Dunsmuir, California
April 13-21, 2025
The Texas Eagle
At long last, we embarked on TrainTrip 2.0, the revised version of a trip to Seattle originally planned for last November! Instead of visiting Jamie and Simona in Seattle, we agreed to meet partway, in Dunsmuir, a picturesque northern California town that we first saw from the train on our way to Jamie's wedding in June, 2019.
We left Deming in Dust Bowl conditions. The sun was veiled and the temperature was hovering near 90° That week there had been small brush fires three days in a row in Silver City, and our wildfire risk was two clicks past "severe", from "extreme" to "exceptional".
Trip prep is stressful, but we totally relax once we board the train. Nothing to pack, no meals to prepare, no need to study maps or plan our stops. Enroute to Tucson, Dennis used a handi talkie to chat with his ham radio buddies.
A scarlet sunset near Tucson.
Good Morning Los Angeles!
As always, we use the time between our very early morning arrival and the next leg of our trip for a brisk walk around downtown LA. Here's the wonderful art deco interior of Traxx Restaurant inside Union Station.
We explored Plaza de Los Angeles, Olvera Street, City Hall and the LA County Courthouse. Very interesting! Wonderful public art and lush landscaping.
And everything was shrouded in dense fog, seen here surrounding the LA Times building. You could say the "the Times they are a-changing", but the hands on that clock haven't moved in quite a while!
The Coach Starlight
The best part of the train ride is the California coast north from Santa Barbara. Those rolling, rounded hills and the perpetual curve of fog hugging the coast!
Since we couldn't rent a car in Dunsmuir, we had to debark in Redding ... at 3:05 in the morning! Around 1:00 am I began getting texts from the Americana Hotel, where we'd planned to spend a very short night within walking distance of the train station. But the night desk attendant said he was leaving at 4:00, and we'd be locked out if we didn't arrive by then. In the end, since the train was 4½ hours late, we no longer needed the room, and the manager agreed not to charge us.
Dunsmuir
The drive up I5 was incredibly beautiful, passing through steep-walled canyons whose slopes were fully clad in enormous, dense and dark green fir trees. Shasta Lake dazzled with its deep blue waters and nearly development-free shoreline. Soon Mount Shasta popped into view, a giant gleaming snow cone looming above the black forest.
We took the back road into Dunsmuir, admiring the Sacramento River surging with fresh snowmelt.
Since we couldn't check into our hotel until 3:00, we used the time to get acquainted with Dunsmuir. We had only glimpsed its main street from the train at dawn. In full sun, we quickly realized that most of the graceful Victorian buildings were either abandoned, for sale or occupied by an art gallery or restaurant that was open 2.38 days per week "in season" (not mid-April, apparently).
Oh dear, what had we done?
We eventually found a small but well-stocked grocery store. We shared a sub sandwich, sitting in the graffiti- and rubble-filled pergola in a city park, and decided we'd forget town and spend the rest of the day checking out some potential hikes.
Our first stop was Hedge Creek Falls, just north of town. It gave us a major attitude adjustment!
A short trail leads to a 30-foot-tall waterfall in a lush and craggy canyon. You can actually walk BEHIND the waterfall and downhill to the confluence with the roaring Sacramento River!
From there we continued north, checking out the trail to Faery Falls and then up to Castle Lake. Huge snowbanks piled up on either side of the road as we climbed, and at 5000 feet, the road was closed. Absolutely gorgeous!
Railroad Park
Late that afternoon we checked into our "room" at Railroad Park (now Jubilee Railroad).
Caboose #1 was a 1927 wooden caboose, with the original interior including a cupola with a bench seat.
Here with a view of Castle Crags was my preferred writing nook for the next three days.
Since we had a mini fridge and a microwave but no dishes or utensils, we borrowed spoons, bought two souvenir mugs and made a salad in the ice bucket. We'd get along just fine.
Next day it was back to Redding to pick up Jamie and Simona at the airport.
They loved their caboose (right next to ours), and the life-sized "toy trains" were a delight for a precocious and very capable young gymnast!
We lost no time introducing them to Hedge Creek Falls!
Jamie, Simona and Dennis at Hedge Creek Falls, Mount Shasta glowing in the background.
Dennis and Simona.
The Sacramento River
While Jamie and Simona settled in, Dennis and I did a dreamy hike along the Sacramento River.
In the early 20th century, Dunsmuir (then known as "Pusher") was home to an extensive switching yard where extra engines were added to help trains climb the steep 2.2% grade out of Siskyou Canyon. On July 14, 1991, a train derailed at "Cantara Loop" just north of Dunsmuir, releasing approximately 19,000 gallons of metam sodium solution into the Sacramento River. The biocide killed every living thing in the river for a distance of roughly 38 miles. The Upper Sacramento is now largely recovered, although some species may never return.
The environmental disaster may explain why Dunsmuir seems to have been bypassed by the town of Mount Shasta, its more populous and upscale neighbor to the north. Never mind, on this lovely spring afternoon the Sacramento was galloping downstream, flush with snowmelt.
Near a past (or potential?) park, we came across the site of an old homestead, surrounded by mature and blooming apple trees and white lilacs.
McCloud River
On our last day in Dunsmuir, we did a fabulous hike along the McCloud River, past the Lower, Middle and Upper Falls.
Nearly bursting its banks with snowmelt, the McCloud kicked up rainbows of spray as it tumbled through the narrow gorge.
Middle Falls.
The Lower Falls on the McCloud River where we enjoyed a picnic lunch before ending the day with a stop at the Sojourn coffee shop in downtown McCloud.
Turtle Bay
Since we had to return the car by noon on Saturday, we ended up spending an extra day in Redding, California. We took the opportunity to visit the Turtle Bay Exploration Park, which we guessed — correctly — would be a big hit with Simona.
Although we only visited during daylight hours, we were dazzled by the "Glowing Wild", featuring an elaborate garden of illumindated satin plant and wildlife sculptures.
We had a nice lunch on the terrace at the Mosaic, then continued to another section of the park where there was a zip line, a climbing wall, an aviary and an elaborate playground.
Dennis and I were fascinated by the furnished and illuminated domes that can be rented for the evening.
We stopped by an animal show that was rehearsing for the season, and marveled at all that's involved in putting such a show together, and how many things can go wrong, like the chaos that ensues when an animal misses its cue, or just takes off into the trees. Great fun!
Homeward Bound
The return trip via Redding was every bit as challenging as we expected. We checked into the Americana, hoping for a few hours' sleep before catching our train at 2:30 in the morning. But at 6 pm an extremely loud live band began playing outdoors at the bar around the corner. We ended up taking refuge at an all-night cafe. In the wee hours we walked the darkened streets of downtown Redding to the extremely creepy train station, covered in graffiti and completely surrounded by a six-foot-high chain link fence. Here's another photo of the California coast from the Coast Starlight, to end on a positive note. Loved the train ride! Loved Dunsmuir, Siskyou County and Railroad Park!
And most of all we love Jamie and Simona!
