Redwoods, railroads and retrospection in Felton, Ben Lomond, Boulder Creek

I almost always drive straight to the coast when I head to Santa Cruz County. But whenever I stop instead in Felton — a small, woodsy town six miles inland from Santa Cruz — I’m glad I did. 

For starters, it’s warmer by five or six degrees, and often is spared the fog that has derailed many trips to Santa Cruz. It’s home to magnificent redwood forests, many preserved in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. One favorite is the 40-acre grove of towering old growth redwoods that are accessible on a flat loop trail.