Dog Friendly Travel : The Skunk Train - Mendocino County, CA

When my husband and I plan on a little weekend gataway to somewhere, finding a place to go where we can take the dogs with us is priority. If the doggies were not with us, then it's just not the same! Experiencing new places is just as exciting to dogs as it is to their paw parents and doing this together makes it even more memorable and special!

What's Skunk Train? Skunk train traces its origin to the California Western Railroad which has been in use from 1885 to transport lumber, workers, and their families in Mendocino County, CA. The name "Skunk Train" was introduced in 1925 because of the pungent odor the motor for the train produced. (Not to worry as this is not the case now.) Today, Mendocino Railway owns and operates the Skunk Train and it is used solely for tourism purposes. Skunk Train offers two routes to its passengers. One route is called Pudding Creek Express and makes a round trip along Pudding Creek Estuary departing the city of Fort Bragg and the ride lasts approximately one hour. It is approximately 7 miles long. This route is open year around. The other route is called Wolf Tree Turn and makes a trip departing the city of Willits and arrives at Northspur. The train will pass through Eastern slope of California Coast Range, Nayo River Canyon, and Crowley. The track is 8.5 miles.

We went on the Wolf Tree Turn route. Since we drove down from East Bay for hours and booked a hotel room, why not get the most out of it by choosing the longer ride? Everywhere we looked, we were surrounded by redwood forests. The scenery is truly pristine. The best part of the ride is that we can go on the open cart and really take in all the fresh air, wind, sun, and the scenery. The doggies really loved being on the open cart! This train journey did encounter the unexpected as there was a fallen tree on the track blocking our way. As such, we had to wait on the train for quite a while until the trees could be removed. But hey, that's how nature is, right? It does not care for what humans "expect" you to behave. Since we were there to enjoy the nature and all the unexpected things it brings, we really did not mind. What really added to this unique experience was that the attendance sang folk song with a guitar throughout the ride! The bonus is that Mendocino county is so beautiful that aside from the Skunk Train ride, you will have lots of areas to explore with your pooches such as Big River Beach, Albion, and Mendocino Headlands State Park!

NOTE: The train moves SLOOOW. So if you are a lover of speed, opt for a bullet train instead of Skunk Train:) Also, we did not witness much of wild animals like deer, etc... Maybe it was due to the season since I read that you could even spot river otter sometimes, but my hunch is that if you expect to spot some interesting forest animals, you will probably be looking for a long time with not much luck aside from some birds. Finally, if you happen to be a person who just can't stand folk music, this train is definitely not for you as you will have no escape from it all throughout the ride.

PAW TIP #1: If you bring small children with you, opt for those special occasion events that Skunk Train holds such as Egg Hunt event at Easter season, Pumpkin Express in the fall, and Christmas train which comes with Santa and North Pole characters. If you go on a regular non-special event train with them, it is a good idea to bring plenty of distraction for them such as toys, books, snacks, etc... We witnessed some small children understandably having some serious melt downs due to having to sit in a train for hours.

PAW TIP #2: You would want to make sure that your dogs get a bathroom break whenever possible such as right before boarding on the train and during the stop. Since unexpected events such as fallen tree on the track can very well occur, you never know if your "2 hour train ride" will turn into 4 hour train ride in reality. Once you are on the train, even if some unexpected events happen and you are stuck on the train for hours, the staff is not allowed to let you off the train aside from designated break stop area for safety reasons even if your dog had to go to a bathroom trip. We learned this, because while we were on the train waiting for the fallen tree to be removed, I got concerned that the dogs may have to go to bathroom trip, but was reminded that getting off the train however brief even to let the dogs go to a bathroom was not allowed. Luckily, the dogs were able to hold it until the official stop with no trouble as I let them go to bathroom right before we board the train.

PAW TIP #3: If you can help it, do not choose a seat that is right near the bathroom...

PAW TIP #4: Bring long lasting high quality bully sticks for your dog. Just like small children, your dog can have melt down sitting on a train for hours. One of the dogs we brought did get restless while we were waiting for the fallen trees on the track to be removed. Getting into the open cart with all the scenery and fresh air to enjoy for her restored her mood, but I so wished that I brought a bully stick.

You can read more about Skunk Train and get tickets here at https://www.skunktrain.com/

Have a pawsome ride!

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