Skunk Train in Fort Bragg, California

Step back in time for a magical ride through the redwoods on the world-famous Skunk Train. Since 1885 the historic Skunk has made its way through old-growth redwood groves, over scenic trestle bridges, through spectacular tunnels, and into the heart of the Noyo River canyon. Today’s riders enjoy the same pristine views that have remained largely unchanged for well over a century.

Departing year-round from Fort Bragg, the Pudding Creek Express offers family-friendly fun. This 75-minute, 7-mile roundtrip journey explores the Pudding Creek Estuary, including a stop at The Glen for redwood exploration, refreshments, and games.

The Wolf Tree Turn, a 16-mile, 2-hour roundtrip, ascends from the Willits valley floor to the railway's highest point. This trip passes through Tunnel #2 and descends into the redwood-rich Noyo River Canyon, a remarkable ecological haven, offering a chance to witness the giant trees that made Mendocino County famous. A brief stop at Crowley allows passengers to admire the splendor of the iconic Wolf Tree, named for its large lateral growth. Passengers may disembark at Crowley to better appreciate the views. This trip utilizes historic Diesel-Electric engines.

The Days of Steam admission offers a ride on the Chiggen, a genuine steam locomotive, along the Redwood Route. Pulled by a historic California steam engine, this 7-mile round trip along the Pudding Creek Estuary provides a journey into the past. The route, home to diverse birdlife like blue herons, ospreys, and egrets, departs from Fort Bragg and lasts one hour and 15 minutes, with a stop at Glen Blair Junction.

This journey follows the original California Western Railroad tracks along the estuary. The locomotive replicates those that first ran in 1885, and the train features authentic period passenger cars and an open-air car, creating a historical experience amidst the redwoods.

An American Legacy
In the early 1880s, lumbermen C.R. Johnson, Calvin Stewart, and James Hunter joined together to expand timber operations in Mendocino County. By 1885 the Fort Bragg Railroad was formed to make transporting lumber easier. This would form the foundation of what would eventually become the California Western Railroad, more commonly known as The Skunk.

The train played a vital role during this time in transporting families and workers who set up the various logging camps along the route and in doing so, became an entirely different type of line. It played an important part not only in the area's industrial life, but also in its social and cultural activities. No other logging railroad in America has made the deep impression on American life that was created by the line from Fort Bragg – first by the natural beauty of its route and later, by the distinctiveness of its equipment.

A Train Called Skunk
The nickname “Skunk” originated in 1925, when motorcars were introduced (today sometimes referred to as railbuses or railcruisers). These single unit, self-propelled motorcars had gasoline-powered engines for power and pot-bellied stoves burning crude oil to keep the passengers warm.

The combination of the fumes created a very pungent odor, and the old timers living along the line said these motorcars were like skunks, “You could smell them before you could see them.” Although the smell is now much reduced, we still like to think of ourselves as that little Skunk running through the redwoods.

Caretakers in Time
California Western Railroad was initially operated as a division of the Fort Bragg mill (Union Lumber Company, Boise-Cascade). In the mid-1960s, Arizona-based Kyle Railways began managing the railroad and purchased it in 1987. In August 1996, a group comprised entirely of local Mendocino Coast investors purchased California Western, marking the first time in its 111-year history that the line would be operated as an independent business.

Today the Skunk Train is owned and operated by Mendocino Railway.