For more than 130 years, this No. 1 vintage excursion train in California (it started out as a logging train carrying cargo and workers) has traveled through Northern California redwood forests. These days, there are two departure points — Fort Bragg, on the Mendocino Coast, and Willits, inland off Hwy. 101. The original name was the California Western Railroad, and has been known as the “Skunk Train” since 1925.
That’s when self-propelled motorcars with stinky, gasoline-powered engines and coal-fired stoves were introduced, giving birth to a nickname that has stuck ever since (even though today’s steam or diesel-powered locomotives don’t stink).
The 40-mile route between Fort Bragg and Willits crosses the rugged Coast Range through some of the most remote terrain in Mendocino County. The railway threads through 30 bridges and trestles and two deep tunnels, following the Noyo River for much of the way. This is dense second-growth redwood forest — Douglas fir, tan oak, and California laurel fill in the canopy alongside the big trees — and the air smells like damp earth and bay leaves. Keep your eyes open for osprey hunting along the river, great blue herons standing in the shallows, and the occasional black-tailed deer browsing at the tree line.
Choose from two routes: The Pudding Creek Express makes a 7-mile, 75-minute journey from Fort Bragg on the railway’s original 1885 route. Passengers can hop off to marvel at the redwoods and roam the trails at Glen Blair Junction before circling back to the coast.
From Willits, the two-hour Wolf Tree Turn route tops a 1,740-foot summit, chugs through a historic tunnel and descends into the redwood-shaded Noyo River Canyon, with a pause midway to ogle one of the state’s biggest trees.
Fort Bragg makes a natural base camp for the trip. The small coastal city sits where the Noyo River meets the Pacific, and the surrounding headlands offer excellent dog-walking territory. Glass Beach, just north of town, is one of the most photographed spots on the Mendocino Coast, and the Coastal Trail runs along the bluffs with wide ocean views. South of Fort Bragg, the Mendocino Headlands offer dramatic sea caves, blowholes, and wildflower meadows in spring. The climate stays cool and foggy through summer — pack a layer even in July.
Dogs ride free on the Skunk Train and are welcome in the open-air cars, which is the best spot anyway — you get unobstructed views of the forest canopy towering overhead and the river glinting below. The open cars also keep noise-sensitive dogs more comfortable than the enclosed coaches, where the engine sounds echo.
Please be considerate of your pet! Bring a leash, water and whatever else you might need for the journey.
