Roaring Camp Railroads Holiday Tree Walk

To continue with the Christmas festivities, I went to the Roaring Camp Railroads Holiday Tree Walk this weekend.  This was my first time visiting these railroads located in Santa Cruz, CA and thankfully, I was not disappointed.  Upon arriving, there was already a crispness in the air from the heavy rain showers the day before.  The trees were a lush green and there were still a few dark clouds lingering in the sky.  

As we boarded the steam train at 12:30pm, we were whisked away from the buzz of the city to the complete silence of the woods.  We were surrounded by thousand year old redwood trees that reach amazing heights.  Leaves were falling and drifting off tree limbs as the steam of the train hit the trees.

As the eight car train pulls up onto the summit of Bear Mountain, Santa himself awaits our arrival with a stocking full of candy canes.  Once we get off the train, we were allowed to explore the woods on our own or with a guide.  It was such a beautiful day to stroll quietly in the woods with our hot cider.  

The woods were so lush from the recent heavy rainfall.  It was a much missed feeling since California was, and still is, suffering from the drought.

The trees that were donated were beautifully decorated by children with various artwork.  This was definitely great to see with children.  

 This experience was such a great one to enjoy with friends and family during the holiday season.  There were quite a large number of people on the train but it was still quite quiet.  It was great to get into the Christmas spirit without the hustle and bustle of a shopping mall of busy city streets and connect back with nature.

If you're interested, there are a few more rides before Christmas and they still have their Holiday Lights Train in the evening.  

http://www.roaringcamp.com

Tips:

• Get there at least 30 minutes early. You'll see people start lining up to board the trains.  If you get there early, just enjoy the various shops and scenery.  
• Parking is $8
• Bring snacks on the train ride.  There is food for sale but kids can get snackish on the train.
• Dress warm!