There’s a new offering at the Skunk Train in the Northern California town of Willits. Small, fast, electric, and… pedal-powered? On a recent sunny spring day, I joined a group to try out the Skunk Train Railcoaster. This is what it feels like.
The Mendocino County Skunk Train had two depots at either end of its 40-mile line, one on the coast of Fort Bragg and another in the inland town of Willits. Electric-assisted rail bikes have been in operation for years at Fort Bragg, and with the debut of the Skunk Train Railcoaster, Willits is putting his own spin on the concept. Unlike the flat trails near Fort Bragg, this 15-mile adventure from Willits meanders through long, steady climbs followed by roaring descents.
Skunk Train: Fort Bragg vs Willits
Once upon a time, the Skunk Train, called the California Western Railroad, ran the 40 miles between Willits and Fort Bragg. This event ended in 2013 with the collapse of a tunnel halfway between the two cities. Since then, efforts have been made to raise the necessary funds to overhaul the line, while tourists can still make round trips between the two cities.
ALL OF THE ABOVE: The best family train journeys in the US and Canada
The Fort Bragg and Willits Skunk Train ends each offer a different experience. Still, with its romantic coastal views, the train ride at Fort Bragg tends to attract more people than at Willits. But this friendly old train depot in the outback has much to recommend it. Located right off the 101, just 2½ hours from San Francisco and 3½ from San Jose. The view of the Wine Country-style fields bathed in the sun giving way to taller redwood-clad hills is objectively beautiful. The sunny outback weather will make family trips easy to plan, and the thrilling ups and downs of the Railcoaster are sure to delight the kids.
The Railcoaster experience, he explains
Each railcoaster car has two seats (riders must be at least three years old). This experience is booked per car, not per person, so you’ll incur a significant fee if you want to ride alone. Helmets are provided, and the car has a water bottle holder as well as a small basket for personal items. This basket can also hold your lunch (which is provided), and it’s small, so don’t bring a hiking or commuting-sized daypack. Just pack a small gym bag, purse, or pouch for other essentials like sunscreen, sunglasses, camera, and warm clothing (temperatures can change once you get past the peak and enter the redwood forest).
Both drive the car, but only one is the “driver,” controlling the brakes and electric pedal assist (do you want to go uphill at level 1, or uphill at level 3?). You’ll travel along the railway line as a group, with one staffed car in front and another behind, so don’t expect to be alone with your co-pilot through the trees (keeping an appropriate distance to the person in front of you will be the biggest determiner of speed). However, we often had several hundred feet between us and our neighbors when we followed them, so this didn’t feel restrictive.
The journey begins through Willits. Honestly, passing through the city’s railroad crossings and waving at confused cars when the bell rang was one of the highlights of the trip for me. Once out of town, you pedal along open fields and beneath majestic old oak trees before you begin climbing along rocky hillsides punctuated by meadows, manzanita groves, cliffs, and forests. The 3.5% climb was, in our opinion, quite steep for a train, but the electric pedal-assisted rail bike made it a breeze.
After reaching the summit at 1,750 feet above sea level, the ride passes through a tunnel and descends into a redwood forest on the other side, where lunch is served in a clearing in the trees with picnic tables and strings of lights. Here you can enjoy an included lunch, play cornhole or giant Connect 4, and get an up-close look at the ancient Wolf Tree before hopping back on your railbike for the ride home. On the return trip, of course, the climbs and descents are reversed: uphill through a sequoia grove, then on the brakes as you head back down to Willits.
More reasons to visit Willits
The railcoaster isn’t the only new thing in Willits this summer. The Highball Express, a train ride that runs in the evenings and features a bar and dinner, is also back in service after a hiatus. And in September, there’s the Flynn Creek Circus, a circus show in the woods where a special Skunk Train departure will take you to the top.
In town, you can enjoy locally brewed beer at Northspur Brewing Company and stay at the newly renovated Inn at Baechtel Creek. For breakfast after a night out, Lumberjack’s serves the kind of delicious Americana that Cracker Barrel emulates. You can’t miss it: look for the giant statue of Paul Bunyan overlooking the main road back to the freeway.
As I rejoined the 101, I reflected on how many times I’ve passed through Willits on my way to other places. It’s surreal to imagine this unique cityscape, with so many adventures waiting to be had, hiding, unseen, behind the freeway embankments. That’s what I love about being a Californian: we have so many hidden gems just waiting to be experienced. And it looks like Willits is ready to shine.
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