial and informative conductor.

Took the moonlight/Dinner train. The dinner was pretty good. Great flavors, good portion sizes. Dinner began at 6:00(actually more like 5:45). Train ride wouldn't begin until 8:00... They had music from 6-7. The band was good, but all their music was original. No complaints there, but it was hard to get "into" the music when everything was new--a few well known songs would have really elevated the experience. They then had dancing. The dancing was uncomfortable for those of us who could not participate. Don't mind watching, but they spent 10 minutes teaching a "new" line dance, then they did it for 10 minutes, then spent another 10 minutes teaching another "new" line dance, 10 minutes again of doing it, then back to the first one. Again, for those dancing, probably was a great time. For those of us who could not participate, very bland and boring to watch. 8:00 the star of the show... The train ride through the redwoods. Suggestion for Roaring Camp--put some lights on the outside of the train. Could not see anything through the trip--Except when everyone and their mother turned on their phone flashlights--shining everywhere in everyone's eyes. Trip up was difficult for this reason alone. Lights on the train illuminating the forest would have made a major difference. Top of the mountain, 10 minute stop for hot cider(free) great music and restroom breaks. Then, back on the train for the trip down the hill. They did have a great conductor who would jump in with very interesting information every couple of minutes on the way up, but he was mostly silent on the way down. Really wanted more information.

Ultimately, nice trip, would have been great with lights on the train

Well done tour into the redwoods. The train was fun and COVID safe. The highlight is the conductor Charles who gave an enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and humorous talk as we traveled up and back. A highlight to our 2 week CA trip

Great for all ages, easy parking

This was really cool. The conductor was very informative explaining about the old steam engines. It was a great ride up the mountains, stopping half way to get out and walk around the redwoods. Such a beautiful ride.

My kids had a great time riding the train, but the whole experience fell a little short for the price. When I called in advance, I was told they had a "Soul Festival" happening the weekend of our visit and some things may not be available. What they should have said was they are having a hippie pot fest and NO kid activities would be available because they were short on staff due to the event. No printing press, handcar, gold panning, candle making, Marshal, craft station, or face painting. I also heard they use to have a "robbery" during the train ride, which seems to have been axed. This place has the potential to be a great experience for families, but not with special events running.

We are a family of 5 with 3 teenagers. We noticed the attraction on Michael Portillo's Great American Railways. Lovely to travel on a stream train in such a stunning natural setting. Highly recommended.

We didnt know what to expect but we were pleasantly surprised with all of the things to do aside from the train rides. The food was quite impressive although we didnt realize that when ordering ice cream you need to specify cup or cone lol We definitely recommend this place to anyone who is looking for a different kind of adventure. We honestly thought that we'd only be there for 2 or so hours but we ended up finding enough entertainment for our 3 year old for about 4 hours. On a side note, there is a $10 parking fee (we were unaware).

I love this place, been here many times. I'm looking forward to taking the beach train soon. Not only have I rode the steam train, but I have attended other events, like the Santa Cruz sol festival that takes place in September.

Roaring Camp is a Western Town with not only the train depot, but also a General Store, George's Cookhouse, Blacksmith shop and small schoolhouse. Entrance is through a wooden covered bridge. There are ponds with ducks and trees all around. One must order train tickets online and exchange printout at the train depot for tickets which the conductor will pick up on the train. The conductor also narrates the history of the redwood forest and the steam train during the one and a half hour long train ride through the old growth redwoods.
The whole family would enjoy this adventure.

Great little trip. This was a must do, not only do you get to ride through the trees but you learn about them and the steam engine. At the top you get out to walk among them. Just a nice relaxing way to spend some time in Nature with a little history

It was raining on the day of our train ride so we were skeptical. The rain did make things a little more uncomfortable even though there are awnings covering the carts. However, the views are extraordinary and the train itself is so cool to see in action. Nice to get out at the top of the mountain to walk among the redwoods. Highly recommend it if in Santa Cruz!

My family and I visited Roaring Camp at the end of July 2022.

Our primary reason for visiting was to enjoy the 75 minute train ride through the redwoods. This was fun but expensive - there isn’t a great deal to do or see and the five minute stop at Bear Mountain is hardly sufficient to explore further.

The rest of the location is fun. My kids enjoyed panning for gold and staff were great (particularly Steve). Recommended.

This is the way to get two treats in one. Park in the mountains and get a ride to the beach. Our conductor was very knowledgeable about everything. This is for everyone.

This was a great, fun experience for the whole family -- young and old, and even the Millennials! I'm glad that we arrived early and stayed awhile including the time spent on our Train ride. There is a short, 3/4 mile I think, loop to hike and our hikers had a great adventure among the trees. There was plenty to do for those that stayed near the station including a huge checkerboard that intrigued children who didn't even try to play the video games they brought along. The panning for gold station was another hit. The young staff members were accommodating and helpful. The train ride was excellent, with lots of interesting information and explanations about what we were seeing by the Train staff as we went. Getting into the forest was spectacular. It was a fabulous ride! Although they offer box lunches for purchase with your tickets, we had a large group and I opted to let everyone choose what they wanted at the restaurant. A bit of a wait in line to order, but orders were flowing and we had plenty of time to eat lunch.

The views from the train are wonderful. The train itself takes you back in time. But, the ambiance is destroyed by the “conductor“ who can’t seem to stop talking (loudly) once he got the microphone in his hand. He laughed at his own jokes (no one else did), and he actually said the ride would be boring it it weren’t for him. Good grief.

We had a great time and learned so much . The RedWoods are such magnificent things and deserves our respect. This forest is one of the few remaining in its original form and the atmosphere inside is magical. Don’t miss the walk beside the station where you can see and feel and walk in the forest 1/4 of a mile. And don’t miss ‘the Cathedral ‘ on top of Bear mountain. 95% of the Redwood has been cut down! Such a disgrace!!! Support this pice of in-heritage for the future ❤️

Super fun and relaxing at the same time. You will be in awe as you ride through the redwoods taking in the breathtaking scenery. They are on top of their cleanliness as far as covid goes! The only issue I had is that they should do a better job at enforcing people to keep their masks on. I was seated near some folks who refused to keep their masks on most of the time.

We are retired but really enjoyed this train ride. The conductor (didn’t catch his name) had us laughing with his wit and jokes. We planned on spending the day and leaving on the 4 pm ride but even though it’s a dog friendly train, keep in mind Santa Cruz is NOT. No dogs on boardwalk, main beach, or wharf . Even Las Palmas taco bar was closed and this was a Sunday! Returned on the noon train but the ride made up for the dog inconveniences. Will do it again on a sunny day and no Fido.

Fun and unique way to view the redwoods. It was nice to have a guide explain things as well. if you have time, I would recommend this stop

I took eight 8th graders to visit Roaring Camp to see a railroad in action as we are studying the Transcontinental Railroad. It was fantastic. The grounds are beautiful and the railroads are the same as those built 150 years ago. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. We took the train ride which was beautiful and the talk was about history of the redwoods and the train itself. Well worth the time and money and I will take family and friends who visit us in Santa Cruz in the future.

Excellent sight seeing ride through a Redwood forest being pulled by an antique Shay steam powered locomotive.
The tour guide was friendly and entertaining. The open air cars were comfortable. Food and a gift shop are on-site.
The only negative thing was that the Handicapped Parking area was at least 200 yards away, over a packed dirt path, to the boarding area. My wife had a difficult time pushing her knee scooter over the gravels. The was a much closer parking area but it appeared to be used by the employees. We ended up driving into it to pick her up after the excursion, rather than pushing the scooter back another 200 yards over the unpaved path.

We really enjoyed the railroad tour. We chose the 75-minute one as we wanted to walk around the camp afterward. The other one is longer and drops you off at the Boardwalk. The 75 minute one is a great ride through the redwoods. They have open and covered cars. We preferred the open cars as you can see more. We especially enjoyed looking up at the trees as we passed underneath them. The train does stop at a halfway point to use the restroom, but you only have around 6 minutes. Overall, it's a really fun train ride, especially since it uses steam. Also, don't forget to walk around after. The little makeshift town is made to look like the 1800s, which was really fun.

We took the steam train to the top of the mountain. Really liked the commentry and history bits. No views from the top of the mountain, but plenty of trees and oppertunity to photgraph the train. We got there about an hour before the 2pm train on a Tuesday and got tickets no problem, it was sold out by the time the train departed.

This is a great place for kids, especially during the Civil War reenactments. Weekends are crowded so plan accordingly.

OK, for over thirty years my family has taken "the kids" who now have kids of their own, to Roaring Camp. Just yesterday I took my parents, in-laws, and wife on the steam train up into the redwoods. Super fun ride. There are a bunch of interesting stories about the camp, the rail road, the locomotive that pulls (and pushes-just go-you'll be surprised by the route) the train to the top of the hill. All delivered by a conductor with a dry sense of humor and great comic timing. Don't wait-just go. I'm going back soon.

My 3-year old grandson thoroughly enjoyed his visit and train ride. The train ride was on a portion of the tracks which go to Santa Cruz, through beautiful forests; very nice ride! Some of their regular trains were also running, on different tracks.
This was a special event for the venue, so some arrangements were different than usual. In particular, handicapped parking was very limited and not in its usual location, so too much walking was expected of those with disabilities -- which affected two of our party.

Great way to spend hour and a half and then walk across the tracks to Henry Coldwell Redwoods State Park. The train ride was fun and the conductor was very knowledgeable about Redwoods and the history of the area. The redwood are just majestic!!

The ride is slow and you take in some beautiful scenery. But the amount of trash and homeless encampments along the tracks is disgusting. It would be so much nicer had the forest been clean. What a shame!

We took the whole extended family up to see the redwoods. It was a cool experience to see the trees up close and to learn more about how the trains worked. Grandpa found the seat hard and there was no assistance loading our disabled family members. They also do not have GF food available. But there were nice picnic tables and a cute general store with candy and souvenirs.

This was so enjoyable. John is an incredible weaver of stories and obviously has a passion for what he is doing. He must have been an amazing 5th grade teacher. I tried to tip him afterward but there were too many people wanting to speak with him. I wasn’t happy about the $10 charge for parking but it’s Santa Cruz right?

Take this trip. It's a fun experience for the adults and children.
My advice is to NOT try and order food while there. God created the earth in less time.
Grab a seat, listen to the whistle blow, and hold on for a trip to remember.

My family and I had a memorable experience! We had to rebook due to traffic and late arrival to the boardwalk. I immediately called and was helped in a professional manner! We were rebooked for Felton location and had a great experience!!

The property is so pretty. Meadows full of flowers.
The train was a hit with all of us. Those trees were amazing! So much information given during the ride. The kids were so engaged and in awe the entire time! (Even the teenager) it’s something you have to try.

We had a very calming ride on a train pulled by a Heisler #2 locomotive (maybe from the early 1900s) which used to be used to haul very heavy loads of redwood trees out of this forest. It has a maximum speed of 13 mph. We saw the damage to trees from the fires a few years ago, and fallen huge Douglas Fir logs. The redwoods spread by underground roots. They do make tiny 3/4 inch pinecones, but they have a very low growth rate from these. There are period stores near the train station. Food is available, picnic areas also. parking is $10.

The beach train from Felton to Santa Cruz boardwalk was a fun experience for the kids. The only disappointment was seeing the homeless encampments throughout the redwoods and along the train route.

Was so fun, and beautiful nature. My 4 yr old son and 7 years old daughter loved it. Great day trip and adventure. Would love to try the train to Santa Cruz beach

...all bored on the Santa Cruz portion of the Beach train as it goes thru an industrial section of town? The views improved once outside the city limits.

Could have used more than 1 hour at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park before the return train to Santa Cruz. Felt a little rushed to get back to the train in time. The narration on board the train was good and interesting.

It's unfortunate the different trains are timed such that can't do both tours if you're coming from Santa Cruz on the Beach Train.

I’m not one to give one star reviews but our experience was horrible. My husband and I took our 3 young children (ages 5, 3, and 2) to Santa Cruz for a couple of days to enjoy the beach, rides, and visit my niece who is there for college. I found this train ride online and was so excited for my kids to get to experience it! We spent almost $150. The train was delayed and took an extra 30 minutes, the radio wasn’t working where we were sitting so we had to go on the ride without hearing any information on our tour, and the worst part was that they overbooked the train! My husband and I had to put our kids (that we paid for) on our laps which made the ride very uncomfortable and had strangers nearly sitting on us as well. When we took a 10 minute break, we took the kids to the bathroom and heard the bell telling us to board the train and when we went to get back to our seats, there was no room for us because everyone tried to make themselves more comfortable by taking up more room (we weren’t the only one’s unhappy about the lack of space) we ended up having to sit elsewhere and when everyone else boarded the train they looked angry like we had taken their seats but we had absolutely no room elsewhere. It was a terrible terrible experience and made us very uncomfortable. My 5 yr old who loves trains even asked when we were going to be done because he was so squished. The little western town when you first get there is adorable! It made us so excited but that long delayed broken radio over packed over priced train ride was a disaster and took up so much of our time during our little family getaway

The ride in a century old vintage steam engine with open air views is a journey through nature.you enjoy as you pass through the forest with towering redwood trees on both sides.It is the steepest narrow gauge.To reach the top of ‘bear mountain’,the train travels backwards and then starts climbing on another track.Carry warm clothing as it will be cooler in the forest.we experienced light drizzle.Train stops at the summit for allowing us to watch the tall trees in the redwood groove and take snaps.Along the ride the conductor narrates interesting facts about roaring camp railroad.
After the journey explore recreated logging camp,Opera House,general store,police station of the old era.
Visit the redwood national park just crossing the tracks.

I took my 5 year old son on Roaring Camp train ride, and he had lots of fun!! Steam Engine adds to the fun, as in modern times steam engines are obsolete and their hiss, puff and whistles adds extra excitement for kids. Train ride goes through Redwood forests, and train driver talked about some interesting facts about Redwoods, which is a good think to know for kids and adults as well. Train ride is not just a train ride, but gets you closer to nature. I would recommend it for family with kids for sure.

My husband and I really enjoyed our steam train ride through the Santa Cruz Redwoods. The choice of rising income of the open cars provided us with an unobstructed view of the trees looking straight up and the lovely woods that surrounded us. The guide gave a informative narrative throughout the ride and was very knowledgeable about the history of the steam train,the trees and the woods. We especially enjoyed the stop where we were able to get off the train and walk into the Cathedral forest which was so quiet, peaceful and beautiful. I highly recommend this unique experience.

We drove down to the Monterey area looking for a respite from the COVID house syndrome. We stopped in Capitola for the night and looked around for things to do.
Roaring camp came up on our search. I remember as a child I used to see their advertisements on TV so we decided to check it out.
I purchased tickets in advance. They were only running at something like 25% capacity due to COVID. I bought the tickets for $66.00 (remember that).
We arrived onsite the next morning. As we drove up the parking signs said $10 to park.
I stopped at the kiosk and the parking attendant said we were taken care of since we had tickets.
The trip was pretty good the scenery was great. The only thing I can say is sitting sideways in the cars was uncomfortable and it would have been definitely a challenge if they were operating at capacity.
TIP for picture takers: DO NOT SIT in the first corner behind the engine. You will not be able to take pictures of the train going around corners where you can see the backend of the train, nor pictures of the right side of the engine where the pistons are. The conductor aka tour guide made the trip humorous and informative.
Now remember the $10 parking.... When I got home and looked at my VISA bill they automatically charge $10 which I thought was pretty stiff considering they had a
trapped audience and I don't remember reading iit in the advertising.

I drove back to CA from WA to attend this event. I'll mention (an aside) that the guests brought together made an exceptional gathering. This is about the running of the railroad. The Locomotive was made in the 1800's and the people working it and giving history were dedicated, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable. The staff was not just about the train (which functioned like a train of its time period did), but friendly and knew a lot about the beautiful Primal Growth Redwoods they were passing through. The area was the real deal, was there in the 1800's and is one of the last old stand Redwoods period ! I'd recommend it for families. The only negative is a parking fee if you aren't a part of a wedding party.

I took my great niece and nephew and we had a magical journey through the redwoods. We will be back.

This was a informative and pleasant excursion through the redwood forest. Plenty of room on train. It was beautiful especially in spring after the rainfall. Grounds are nice and kept up. Has a store to buy things and a restaurant. I can't speak for those but the ride was great.

We took the moonlight train and dinner package, the food was terrible, but the train journey was okay.

Absolutely stunning railroad trip with lots of information! We booked this to see the redwoods as one of our group members has mobility issues. It was perfect! Of our entire trip this was everyone's favorite. There are other things to do at Roaring Camp but most were closed for the season now. Do not follow your GPS -it took us to the wrong spot a few minutes away. The tour was about 75 minutes and included a 10 minute stop at the top where you can get out and wander. Definitely a must if in the area.

Pre booked a ticket and time slot prior to leaving the uk, and were glad we had. The booking system very easy and ensures you get on as planned . We sat in the open air carriage and was enthralled as we were transported through the majestic redwoods. To finish at Santa Cruz was the icing on the cake, a great trip

Great day riding the rails through a wonderful redwood forest behind an 1899 steam locomotive. A step back in time plus wonderful beauty of the forest. We did this on Mother's Day and had a special package brunch and train ride. They have an opera house (large dining hall) which was perfect for a buffet breakfast. Good food, excellent service, and great surroundings. They have an old west town set up, great fun for the family. We've ridden trains in 26 states - this is Top 10 for sure.

Great Holiday ride. Very informative! Staff very friendly!
We really enjoyed everything! Xmas tree display was good done by organizations in the area. I’m

The train ride was cool, beautiful scenery surrounded by redwoods. The information given on the ride was equally fun and interesting, at least for me. Give yourself enough time to walk from the parking lot to the train. Pretty neat experience.

It's OK if you have nothing better to do and don't like hiking or walking. There are much better things to do in the immediate area.

A great way to experience a Redwood Forest! Our conductor/ guide was engaging and informative. It was also nice to stop halfway through the trip and walk around the forest for a bit.

Three generations of our family took this very enjoyable ride through magnificent redwoods.

The guide was terrific in providing the history of this grove of redwoods and explaining the several maneuvers that the train made in getting to the top of the hill.

The open air cars are superb in providing views of this magnificent setting and the description of the performance of the steam engine was excellent as well.

On a recent camping trip to Smithwoods RV Park, we took a ride on the Roaring Camp Railroad. The station is in Felton, CA. It is an authentic narrow-gauge train that has 2 lines. The loop we took was in the forest. An amazing up close ride through the thick Coastal Redwoods. The train was used to transport logs back in the logging days. Fabulous photo opportunities of the giant trees. The second line goes to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. We were able to take our small dog on the train with us. It is educational, as you learn about the Coastal Redwood Trees and the challenges they faced while logging. Great adventure for the entire family. Just wait till you hear that whistle and see that steam bellow. Magic.

I enjoyed riding the train ride and my 11 year old enjoyed seeing redwood trees for the first time. The only reason i didn't give it 5 stars is they tell you it's $10 parking after you make your reservation. Also, we ordered the picnic lunch and was made with sourdough bread (not mentioned) which we don't like and didn't eat. Plus it comes with a homemade cookie and it was burnt crisp, couldn't even bite it but break into pieces. Other than that, we enjoyed the train and the ambiance of the little town.

We took both the Santa Cruz beach train and steam train ride. What an awesome way to spend the day! The scenery is amazing the locales of both places was so diverse it was like traveling between different worlds. The small village was a nice touch. We will make sure to come back again next time we are in the area.

I see trees everyday in Georgia… however coming here and seeing these trees was NOT the same. This was a BEAUTIFUL, PEACEFUL AND truly MAGICAL experience! The conductor Kevin and Jimmy are very knowledgeable, experienced in RR and hilarious!!! They def put a smile on your face. I love the trees and just the natural forest! I would STRONGLY RECOMMEND it. The historic, the sounds, and just riding the train was totally WORTH IT!

Our family trip for 11 was great for our 5 kids to adventure. They had a great time enjoying the different activities on site (some paid for separately). Conveniently located right next door to Henry Cowell Redwood Park. We got to Railroad Camp early, giving us plenty of time for the kids to play, eat, and tie for the family to take a walk into the Redwood Park and also visit their information center. Seating is first come onto the train, when we got off at the top of Bear Mountain some of our party stayed onboard, good thing they did to hold our seats; we saw that people who’d been in the open car now joined the covered cars. Overall great experience; FYI our map took us through Zayante Rd on our way back to the hotel!! I’d avoid this Rd unless you’re comfortable with steep uphill and windy roads, my kids were not happy/ frightening ride that never seemed to end.

My day was soured - I arrived on my own. I told the guy I already had a parks pass for the day as I was visiting other state parks later on in the day (which entitled me to free parking in the state forest and I asked him if it would give me free parking at the roaring camp parking site. He said no, I would still need to pay the extra $10 to park as it was private property - I did not know 60 metres away was the state park entry where I could have parked for fee using my pass. So essentially I was disappointed to have to pay extra for parking when I could have parked for free and just walked across the tracks. The train was quite pricey. Still fun, but the parking issue just felt like money grabbing.

Very fun and relaxing trip up the bear mountain and back down. The people are very friendly. What I like it seems like your not in a big city

Sensational train ride. Super informative with a great presentation by the conductor. Picnic basket was prepared for the trip which was more then enough food for the price. It is an amazing sight to see and well worth your time and money. Really good history in the forest and the trees were sensational to see from an open top carriage. There is also closed top carriages if you're concerned about weather or the sun.

wonderful loop train ride through the redwoods. Nice educational information broadcast throughout.
Fun area for before and after ride, good lunch after our train trip..
Hoping to check out the beach to redwoods train during the season…

Nice train ride through the redwood forest - one gets an idea how magnificent and huge these trees are - off course not as huge as the Giant Sequoia.
The drive lasts for about 75 minutes and goes all the way up to the Bear mountain and back.
Well organized and managed.
Can be tried once

I took my out-of-town cousin to Roaring Camp the Friday following Thanksgiving and we had a great time even though it was chilly and overcast with light rain. Reservations were handled seamlessly and our 12:30 departure was right on time. The PA system in our car was excellent and a great improvement over several years ago and Trevor, was the best conductor I've ever had. He was clear in issuing safety instructions before departing and friendly, knowledgeable and articulate as he narrated the trip up Bear Mountain. The interlude at the summit provided a pleasant surprise for adults and children with Santa ready to hear little-ones' wishes and warm apple cider and a decorated tree walk for all. Trevor's narration on the trip down was just as interesting and well presented as it was going up. Even the damp weather with glistening water droplets on redwood needles had its charm making the trip thoroughly enjoyable. My cousin said it was a great day and one he will remember for a long time. What more could anyone ask?

Our family of 8 had a great day. The trip was fun
And lots of teaching about the redwoods and the history of the engine were told. Totally enjoyed our selves

We took the Easter train on a warm, sunny afternoon and had an absolutely wonderful day. The staff were polite and friendly. The Easter-themed activities were very well organized, including a fun stop at the midpoint of the ride for a delightful Easter egg hunt—perfect for the kids! There was also a great photo opportunity with the Easter Bunny himself.

The train ride was very interesting and the staff provided much historical information. After the train ride, we spent some time in the main area enjoying food, games, and lively music. The food prices were fair, and there was ample parking available on-site(although there is a fee). There is also an access path to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park which is amazing and needs to be seen(but be ready for crowds).

Overall, this was a fantastic, family-friendly outing. Highly recommended!

It was not a whole lot of view, information, etc. The young man was entertaining but not a great ride overall. We have done these types of rides in AZ and the view, history, and ability to get a history lesson was great.

My wife and I have been on all their trains for quite a few years now, one thing we noticed, there are people from different countries. I'm glad that Roaring Camp Railroads, operates a first-class adventure, worthy of visitors from other countries. The entire complex, is kept clean, general store, food service, the train ride, with excellent narration, is always top-notch, a place where I bring my out-of-town visitors, never disappointed.

This might have been cooler when my kids were little and amazed by everything. The train ride was meh. Nothing exciting to see. We were packed in there uncomfortably. They guy next to me was raping and there was no one around to deal with it. The "town" wasn't engaging. There is really so much more they could do with it.

Another disappointment was that the train was almost 30 minutes late. We got there early to make sure we wouldn't miss our time, especially since there are no refunds or exchanges - but no compensation for waiting around with very little information about when it would arrive. We had seen everything there was to see within 20 minutes, so we just waited...

Cute short little train ride into some redwoods.
Way overpriced in my opinion. Not sure how a family could afford it.

Also, they charge an additional $10 to park. FYI, parking lot is a long walk from the train boarding. Not very wheelchair accessible or as in my case, crutches.

Would not do this one again.

Tried to book online for the next day, but couldn't. Decided to stop off on our way to state park just to check and they had vacancies. Parking in their lot was $10. Next time we'll park in the state park lot for $10 as it is actually less of a walk. Picnic tables available at the top of the mountain and it appears that dogs are allowed on the train as we saw several--really a nice touch. The open cars give the best view of the trees--and once the train starts it is pretty shady. Nice family activity.

My family and I recently visited the Roaring Camp Railroad and booked a trip through the California Coastal Redwoods. The experience of witnessing the Shay narrow gauge steam locomotive pull us down the tracks was worth the price to ride alone. The sights, sounds, and crisp forest air made for an unforgettable experience. The staff was knowledgeable and very friendly. Our favorite activity in the Santa Cruz area by far!

My wife and I are from Minnesota and on our anniversary vacation. I am glad I found this neat little gem of a place. Definitely worth the drive from Pacifica where we stayed. I recommend roaring camp to anyone who wants to check out the redwood trees.

Great ride through Red Woods and into Sata Cruz pier! Not crowded!! Staff very friendly! Very enjoyable! Amazing pictures!

My family and I had a great time...even in the rain! It would be best to take the train on a nicer day but it still worked out. We did buy our tickets ahead of time and that is why we went even though it was raining. While you are on the train, they tell you the history behind the train, the railway, and the Redwood forest. Try and sit away from the first car. It is really noisy with the train whistle and just the engine itself. It was really hard to hear the conductor from that train car. After the train ride, we walked over to the Henry Cowell State Park and took a little stroll.

Great trip up the mountain to see the Redwoods! Things to do for the kids. Very relaxed ride. The engineer was informative and funny!

Second time and it was once again a very fun and interesting experience. A great family experience, and very informational about narrow gauge railroads and the big trees of California.

Road the Big Trees Steam Train. All the staff including the parking attendant were terrific. The Conductor was knowledgeable about both the train and the wildlife on the trip. We spoke with the Engineer - Doug and the Fireman - George who were both very friendly and shared their knowledge of the Shay locomotive that pulled our train. This is a great activity for when Santa Cruz is fogged in because it is much warmer inland.

Lovely trip through the trees, the guard was full of useful and interesting info, not to nerdy, just interesting enough.
Lovely little village area at the station to get food and use toilets.

Boarded this train with high hopes of seeing Xmas lights and scenery. Did not happen. We saw alot of homeless encampments by the railroad tracks and little else, but buildings. No good energy from the employees. So boring. The kids all around were bored and whoever was singing the Christmas carols needs to be replaced. For the price of $33.00 dollars a person, I expected much much more. I will never recommend this to anyone.

The shops are very disappointing, not as good as in previous years, but the cat is sweet. Please make sure to donate to the pussy cat's healthcare as she is poorly.
The steam train is magical and you get to talk to some really interesting people too!!

Roaring Camp is a small tourism place situated in the Santa Cruz Mountains in Felton, California. We came here after we visited Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. This place is recreated like as it was in 1880. The Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad running trains with old steam engines on a narrow-gauge railroad that goes up to Bear Mountain running a distance of 3.25 miles. We spend more than one hour here in several activities. We were not able to board the train as our timings did not match.

As a family we have enjoyed the Roaring Railroad on a number of activities - beach run, holiday ride - always wonderful. The staff are there because they are passionate about the activity and the history. I can not encourage people to join more. Done the holiday train with extended family - we had a blast. Just did the Redwood ride with friends kids and they loved it.

Keep in mind on all rides bring snacks! You can bring your own on the train (just be considerate and pack your trash).

Can’t emphasize this more how much fun for any train enthusiast - young or old.

The 6 pm dinner event and twilight train ride was a real disappointment. The train was riding in pitch black. And the guide’s narrative was hard to hear over the constant inane chattering of three twenty something women.
The music was great and meeting the winemaker of the wine being sold was fun.
The food was tasty but meat and corn were pretty cold.

It was not worth $160 for two people.

I have enjoyed the train in the past and will come back—during daylight and without meal.

I attended the Roaring Camp Steam Train Through Santa Cruz Redwoods in August 2019. It was a beautiful day; clear skies and beautiful forest. The train staff were friendly and the narrated ride was informative. Hands down, would recommend and attend again!

Last night our helpful hotel staff booked four tickets for the roaring camp train ride to the redwoods. We show up a day early to find out that it was scheduled for the next day. We not only came on the wrong day but had our Mom who was wheelchair bound, to make the long story short Michael and Denise were so kind and made the accomodations for us so we didn't have make another trip again. The train ride with the conductor Colin who is knowledgeable, funny and helpful made our experience so much more enjoyable.

We were in the area and were pleasantly surprised with our visit. We got there around 10am to take the 11am Steam Train, but unfortunately two tour buses arrived just before us, so we got the 12:30 steam train instead. It worked out so we could walk around and see all the buildings and gift shop. We also decided to take the 2:15 train to Santa Cruz’s boardwalk with 1-hour to walk around before returning.

The train rides were scenic, relaxing, and nostalgic.

Both guides were excellent. They were knowledgeable about the trains, the history of the owners and the grounds, information about the redwoods, and answered all questions. Kudos to them.

You can buy tickets online if you’re tight on time or if you want a specific time. Also, adult tickets are discounted for the 2:30 train.

If I were to do again, I would take the first train to SC boardwalk and then come back on the last train so you can explore the whole day there. We had been there before, so didn’t need to do the boardwalk per se. Since we had our dog (not allowed on the boardwalk), we explored the West Cliff Road that runs parallel to the beach north or the boardwalk and pier. What gorgeous, picturesque beaches along the way.

When you return back to the Felton train station, make sure you visit Henry Cowell Redwood State Park. It’s literally next door. There is a pathway that takes you to a 0.8 mile loop. If you have more time you can walk on Pipeline Road, just next to the loop. Its a paved path that goes for a few miles. No dogs allowed on the loop. But ok on Pipeline Road.

I thought the train rides were a bit pricey, especially with $10 parking and not to mention we did both train rides ($150 for 2 with lunch). It would have been nice to have been discounted for doing both.

I would not get the ice cream again. We shared a double scoop for $6 and were surprised how small the scoops were.

Overall, the experience was fun and we would definitely go again.

Took our grandkids on the Roaring Camp Steam train last weekend and really enjoyed it. I was surprised by the amount of information given by the conductor about the history of the train engines, the local area, and much more (made it very enjoyable for the adults). Would definitely recommend!

I've ridden the steam train on numerous occasions at the Roaring Camp Railroads in Felton (Santa Cruz Mountains) and it's always magical. On Black Friday, we rode the narrow gauge train to Bear Mountain and the ride couldn't have been better. Conductor Trevor Park provided a balance of entertaining narrative on logging railroads, Roaring Camp's history and coastal redwoods. Roaring Camp is a true American treasure with authentic, 100-year-plus-old steam locomotives operating up the steepest railroad grade in North America, as was done in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The redwood forest was the first preserved in California, saved by Joseph Welch. The Welch family still owns it and the Clark family operates the railroad. Adjacent to Roaring Camp is a beautiful walk through Henry Cowell Redwoods SP, also saved by Welch. As it was the holidays, children were greeted by Santa Claus, there was a path lined with themed Christmas trees and complimentary hot cider or chocolate on arrival at the top of Bear Mountain. Roaring Camp's depot, general store, skid shed, one-room school house and covered bridge were decorated with natural garlands true to the 1880s. Buy a picnic lunch at the cook house to enjoy atop the mountain, then ride back on a later train. A Beach Train on standard gauge track rides from Felton to Santa Cruz along the San Lorenzo River. Wear warm, dry clothing, fall through spring, as redwoods grow in temperate rain forests and it can get chilly, even on sunny days.

Did this activity last minute looking for something to do in the area. We enjoyed it and was very relaxing. Enjoyed the scenery and history of the train

This was a lot nicer than we expected. This is a narrow gauge railroad that was designed as a logging railroad but never used as such. Almost all of the ride is through old growth Redwoods. The track goes up the mountain on a fairly steep route and crosses a trestle.
The Steam engine is over 100 years old and was designed for this application. The conductor’s commentary was at times a little artificial but it was still enjoyable.
Allow a few hours and check out the cathedral tree during the break at the top…it was quite a sight.

When we arrive we thought we had come to the wrong place. There were lots of children and everything was very much Thomas the Tank Engine. You can do a more adult steam train journey through the forest which is the one we did. When buying tickets I asked for the adult train and the lady behind the counter said 'people usually ask for NOT the Thomas train'! Very enjoyable few hours.

Absolutely lovely way to get to Santa Cruz. Recommend it highly the views of the trees were gorgeous. Loads of parking, nice facilities. We also got the train back and spend about 3 hours looking around. Perfect.

Drive to the mountains above Santa Cruz to Felton for the rootin’ tootin’ tourist trap in the 2020s from the 1880s.

We dropped $150 for a family of four to board a 75-minute slow snooze trip to Bear Mountain bathroom spot. No Jamboree here.

And after the train arrived for its 7 minute stop, we took it straight back down the mountain. There’s really nothing to see during the entire trip and I suggest you keep your dollars for other excursions.

The little old west town was mostly dead on a weekday with a gift shop.

Parking in the quiet lot is $10 so they can really get you.

Near the end of our visit, we tried that day’s free activity which was candle making. One of our family had a candle turn out differently but the gentleman managing it seemed delighted. Until … his shift ended and a woman named Yolanda came back from her lunch break. Yolanda said it was done wrong and scolded my child for not making the candle to her liking and had us running back to the parking lot. Someone needs to tell Yolanda to be cool. She’s probably fun at parties. My kid called her Candle Karen and we agreed.

The Disneyland railroad in Anaheim seems like a reprieve from a busy day but now I respect it as being 1,000 times better than this train wreck, excuse the term.

This is the second time I have done the steam train into the big trees. It’s amazing!! Whether you are young or old this is a great experience and very nostalgic!! You will take a 50 year old steam train up into the beautiful Redwoods. Our guide on the train was incredibly informative and I learned more about the train and land the second time around. Sit in the open train cars for the best experience! Be sure and hike the redwood loop afterwords. It’s beautiful! Love love love Roaring Camp!!!

Great little tourist train ride! Narrator was very knowledgeable. We went on a Friday, so not too busy. Property has a bunch of other stuff to do, and Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is right across the tracks. Easy to spend most of the day here. The burger at the restaurant hit the spot.

We learned so much on our train ride. The views were incredible. Definitely pack your own lunch. Also walk around the park next door and learn from the interactive exhibits. Great day!

Staff was amazing! A train ride is the best way to see the redwoods!! And we even got to see how blacksmiths created tools while we were waiting.

I rode the train is it Roaring Camp back when I was a child and before the fire. My own children have ridden them As well as my sister, her children and now her grandchildren. What a wonderful place to make memories. Don’t forget to cross the tracks and take yourself on a wonderful tour of the redwoods.

A very fun way to see the redwoods of Santa Cruz. It certainly takes you back in time and makes you feel like a child again. But before you got into the steam train, at the depot, you can eat, see a smith exhibition, see how the candles are made or you can even do some gold panning. Don't miss this hidden gem of Santa Cruz.

This was a fabulous time. Very enchanting. Much fun and very educational. The redwoods are beautiful and the train is amazing. I would highly recommend to all ages.

Nice little train ride with kids, but the big engine only on weekends during the summer. Will come back again when next time to ride the big train

This is our second trip, and this time we brought our 2 year old grandson with us. The weather was perfect. Although they have indoor cabins, it is so much nicer to sit and view the canopies of the majestic trees. This time, we purchased our tickets online, and then we boarded from the boardwalk. The trip is an hour each way, with an hour stop at either the railroad or the boardwalk. Just long enough to grab a bite to eat, and use the restrooms. (trains do not have restrooms) Our grandson loved it, and it was a nice break from all the walking we did during our stay on the beach and the boardwalk.

Was fun and festive . A lot of families go , they serve free hot apple cider , pass around cute hats 🎩 and it’s just cheery , they have fun music playing too . Bring a heavy coat , scarf it gets chilly

There are so many activities to do everybody will find at least one thing. There was gold mining, black smithing, music, food and much more. The train tour it self was amazing to see all the big old trees and the almost untouched nature was an very enriching expiriance.

The staff kept asking us to squeeze up and brought in folding chairs to stuff even more people in the train. At least the folks in folding chairs got a full seat. We paid for 4 seats but got squeezed into 3 spots. It was a bit tense.

What a great way to see the redwoods! We really enjoyed Roaring Camp and the train ride. Recommend the early train ride and arriving early like they recommend. There were fewer people there and we were able to enjoy the activities there before boarding the train. (And it wasn’t as hot yet). Conductor was entertaining and knowledgeable. One of our favorite activities of the trip.

I remember doing this as a kid many, many years ago so it was fun to come back and do it again. We took the train up the mountain and there are great views of the redwoods and surrounding area. You stop at the top and have some time to look at the trees up close. This is well worth doing while in the Santa Cruz area.

Not a great experience. Brought my kids for Thomas and Percy. Arrived an hour ahead of time as they requested. On arrival, neither Thomas nor Percy were present. Staff said the character trains would be available for photos 30 min ahead of departure so we stood in line waiting to take photos before our train ride. Trains didn't arrive until 10 min after scheduled departure so they ushered us all onto the train, no time for photos. After we got off our train ride, there were already lines of people waiting to take photos with both so we had to get in back of line. Since the first train was delayed, this left less time for photos and the second train took off before we could get photos. My kids were upset and wanted photos with them so we had to wait another 30 min for trains to return. I discussed this with a manager named Tyler who directed me to TicketWeb for refund. TicketWeb said local manager had to review it and then got back to me that local manager denied to claim. So we drove over an hour out, went on a boring train ride (had nothing to do with Thomas and Percy other than the head train was a character train), and had to wait an extra hour to get photos. Please save your money and find a better train ride for your kids. I recommend Vasona Park, Tilden Park or Oakland zoo for better value train rides.

Go with a lot of time for the parking, sometimes they have festivals near by. Take a light jacket or scarves, no much of sun, getting cold. You have a bathroom before you go and in the middle of the trip they stop in a nice place with restrooms. Is a very enjoyable trip!

Really cool place to take your young children and have them ride on a REAL train. They have lots of events during the summer

Although this is pricey, it's an amazing experience. A special geared steam engine takes the tourist train to the top of a hill up steep gradients via trestles and zig zag, absolutely amazing!

The camp is an adorable old western style town, depending on who is there that day there are numerous activities, we were there for the train ride through the redwoods. A real water powered steam engine pulls you through the forest while a guide gives the story of the forest, history of the forest and the train, and some ecology lessons. The forest is beautiful, the ride lasted a little over an hour. There is food at the camp, it's a tad pricey so maybe pack a snack. After if was a very short walk to go hike on our own through the redwoods and down to the San Lorenzo river. Do some research, the train ride can be just the start of your adventure and easily worth the $32 a person price. Check out their website it has plenty of information.

My partner and I did the Moonlight Railroad Dinner Party last night and we were so incredibly disappointed by the entire experience. My partner and I are on our engagement vacation and we splurged on this experience thinking it would be a romantic event worth the money. Unfortunately, I feel that I must ask for my money back because of our frustration and disappointment. Overall, we are so sad that we wasted our Saturday night on this completely overhyped and underwhelming experience.

Firstly, upon arrival, the man at the parking booth didn’t even check our reservation, and $10 for parking that’s almost 1/2 a mile away?? The “hearty dinner” was everything but. It was cold, over/under cooked, and my vegetarian option was one single mushroom cap? For $60?? Absolutely ridiculous. The train was not as expected at all. It was more like a cart and we were packed in so tight. Nobody checked our tickets the entire night, leading me to believe that there were people on the train without reservations. The email said to go to the will-call, but nobody was there and the office was closed by 7:30pm. There were no employees or signs anywhere directing us or telling us what to do. It was so disorganized.
The train ride was long and slow, and we couldn’t hear the conductor with the mic at all. Everyone around us was so confused. When we got up to Bear Mountain, I couldn’t believe the promised “campfire” was a tiny propane stove backyard fire pit. There was also no hot cocoa as promised, only cold cider. And once again, no signs or any employees directing us or telling anyone what was happening. It’s like we were in the dark the entire time, literally and figuratively. The train ride back down felt like torture. So long and boring again.

I just can’t believe you’re charging as much as you are for this. The definition of a tourist trap. Do not waste your time and money!!

Our 3 and 5 year old loved the train ride thru the redwoods. The history of the railroad was very interesting as well. The guide was engaging and the setting was very beautiful among the large trees. It is mostly shady with a few sunny spots. At the top of the mountain the train stops so you can walk among some of the trees. These are not the biggest redwoods but a peaceful place for a quick stroll and bathroom break. The western themed town around the train station makes for a fun walk.

We enjoy riding trains, so when I saw this one went through the Redwoods, I knew we had to go. My husband and I visited with our moms and there was something for everyone to enjoy. The narrator was very knowledgeable, and they let you get off for a little while at the top and walk around the trees and train to take photos.

Very good experience indeed. Perfect day out for family, couples and groups. There are lot of fun activities to do apart from train experience. Train should be the last thing you should take before you leave. Reach around 2 hours before the scheduled train timing. Different train models, pistons, engines, blacksmith, etc. The 1800s era is worth of experience.
Coming to the train experience, getting into the train wagon which is open air, the skillful driver, fearless fireman and a awesome conductor who explained each and every detail of the redwood and steam engine flawlessly. The 1.5 hrs of trip seems to be very small time but worth the amount.
The only thing they can improve is providing a free WiFi connection. There is no network in the area. I was not having a car so had to go to the place in Uber. While returning I was not able to book an uber. However, the office staff helped me to connect to their WiFi and book my uber. This was a great help as I was having time constraints.
Overall had fun and enjoyed the day... !! :)

We took the train to Bear Mountain. Enjoyed open air car, steam engine, train’s horn. The ride was beautiful. Train stops at top for 10 minute break.
After the ride we visited the adjacent redwood forest.

The steam train is well preserved. I can tell the train is still in a very good condition. It's an amazing experience to let kids see steam train and how it works. Besides, the special activity on the easter egg hunt is also very attractive to kids. I'd definitely recommend parents to bring kids here.

My Husband is a train enthusiast, so for his birthday I got him the Engineer for a Day experience. We invited a group of friends to join us & I had a wonderful time.Roaring Camp made the day so special.

Bring a light jacket if traveling in the spring. The cafe is good for a hamburger/cheeseburger. Portions are great. Neat little attraction. The steam train through the redwoods was educational. The employee was friendly. Limited gift shop. Would definitely visit again. Also the redwood park is right next door if you want to continue on trails exploring.

Booked online and had to get our boarding pass at the general store which is just beside the 'station' where the train departs.
All the train cars are sheltered and there was a light drizzle when we were riding.
The train goes up all the way to bear mountain where it stops for about 15mins, there are restrooms up there too. The ride down back to the 'station' is not as exciting as the ride up. But as city people, we loved it nonetheless.
After the train ride, we crossed over to the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and did the short loop trail to admire the redwoods. My kids ages 3 and 6 loved the entire experience.

Not the best day at Roaring Camp. It started out as as great experience. The morning started out great with everyone being so friendly and answering our questions. I really appreciated the staff enforcing the people on the property to wear their masks. There were a few that tried not wearing theirs but the staff quickly took care of these few individuals. The wife and I took the Beach Train to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and the staff once again did a wonderful job making sure that everyone kept their social distancing from one another. We boarded the train and the staff sat everyone accordingly and at least 6' apart from other groups. In fact, the wife and I shared the very last train car with another couple and we were the only 4 persons on that car. It was a nice, beautiful and relaxing Saturday morning and we were looking forward to the train ride.

Once the train started moving we thought we were in heaven. The scenery was breath taking and so enjoyable. Then an older gentleman of the staff started speaking on a microphone, but I wish he wouldn't of. We strained trying to hear what he said, coz the darn mic would only say 1 word out of ten. You had know idea what he was talking about. I'm guessing he was telling us some history about the trees and the train. But when you're only hearing one or two words from a sentence, it's hard know what he was saying. This gentleman spoke the entire ride to the Boardwalk and we had no clue what he was talking about. When we arrived at the Boardwalk the same gentleman tired telling us where to meet on the return train ride back to Roaring Camp, but once again we couldn't hear anything due to the microphone being all jacked up.

The Boardwalk was a joke. Nothing was hardly open and this wasn't mentioned on the Boardwalk's website. The website did say some rides would be closed, but it was more than a few rides. Not to mention pretty much all the food stands were closed. This isn't Roaring Camp's fault, and I don't blame them at all. This is all due to the pandemic, and the Boardwalk needs to update their webpage with more detail. Even though it says its' updated, it really isn't. It would of been nice to to of known exactly what was open and closed at the Boardwalk before taking the train there.

Being that the Boardwalk was pretty much closed and we didn't have any interest on using the beach, the wife and I decided to re-board the train and return back to Roaring Camp. We stood in line with others waiting to board the train and this took way too long. When we finally started to board the train, the same older gentlemen that I've been speaking of was the one who boarded us. He checked our names off from a list and then told us to walk to the very last car to sit. His partner was on the train and he was holding a orange flag, directing people where to sit. Well, I guess this person didn't finish school, coz he sat people in the middle cars and then worked his way to the front. Not to mention he wasn't using the flag properly. Having the flag below the waist can't be seen. The flag needs to be up in the air above the shoulders. The wife and I were close to the front of the line when boarding the train, so we were sat pretty early. We were directed to sit in an open car and I made a comment that this isn't the last car. The gentleman with the flag didn't seem to care. So, the wife and I sat in this open car with the sun beating directly down on us the entire time. We sat in direct sunlight for a good 30 minutes while the train was being loaded. This is NOT the worst part. After the middle and front cars were full, the staff then started filling the back cars. Meaning tons of people walked by us, and some even brushed and touched us. How is this being SOCIAL DISTANCING when people are hovering over us while we're are sitting down ? I'm sorry, there's a pandemic and people are dying. I lost my cool and I spoke up and told the older gentlemen that this is "BS" !! People should not be this close to me or anyone else, little lone touching people. The older gentleman's response was that his partner was new and it was his 2nd day on the job. I'm sorry, I don't get it. I guess Roaring Camp doesn't care after all about someones life. I wasn't the only one who was speaking up on the train. I may of been the first person that spoke, but others followed my lead. If this new person would of been properly trained or at least listened to the older gentlemen, all the hovering, brushing and touching from others would of been avoided. The front and middle cars were so full by not loading the train correctly, that the staff spent several minutes moving people around trying to get social distance between people. I couldn't figure out why. The damage had already done. I sure hope someone with COVID didn't touch me or anyone else while we were sitting there on the train !!!!!!! Oh, and the train left the Boardwalk 30 minutes late too !!!

We picked the round-trip from the forest to the beach as a unique way to stay cool and still see the both places. Our online reservation included the $10 parking charge. We arrived an hour early as recommended. It gives you time to look around the camp town and the next door forest trail.

There is very little shade in the dirt parking area and it is a little bit of a walk to the train, so be prepared. Once you get thru the parking lot, there are grassy areas and a duck pond on the way to the train. The recreated old town had a person showing how to forge and you could try gold panning. The general store had good souvenir choices. The little museum was interesting to walk thru and see how the place evolved. There was only outdoor dining and the line to order food got fairly long. This isn't a big place to visit, but enough while you wait for the train.

Line up early if you want to pick where you are sitting on the train. We were almost late on the way back and had to squeeze into the last spot open. If early enough, you can pick the very front or caboose that are regular train cars. The cushioned seats strangely have very little leg room. On the way to the beach, we picked the caboose where all the windows are open and you still feel the outdoors. The other choices are the totally open wood bench seat cars or the ones with a shade cover.

The train moves slowly so relax and enjoy a leisurely ride watching all that goes by. Our trip took about 45 minutes from the forest to the beach. The first half of the time is thru the forest. Many people hike thru the forest and can be up close to the train. The trip includes one fairly long tunnel that only has light from everyone's cell phones. After the forest, the train goes down the streets of Santa Cruz. You will see where the garbage trucks park, cross a busy intersection, see historic houses up close, and end up at the boardwalk. Once there, we had an hour until the return trip which was the last one of the day. Depending on what you want to do and how crowded the boardwalk is, an hour might not be enough time to do much. We were interested in just seeing the beach and the boardwalk a little. It was very crowded when we were there.

The trip back is exactly the same, just in reverse. People everywhere were very sweet and waived at the train (even running out of their houses just to waive). The train staff dress in period outfits and are very patient with all us tourists (and dogs on board). This isn't a guided tour and there is no narration. It isn't the cheapest or fastest way between the forest & beach, but I'm sure it is the loveliest.

Don’t do it!!!.its a tourist trap!!!!.Not worth the money or the 3 hour trip.Really disappointing.Kids completely bored.

Kids (5 and 7) really enjoyed the train. There's a small section over tresels, and then a switchback that was interesting. Good view of the forest as you go up. Stops for 10 minutes at the top but there isn't really anything to see. The camp itself is a bit weird, maybe just because it was slightly out of season and not much going on. Restrooms out of action and only portaloos. Cross the tracks into Henry Cowell State Park and walk the short Redwood Loop which was beautiful. Paid in advance $10 for parking at roaring camp on the website, noone was checking parking payment and we needn't have paid if we hadn't done so in advance so don't bother booking it.

good place to visit. The staff was knowledgable about the steam trains and the natural setting. There are 2 train options. One is a 75 minute trip, which we took and another was a 3 hour one (2 hours on a train, 1 hour on a beach). There is a fee for parking and the train passes need to be bought ahead of schedule. There were people who brought their dogs.

I liked the train ride, as it was a first for my children. The weather was perfect on the day we went. But I was mainly going because my wife wanted the train ride and I wanted redwoods. Well, my desire was a disappointment. The redwoods in this forest were ok, but at the point where you get out, walk around (for only 10 minutes), and take pictures with your family hugging redwoods, they really weren't that big. We have been to Big Basin Redwoods State Park, which even aren't the biggest and they were much bigger than these.
Overall, decent ride. Just too expensive. We paid just over $200 for 7 people, for like an hour tour. Too pricey.

We booked online and arrived about an hour before our scheduled time. We had a great time walking around the grounds and checking everything out. We had been here before and love this place. We got onto the train and had a fantastic trip. The train was very clean and the staff was super friendly. You cannot go wrong spending your afternoon here. The grounds are spotless and the food is always good.

Good enjoyable experience. The ‘town’ is quite cool at the base where the station is. The ride itself is interesting. We actually preferred our walk the day before (the Highlight Trail Loop) which is free and so much more peaceful and up close with nature from the perspective of enjoying the state park. But if you want a steam train ride then this is fun. What was a real shame was that the commentary was pretty much pointless and mainly annoying because the speakers on the carriages are not in many places so you can’t here what’s being said and it becomes an annoying noise instead. That’s a shame and easily fixed if they wanted to do that and I hope they do. But all in all good fun.

Great experience! We loved the train ride up into the mountain with the explanations of what the past history was. Everyone was courteous, but I still don't think you need a mask on an open air train--just my opinion, and not their fault as they are just trying to be in compliance with some of our ridiculous mandates to just stay open.

I first went here in 1980 whenI was 3, and apparently I told my parents it was my "favourite place on earth". 42 years later it is stil the same magical place. It is very well done, and the steam trains are 125 years old and still going strong. They are lovingly looked after by a dedicated team. I don't mind paying $39.95 when you think how much it must cost to run and maintain these trains, railroad line, and huge site. It's a great conservation area and important American heritage site that has been going strong since the 1950s. It's very popular and both trains were sold out on a Friday in May, but it didn't feel crowded. It's a good length train ride through amazing scenery, and you can get off for 10 minutes or so at the top to enjoy the tranquility and redwood forest. The trestle bridge is amazing and the photos and vidoes you get along the way are amazing. It's the steepest railroad in North America and the skill of the engineers is impressive - it takes real skill and experience to run these trains on this line, it must take years to learn how to do it so well. It's no small thing to get a steam train up and running every day that dates from 1895! Clearly the staff take great pride in what they do. I'm so glad it hasn't changed since I was there as a kid - it was great then and it's still just as great today. I'm glad to have supported such a wonderful place over the years. Keep up the great work and don't ever change!

We took this train up and back from the boardwalk. Sat in the open car on the way up and the covered car on the way down. The best views are from the open car. My first visit through a redwood forest. I was mesmerized. The conductor gave info about what we were seeing along with facts about the redwoods and train. The tunnel you pass through was fun and totally dark. It didn’t take long for people to get out their cellphones to light the way. The camp could have used better signage. Watch for your train back to the boardwalk or you could get stuck there. Family outing with Grandma, mom and dad and two kids 2.5 and 9.

It sounds like strange bedfellows, but this works. A narrow gauge steam locomotive designed for steep climes hauls you up to the top of the mountain through a redwood forest over inclines up to a 10.6% grade. The guide provides information about both the locomotive and the forest. All very interesting.

We made a great day of it at Roaring Camp. There were 14 of us, ranging from grandma at 83, teens and toddlers, the youngest just made 3. Everyone loved it-- after the train, there were lots of activities, including running around in open fields, to picknicking, to outdoor games, to keep everyone happy.

We took the train from Santa Cruz to Roaring Camp. It was a very fun and relaxing afternoon. The conductor is entertaining and the views are amazing. Sit on the right side of the train for the best views. The trip takes about an hour to get there and then you can walk around Roaring Camp for an hour and then back to Santa Cruz. The one thing I wished they would change is to allow more time in Roaring camp to ride the other train or coordinate both trains to allow for the two rides. Also, Santa Cruz has done an impressive job of cleaning up the homeless camps along the railway.

If you have never seen a redwood before in your life, this may be for you. But if you are local-ish and have seen redwoods (especially the ones in Muir Woods) then this is probably not worth it. The scenery isn't that great, nothing breathtaking, just a bunch of trees. If you have kids, this might be cool because perhaps some children have not seen really big trees before. But if you don't have kids, you're basically just sitting in a rectangle open-air box waiting to get to the next stop as if you're on Muni.

The seating system is very strange. There are no assigned seats, you just get a ticket and have to show up at a certain time at the train platform to get on. Large families with everyone's aunts, uncles, mother's cousin's neighbors will all crowd on the train at once. It's basically free for all to find a seat. There's a stop halfway through at a dirt patch with restrooms. Getting back on the train, some people decided to sit where we had sat. That's fine, whatever. But then in order to sit my ass down, we had to sit in a different spot because it was the only spot available. But then this woman kept making comments at us saying we stole her child's seat, etc etc and how angry she was that her child had to sit in her lap. We told her other people sat in our original seats and she spent the rest of the time telling her child how unfair the world was and that people are thieves. Ok lady. Because that's the biggest problem we have in the world.

But other than that, the little western town thing was interesting for about 10 minutes.

Great place for families; steam train fun although a bit pricey for such a short ride. Conductor was very informative and learned a lot about the area and the functioning of the rail lines. Lots of kid friendly activities on the grounds although they ran out of candle making when we got there. Next to regional park which has a very friendly walk through enormous, beautiful redwood trees. Looks like the Santa Cruz line would be worthwhile if you wanted to spend the day in Santa Cruz

The Celts believed that there were places on earth where Heaven and Earth meet, Thin Places. This train ride takes you to such a place. The redwood trees are so majestic that reach right up to heaven. As you ride through them you will be transfomed by the experience,and you will feel very close to heaven. You will truly be in a Thin Place.

We like to ride trains, so we enjoyed this place. The weather was in the low 70s and sunny so that added to the overall experience. The best part of the train ride are the amazing redwoods.

This is an excellent adventure for a family outdoor activity during the day. However, we attended an evening wedding. After a train trip to the top with the wedding guests, the ceremony was held within a circle of redwoods. The scenery was amazing to see the forest with all the redwoods. Amazing. The reception was held in the barn. The decorations were outstanding. However, keep in mind that nothing but the building is provided by Roaring Camp. Everything is trucked in for this occasion. Once the reception is over, there is a very limited time to clean up and remove what was trucked in. That also includes the garbage, personal decor, rentals and left over catered food. Nothing can remain. Not a pleasant experience at the end of a memorable occasion.

If you visit Santa Cruz it's a must. I only wish we were able to try the run to the beach too...... Staff was great and the scenery is absolutely beautiful.

We bought tickets for the Roaring Camp Railroad online. Once we made it to the small western-themed village, we exchanged the online printout of our tickets with the tickets we would eventually hand to the conductor on the steam train. There was a Blacksmith (who fashioned a metal heart while we were there), a small school house, a General Store and George's Cookhouse where one may purchase a meal.
A picturesque covered bridge is the entrance to the village. The train ride through the redwood forest was wonderful: the trees are impressively tall, the narrator gave so much interesting information and history about the forest and the steam train.

I just bought tickets to take family on this ride. We took it years ago and I hear its just the same, which is wonderful!

Train gives you a beautiful view passing through Redwoods and conductor did a great job on story telling.

One of the highlights of our family vacation last summer was the Beach Train from Roaring Camp in Felton to the Beach/Boardwalk in Santa Cruz. Very pretty ride through the redwoods, helpful friendly staff, and the Conductor was a hoot. (Hint) Take the morning train to the Boardwalk, stay there a few hours, then take the afternoon train back to Roaring Camp to make a day of it.

My husband and I loved the Roaring Camp Steam Train - the singing cowboy, the entertaining conductor, the beautiful trees - it was great!

We took the family for a little day trip out to Roaring Camp and it was well worth it. My youngest is 3, and the oldest is nearly 8.

Right off the bat the kids were very excited to see the train, hear the whistle, and of course ride it. Once the train got rolling the kids were over the moon, and going through the woods was a nice respite from the heat.

It had been quite a few years since I had last been to Roaring Camp, but it’s just as good as I remember and I really enjoyed seeing the excitement on my kids faces as they experienced it.

Well worth the visit, the little town along the rail line is good, and its perfect for a day out.

MOONLIGHT EVENING DINNER TRIP

GO DURING THE DAY!! My first experience with roaring camp railroads was during one of their day tours. That tour I loved very much, our tour guide was very knowledgable and humorous and kept the tour very interesting. So when I saw that they were doing a night tour I booked right away.

UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS NOT A GOOD EXPERIENCE.

- PARKING: - The parking attendant never checks your ticket, so the $10 you pay doesn't make sense if everyone is just driving in.
- FOOD: - There were 4 of us, and I was the only one that did not get the beans on my plate. The other 3 of my friends all had a super upset stomach right after they ate. I felt so bad for them. I was the only one who didn't get a stomach ache, and the only different thing I ate was the beans. We regret not eating outside before coming here, but the whole point was that the dinner was part of the ticket.
- DANCING: - They only had 3 songs played for line dancing, I was expecting more dancing and music, compared to what we got. So disappointing we were ready for a night of dancing, meaning more than 3 songs for dancing.
- TRAIN RIDE: - Those covered train cars really defeats the purpose of a moonlight train ride. We tried to be in the car that wasn't covered but they filled up so quick, and not only that one of the covered train they had folded chairs brought out for a couple people who couldn't find a seat. It was a train ride of seeing nothing but darkness, we couldn't see the moon or the stars because the train car we were in was covered on the top.
- PA & MICROPHONE: - Not so loud, we could barely hear the tour guide and what he was talking about.
- BEAR MOUNTAIN: Once we got to Bear Mountain, we thought there will be more music or dancing. There was music for sure, just a guy with his guitar singing some songs. No more dancing. Only refreshments up there was some apple cider. However, we didn't even have enough time to chill by the fire because by the time you use the bathroom, get a apple cider and get to the fire, it was time to load up on the train.

Our overall experience with this trip was so disappointing. The advertisement, and description for this event is so misleading. Even the guy at the Ticket Booth was confused about what time the train leaves when we asked him questions. WOULD NOT PAY FOR THIS EXPERIENCE. THE GAS TO GET THERE, THE TIME WASTED, THE STOMACH ACHE FROM FOOD, THE LACK OF VIEW IN THE COVERED TRAIN. NOT WORTH IT!!! SAVE YOUR $70 oh and $10 for parking save that too.

If you want a good time, I highly recommend you go during one of the day tours. And fight your way to a car with not covering, it will give you endless view of the redwoods, and make the time worth it.

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience! We attended the 1:30 Sunday afternoon ride and wish that we'd allowed more time to experience the other activites at the camp prior to the train ride up the mountain and through the Redwood Forest. Please allow yourselves plenty of driving time even if you live or are vacationing nearby. The weekend traffic is congested. Our navigation system re-routed us through a very steep and curvy road! I'd also recommend choosing a spot on the train closer to the conductor (last car on the train) so that you're able to hear the witty and informative narration. Bottom Line: Take the train ride! PS There's also a train from this location that travels to Santa Cruz Boardwalk!

I thought this was an amazing trip...but really ruined by a Hewlett Packard corporate day. The HP team took the open top carriages and then proceeded to chat and drink whilst those who really wanted to see the redwoods were consigned to covered carriages. I would recommend that for corporate events a dedicated train is used as the experience for families with children was not good

Was so excited for that day to arrive, loved it, the old western town and train. Winding through the redwoods up the hillside, would go again

Review for the Christmas holiday lights train ride event. Skip it.

Expect to ride literally from point A to B and back on the same rail.
There's sing alongs on the train and staff service was nice but there is nothing to see and do!

Not worth waiting in the cold early and the expensive price ticket. I'm literally typing this on the ride back cause it's the exact same scenery on the way which is nothing but Santa Cruz town. Worse at night. No special decorations or anything interesting.
Definitely do not recommend this holiday ride to anyone.

I enjoyed the actual train ride, but there’s nothing really to see- just a forest.The narrator was a super nice man, but he was rather over wordy and boring, and a lot of the time we could not hear him through the loudspeaker. It was cute when he played his fiddle for a while. The catering arrangements were abysmal- you could just about get a burger, chips and a coffee by ordering at one window and walking round the outside of the square building to collect it the other side. These hatches were odd and dirty? They need a proper coffee house and some simple cakes, sandwiches and drinks etc. people have driven a long way and need a nice food stop as well as the train! Most people left and went back to their cars after the ride …we did pay 10 dollars parking.

We took a trip by steam narrow gauage train up Bear Mountain and in amongst a redwood forest. It is close to Santa Cruz.
There is an excellent commentary from the guard about the development of the railway. The train twists and turns in some amazing angles. A feat of engineering to have built this railway.