Roaring Camp Railroads

Roaring Camp Railroads sits in the redwoods just outside Felton, next to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. It recreates an 1880s logging town and runs narrow-gauge steam trains up a steep, twisting grade to the top of Bear Mountain. The locomotives date from 1890. Roaring Camp says they are among the oldest and most authentically preserved narrow-gauge steam engines in regularly scheduled passenger service in America.

Our Felton and Henry Cowell guide gives Roaring Camp one section within a day in the San Lorenzo Valley. This page goes deeper: the ride itself, tickets and parking, food, rules for dogs and strollers, the winter holiday trains and the status of the beach line.

Getting there from Palo Alto

Take Interstate 280 or Highway 85 south to Highway 17 in Los Gatos and follow 17 over the summit toward Santa Cruz. In Scotts Valley, take Exit 3 for Mount Hermon Road and drive about 3.5 miles northwest to Felton. Mount Hermon Road ends at Graham Hill Road. Turn left and drive half a mile. Roaring Camp is on the right at 5401 Graham Hill Road. The trip is about 40 miles and takes 50 minutes to an hour in light traffic.

Highway 17 is a winding mountain road with frequent crashes and heavy summer weekend traffic. Leave Palo Alto by 9 a.m. for a morning train and avoid heading home on Sunday afternoons if you can. Our traffic guide has more on timing.

By transit, it is a long trip: Caltrain to San Jose Diridon, the Highway 17 Express bus to Santa Cruz and then Santa Cruz Metro Route 35, which stops at Henry Cowell and the Felton Covered Bridge, a short walk from Roaring Camp. Allow two and a half to three hours each way.

The Redwood Forest Steam Train

The main event is the Redwood Forest Steam Train, a 75-minute round trip from the depot to the summit of Bear Mountain and back. The train crosses wooden trestles, winds through tall redwood groves and climbs a steep, curving grade of the kind geared logging engines were built for. A conductor narrates the history of the railroad, the logging era and the forest along the way.

The engines are geared locomotives, a design built for steep, curving logging lines. Roaring Camp owns several Shay locomotives, a Heisler and a Climax, the three makes that dominated logging railroads, plus five diesel engines. Not all are running at once, since some are under restoration. On some days a 1941 Plymouth diesel may pull the train instead of steam. If a steam engine matters to your kids, ask at the depot when you arrive.

The train goes up and back on the same route, turning around at the summit of Bear Mountain. Open cars give the best views of the trees and the engine at work. Bring a layer. Even in summer, the forest stays cool and the open cars are breezy.

Tickets, hours and parking

Here is what Roaring Camp's train page and FAQ listed in November 2026:

The train runs daily, but departure times vary by day and season. Check the schedule on the website and buy tickets online ahead, especially for weekends and holiday events. Roaring Camp does not offer a family pass. Annual passes are sold but are not valid for special events. Operating schedules and prices are subject to change without notice. Parking is separate from Henry Cowell's state park lot next door, which charges its own $10 day use fee.

The Santa Cruz Beach Train

Roaring Camp's second line, the Santa Cruz Beach Train, normally runs an hour each way from Felton through Henry Cowell, down the San Lorenzo River gorge, across a 1909 steel truss bridge and through an 1875 tunnel to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It is not running in 2026. Roaring Camp lists it as returning in spring 2027. Until then, drive to the beach separately. Our Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk guide covers the other end of the line.

Winter and holiday trains

Winter is Roaring Camp's busiest season for special events. The events page, checked November 2, 2026, listed:

• Holiday Tree Walk: the forest train to Bear Mountain with a visit from Santa, hot cider and winter activities in town. Listed dates: November 27 to 29, December 5 and 6, 12 and 13 and 19 to 23.
• Holiday Lights Train: vintage excursion cars covered in lights roll through the streets of Santa Cruz with a sing-along, live music, cider and Santa. It is about an hour long and starts in Santa Cruz, not Felton. Listed dates: November 27 and 28, December 5 and 6 and December 12 to 23.
• New Year's Train: a lights train through Santa Cruz with a live DJ, listed for December 26 to 31.
• Rainforest Weekends: forest train rides with docents who explain the redwood ecosystem, on weekends through March.

The Chanukah Train is listed as returning in 2027. Holiday trains sell out, so buy tickets as soon as you pick a date and confirm the 2026 schedule when you book. Annual passes do not cover these events.

Food, kids and dogs

Roaring Camp has a few places to eat on the grounds:

• Georgie's Cook House: hamburgers, hot dogs and more. Open daily through spring and summer and on weekends in winter.
• Chuckwagon BBQ: outdoor barbecue with live music during special events and summer weekends, with vegetarian options.
• Picnic baskets: order online and pick up at Georgie's, with a sandwich, chips, water, fruit and a cookie to eat on the train.
• General Store: an 1880s-style shop with snacks, toys and souvenirs.

You can bring your own food. Picnic tables rent for $25 per table for the day at the ticket office. For more choice, Felton's small downtown is five minutes away and Santa Cruz is 15.

For kids, Roaring Camp lists Kids Club activities such as gold panning, candle making, a hand car, a printing press and a blacksmith. Roaring Camp does not provide strollers, so bring your own if you need one. Wheelchairs can be rented at the ticket office. Call ahead about accessibility on the trains.

Dogs are welcome at the park and on the trains, where they ride on the floor of the car. The steam whistle is loud, so think twice with a noise-sensitive dog. There are no kennels and no lockers.

A short history

Roaring Camp tells its story this way: Isaac Graham set up a sawmill here in 1842. The giant redwoods nearby were spared and protected about 25 years later. The first railroad, the Santa Cruz and Felton, began carrying tourists to the Big Trees and the beach in 1875. F. Norman Clark founded Roaring Camp to preserve a piece of that era. Its narrow-gauge line celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2013. The beach line has run on the old 1875 route since 1985. The covered bridge at the entrance was built in 1969.

Best time to go

Weekdays in spring and fall are the calmest. Summer weekends are busy but the redwood shade keeps things cool when Palo Alto bakes. Winter brings the holiday trains and the Rainforest Weekends, with green moss and full creeks, but also storms that can close Highway 17 or Highway 9. Check road conditions after heavy rain. Our weather guide has more on the seasons.

A sample day

1. 9 a.m. Leave Palo Alto and drive over Highway 17.
2. 10 a.m. Park at Roaring Camp and explore the village and the covered bridge.
3. 11 a.m. Ride the Redwood Forest Steam Train to Bear Mountain.
4. 12:30 p.m. Lunch at Georgie's Cook House or a picnic.
5. 1:30 p.m. Walk next door to the Redwood Grove Loop at Henry Cowell.
6. 3 p.m. Drive 15 minutes to Santa Cruz for the beach, or head home before the traffic.

With older kids, add the Mystery Spot on the way back. Train fans should see our kids and trains guide for rail outings closer to Palo Alto. To stay over, you can compare hotels in Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley. Browse all our day trips from Palo Alto for more ideas.

Frequently asked questions