Roaring Camp Railroads
Felton, Santa Cruz County, California. 19th century steam trains.
Details
- Where
- 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton, CA 95018. Directions
- When
- Santa Cruz Beach Train: departures from Roaring Camp 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.; from the Santa Cruz Boardwalk 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 pm.
- Getting there
- From SR-17 at Scotts Valley, take Exit #3 Mt. Hermon Rd. and drive 3.5 miles to Felton; left on Graham Hill Road, 1/2 mile to Roaring Camp on the right.
- Fees
- Adults (13 & up): $42.35; Children (2-12): $26.45; Under 2 Years: FREE.
- Hours
- Departing Daily.
- Access
- Parking is available for a fee.
- Walk-in or reserve
- Booking in Advance Encouraged.
- Phone
- (831) 335-4484
- Website
- roaringcamp.com
- Managed by
- Roaring Camp Railroads, Inc.
- Established
- 1963.
Travel over trestles, through towering redwood groves and up a winding narrow-gauge grade to the summit of Bear Mountain as conductors narrate the history of Roaring Camp, the railroad and the forest.
Notable Events
- 1842Graham established the first saw mill west of the Mississippi, and 25 years later the Big Trees became the first virgin stand of coastal redwoods protected from logging. roaringcamp.com
- 1875The area's first railroad, the Santa Cruz & Felton, began carrying tourists to the Big Trees and the beach. roaringcamp.com
- 1890The locomotive was ordered by the newly formed Kahuku Plantation Company on the island of Oahu to carry sugar cane from the fields to the mill at Kahuku. roaringcamp.com
- 1912The Dixie was built by Lima Locomotive Works, Shop No. 2593, on October 12, 1912, and served on six different short line railroads before coming west to California. roaringcamp.com
- 1962The Heisler engine was saved from the scrap heap and purchased in 1962 by Roaring Camp & Big Trees for $7,000 as the last operating steam locomotive of the Old West Side Lumber Company. roaringcamp.com
- 1963Founder F. Norman Clark inaugurated steam train service from Roaring Camp on April 6, 1963, with the Dixie, the first locomotive he acquired. roaringcamp.com
- 1966F. Norman Clark learned that the Sutro Museum was soon to be dismantled and the Kahuku was for sale, and the engine became Roaring Camp's No. 3. roaringcamp.com
- 1969The covered bridge was built as the portal through which visitors to Roaring Camp go back in time to the 1880s. roaringcamp.com
- 1985In December 1985, Norman Clark passed away of pneumonia resulting from his selfless work to open the Santa Cruz, Big Trees & Pacific Railway, and his wife Georgiana was elected chief executive officer. roaringcamp.com
- 1985The engine was purchased by Roaring Camp, retained as No. 7 and nicknamed Sonora in honor of its gloried past. roaringcamp.com
- 1988The American Society of Mechanical Engineers erected the National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark marker for the Heisler, Shay and Climax locomotives at the Roaring Camp depot. hmdb.org
- 2012Georgiana passed away in 2012, having been awarded the San Lorenzo Businesswoman of the Year Award, an NTA Pioneer Award and The California Travel Industry's Lifetime Achievement Award. roaringcamp.com
- 2013The Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge RR celebrated its Golden Anniversary (50 years). roaringcamp.com
People
- F. Norman Clark, Founder of Roaring Camp Railroads who inaugurated steam train service from Roaring Camp.
- Georgiana Clark, Longtime Vice President of Operations who was elected chief executive officer by the respective board.
- Isaac Graham, Mountain man whose wild settlement was named Roaring Camp by Mexican authorities; established the first saw mill west of the Mississippi.
- Melani Clark, Daughter of the founder who serves the company as its CEO.