The hook
Century-old steam locomotives haul you up some of the steepest railroad grades in North America, straight through old-growth redwoods — on engines dating to 1890, among the oldest authentically preserved narrow-gauge steam still running regular passenger service in America.
01Why it's worth it
In the 1880s narrow-gauge steam dragged giant redwood logs out of these mountains; Roaring Camp kept the machinery alive and turned it into a working time machine. The Redwood Forest run climbs 3.25 miles from the Felton depot up Bear Mountain on grades so steep they need geared Shay and Heisler locomotives (the railroad's engines are a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark), chuffing through a genuine old-growth grove the whole way. The other route is even better: the Beach Train drops down the San Lorenzo River gorge through Henry Cowell's redwoods, over a 1909 steel truss bridge and through an 1875 tunnel, to arrive at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk — a mountains-to-sea journey on antique rolling stock. Yes it's a family attraction and it's ticketed, but the equipment and the forest are the real thing, and standing beside a steaming 1890s Shay is its own kind of awe.
02How to experience it
Graham Hill Rd, Felton (in the Santa Cruz Mountains). Book ahead in summer, especially the Beach Train (it runs seasonally and sells out). The redwood steam run is ~75 minutes round trip; the beach train is a half-day with time at the Boardwalk. Pairs perfectly with Henry Cowell next door.