Foot of Laurel Street, Fort Bragg, 800-866-1690. Open 8 am – 8 pm 7 days.
During its season, 75,000 passengers step onto the Skunk Train and begin the journey that has been traveled by people of all ages and walks of life. For over 118 years, the train has provided passage to man and materials, traversing 48-miles from Ft. Bragg to Willits, through lush redwoods and over the coastal range.
Beginning in the 1880s, California Western (the train’s official name) was constructed to haul timber from the forest to the sea. Over the next 30 years, the train continued expanding to match the demands for goods and transportation. Steam passenger service was started in 1904. Finally, in December 1911, the train completed its first excursion carrying 150 passengers into the Willits depot. Steam power was discontinued in 1925 when the self-powered, yellow “Skunk” rail cars were inaugurated. The little trains were quickly nicknamed for their original gas engines, which prompted folks to say, “You can smell ’em before you can see ’em.”
Train Ride to Northspur: 3.5 hour round trip rides go into the redwoods and mountains, through a tunnel while crisscrossing the Noyo River into Northspur Station. Departs Fort Bragg 10:00 am.
Bar-B-Que to Northspur: 4.5 hour evening ride in the redwoods with a delicious barbeque dinner and live entertainment. Trips depart Fort Bragg Depot at 3:30 pm, Tuesday thru Friday trips. Check online to for updates and pricing.
Mendocino Outdoors, the premier guidebook for outdoor fun and adventure on the Mendocino Coast, has been updated in 2017 as an ebook for the 5th Edition. You can buy a copy at Smashwords.com, the Apple iBooks Bookstore, Amazon’s Kindle Books, and Barnes & Noble's online store.