When most people start to make a bucket list of places to visit in the United States, the national parks – and the giant, majestic redwoods in particular – often find their way onto the list.
How could they not? Standing among those huge, ancient trees makes a person feel small in the best possible way, especially in a time where we can all use a little perspective.
What if you didn’t have to stand, hike, or walk, though? For some, I’m sure that really ups the ante!
You might not realize that about 50 rail-trails still exist in the United States – unused railway tracks that have been converted into multi-use paths. The glory days of train travel might have gone by, but now you can rent a rail bike and pedal your way through a day’s exploring in the great outdoors.
The Skunk Train is one of those old, converted paths – it was a historic railroad that ran up the North Coast from 1885 until 2019 before it was converted into a fun railbike experience. The trail winds through California’s ancient redwood forest, and from your seat on a custom-made, two-seater railbike, you’ll be in the perfect position to see it all up close and personal.
There are no trains or other traffic to worry about, or to interrupt your experience, and if your legs get tired, the bikes come equipped with low-noise electric motors that you can switch on and off at will.
The complete loops takes around 90 minutes to 2 hours to complete, and honestly, I can think of a better way to experience the ancient redwoods – and get a bit of a workout in the meantime!
