Roaring Camp and Big Trees Railroad
add photosRoaring Camp Train and Railroad has two routes. One from Roaring Camp in Felton to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk that is a 3 hours roundtrip (1 hr to Santa Cruz, 1 hour layover, 1 hr ride back). The Santa Cruz train has both open air and closed passenger cars. The Big Trees ride through the redwoods is an 1 hour 15 minute round trip and only has open air cars.
9 Reviews for Roaring Camp and Big Trees Railroad
8
91 family found this helpful
"Beauty and fun, rolled into one!"
Our 2 year old son is crazy about trains, so we took him and our 5 year old daughter for a ride on the narrow guage steam train a few days after Christmas. We missed the holiday lights train, but figured it would be much less crowded after Christmas. It was still quite busy, and they added an additional train after the 12:30 train to accommodate the visitors. You may want to consider buying tickets in advance, especially during the holidays. There is food and drinks available at the station, and we bought cheeseburgers, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, hot chocolate and apple cider before boarding our train. The cheeseburgers were surprisingly good!
There were open cars and covered cars, and we opted for an open car. Even though it was late December, the weather was in the low 60s and very nice. We took the train up the mountain, which was about an hour and 20 minutes round trip, with a 15 minute break at the top. The train is dog friendly, and we had 2 tall poodle brothers in our car, which kept our son interested for a while. The trip up the mountain through the redwoods was beautiful, and the junior conductor-in-training, Trevor, gave a fun and interesting narration throughout the trip. There are a few fun encounters along the way, including great views of an old burned out trestle, and the train backing up a steep incline to go up a switch back. Looking up at the towering redwoods, some thousands of years old, was the best part of the trip.
At $24 for adults and $17 for kids 2 and over (plus $8 for parking), it's a bit pricey, but if you love redwoods and/or trains, it's well worth it, especially if you are already in the area.
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0 families found this helpful
"Roaring good fun"
Our 3 year old loved spending the afternoon at Roaring Camp. From bouncy house to the ride-on tractors to the train ride, he was having a ball at Roaring Camp.
A couple of things to keep in mind:
- All the cars are open air (aka no windows) so it can get hot in the summer. Luckily, you're in the redwood forest which provides a nice shade, but not the entire time. There are usually one or two cars that have an overhead cover, but most of the train cars are fully exposed.
- If your kid's got sensitive ears like mine, keep in mind that trains are LOUD! You might want to bring ear plugs for them or they might be like our little guy who covered his ears for most of the ride even though he enjoyed every minute of it.
- There are no bathrooms on the train, so if you're potty training, toilet your kid beforehand or put a pull-up to keep everyone dry.
Also, try and buy your tickets beforehand because the trains fill-up fast.
0 families found this helpful
"Holiday Lights Train - a great tradition"
We've riden the railroad's holiday lights train two years in a row and it is definitely a family tradition now. The train picks up at the Boardwalk and rides through Santa Cruz. It's decorated with lights. Santa and Mrs. Clause board the train and walk through the train greeting the children. There's caroling. It is somehow magical to me, my husband, my 4 year old and 2 year old.
0 families found this helpful
"Trains, Trees and Surf. Doesn't get much better."
Roaring Camp is a fantastic day adventure. They offer two main steam train rides through the Redwood Forest. One, is about an hour long and takes you from the camp valley up to the top of Bear Mountain. Along the ride, your eyes will be treated to the beauty of the forest (as will your nose ;). It takes about 1 1/2 hours. At the top of the mountain, passengers are also allowed out of the train to explore the Cathedral Circle, redwood grove, and picnic area at the top. There are also restrooms at the top.
The other takes you along the forest to the Santa Cruz boardwalk. It's a little longer (3 1/2 hours roundtrip) but if you'd like a full day excursion it is a fun way to visit both the forest and the boardwalk without having to drive between the two. I don't know any kiddos who do not like trains, and this one tops them all!
The employees all dress in period attire, and are very hospitable. The park grounds itself has a large grassy lawn for the little ones to get out their energy on, and a few tetherballs. There are bathrooms on site. The park also provides a typical BBQ meal, and it is good!!!!
Roaring Camp is also place for event heaven!!! Birthday parties, family reunions, and weddings are all hosted here. In fact, my husband and I got married here a few years ago and have had several friends use the grounds as well.
The park is perfect for all ages. There is nothing to worry about with the wee ones and the older kids will get a kick out of the trains themselves and the nature information.
All in all, it's a favorite in our family!
2 families found this helpful
"Railroad Adventures at Roaring Camp"
If you've only ever frequented Roaring Camp during the organized chaos that is "Day Out With Thomas the Tank Engine", you really need to get yourself to this place during a different time of year!
It is so different without throngs of toddlers, preschoolers and their caregivers! It was wonderful and peaceful to not have to deal with the Thomas soundtrack and the accompanying merchandise spilling out of every corner of the place. We simply enjoyed the beautiful and charming venue we have only vaguely noticed on previous visits.
We hopped aboard the Dixiana, a narrow gauge steam train, and enjoyed a scenic 1-hour and 15-minute journey to Bear Mountain. During the ride, our conductor brought us up to speed on train trivia and pointed out amazing wonders in the natural habitat we were coursing through including the exposed root of a Redwood tree, a grandma tree who had fallen over and wound up supported by daughter trees (these younger trees are a couple hundred years old) and the remnants of a labyrinth of train trestle destroyed by fire many years ago.
The train stops for about 15-minutes at Bear Mountain where our crew made a suggestion we may try in the future --- bring a picnic lunch, hang out up at Bear Mountain and catch the later train back a few hours later. It's gorgeous and secluded. If that doesn't fit your family style though and you simply want to ride, I suggest you bring plenty of water and snacks. We didn't and wound up quite thirsty before we made it back to the depot.
It is amazing how the crew navigates this workhorse of a train up and down the thin corkscrew of tracks on this trip! The whistling and steam of the train was a pretty cool soundtrack too!
Another thing to note about Roaring Camp, the place is dog-friendly. Your four-legged friends must be on a leash though! Leashed dogs are also allowed on the train! We were happy that our golden retriever enjoyed a day on the rails with us!
1 family found this helpful
"Train Lovers"
We love the open car train ride that winds through the Redwoods, ending at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The train rollls slowly, so you have plenty of time to enjoy the redwood groves (and that wonderful smell!) on the way to the beach. Great activity for parents aiming to entertain both kids and grandparents. One of my favorite parts about the ride is seeing the little ones and their grandparents enjoy the experience together. Check the return train schedules and plan accordingly- your only choices are to spend one hour or five hours at the Boardwalk.
2 families found this helpful
"Love Thomas the Train day at Roaring Camp"
We've gone to Day Out with Thomas for two yrs. now and it's a blast for our toddler girl. Get there early so you can possibly get a spot in the parking lot close to the park. If you get sent up top, you have to take a train into the park and huffing a stroller with your lunch in a cooler on the train isn't fun.
I would recommend making a day out of your trip when you visit.
We set up a day camp spot, by the tree shade and our friends new where 'base camp' was. The other train that goes right by the trees is pretty loud, so if you have a baby that is sensitive to loud noises, I wouldn't recommend sitting there. You can bring in your coolers with your goodies if you want to save money on food. They have a fun clown that entertains the kids throughout the day and her show is interactive with puppets and clown helpers. We did take our 6 month old on the train this year and he fell asleep with the movement of the train. If you know your kid will want a momento from the trip, bring your wallet (they do accept credit cards) and the gift shop is like a candy store for little kids...it's all about Thomas. The snow cone line is worth waiting in to see your happy kid munching away. Lastly, it gets super hot, so remember to lather your kids up and yourself with sunscreen.
1 family found this helpful
"Perpetual fun any time of the year"
My son is 4 now, and he loves trains as much as ever. We've been taking him to Roaring Camp since he was a tiny tike of 1 year old. Our whole family always has such a fantastic time every time we go. We've gone on ordinary let's-go-ride-the-train days as well as during special events, such as Day Out with Thomas (the Tank Engine), the Easter Day egg hunt, and the October Harvest Festival. It doesn't matter what day it is, or what the weather is like--we are always glad we had such a delightful day together. Early birds definitely benefit. Parking is easier, and the trains and grounds are less crowded. You can bring your own picnic or buy food there, kids can run wild on the large grassy lawn, and there is a store that is sure to make you break out your wallet (especially during the Day Out with Thomas event!). The train tickets are more expensive than I would like (the total cost adds up quickly for a family), but it's definitely worth it as a special day together.
0 families found this helpful
"Fun with the Family"
Tops on kids’ favorite places in the Santa Cruz Mountains, a recreation of an 1880s logging town, complete with a covered bridge, a general store, and a wonderful narrow gauge steam train to ride up through forests of giant redwoods to the summit of Bear Mountain on the steepest railroad grade in North America.
A second route runs along the San Lorenzo River down to Santa Cruz beaches. A chuckwagon barbecue serves charcoal-broiled steak and chicken burgers in a forest glade, or you can have your own picnic on the mountain. Annual events are eagerly awaited by kids who love RoaringCamp. In April, 10,000 eggs are hidden at the Eggstraordinary Egg Hunt, and Civil War battles and camp life are reenacted at the largest encampment in the United States. The Jumpin’ Frog Jaboree happens in July, as does a Harvest Fair in October, with 1880s crafts, scarecrow contest, pumpkin carving, and free pumpkins. Sunday melodramas are free.
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