Features

High enough and deep enough into the Santa Cruz Mountains to help visitors forget its location between Silicon Valley’s concrete boxes and the touristy tackiness of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, Felton is a perfect diversion and Excursion. 

Felton is a couple-block town full of mountain folks, big city escapees and present and former Silicon Valley commuters. The surrounding landscape is among the most beautiful on the planet, traversed via winding, narrow roads through the tree-covered Santa Cruz Mountains. 

Henry Cowell State Park, on Highway 9, has 1700 well-preserved acres of large, old-growth redwoods, many of them dating from the days when the Zayante Indians lived in the area. Hikers can enjoy 20 miles of trails and paths, the Redwood Grove and its self-guided nature path, a stand of Ponderosa pine, as well as Douglas fir, madrone, and oak. Trails—ranging in length from 0.4 to 3.3 miles—include Powder Mill Trail Head at the southeast corner of the park on Graham Hill Road, Rincon Fire Road on Highway 9 on the south side of the park, Ox Trail Head on Highway 9 on the west side, and Redwood Grove Trail, a flat, easy loop around the giant redwoods. 

The easiest amble is Redwood Grove Trail, a wheelchair- and stroller-friendly trek that starts near the park’s Nature Center (831-335-7077). Snacks are available at the Gift Shop (831-335-3174). 

Within Cowell Park, cyclists are welcome on Pipeline Road, Rincon Fire Road, Ridge Fire Road, and Powder Mill Fire Road, and horses are allowed on some trails. Parking for horse trailers can be found at Powder Mill Trail Head. 

The San Lorenzo River offers tasty temptations for anglers during steelhead and salmon season (November through February). 

The Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad runs historic steam and freight trains through dense redwood forests, Big Trees, Indian Creek, Grizzly Flats, Deer Valley, and one of the most drastic switchbacks in North America via Spring Canyon and Hallelujah Junction and down the hill into Santa Cruz. 

Isaac Graham settled here in the 1830s, attracting like-minded spirits to his wild encampment, which Mexican authorities soon named “Roaring Camp.” Graham developed the first sawmill west of the Mississippi here in 1842, though sparing the Big Trees—which soon became the first officially protected virgin stand of coastal redwoods. 

The Santa Cruz & Felton railroad began hauling tourists between Big Trees and the beach in 1875, and the Santa Cruz, Big Trees & Pacific Railway has been operating along the old route since 1985. Fares run $17 for those 13 and up and $12 for children 3-12. Children under 3 are free. Trains run at 11 a.m. daily, more frequently on weekends. Contact: (831) 335-4484, www.roaringcamp.com. 

Felton Covered Bridge Park occupies part of the original Rancho Zayante Land Grant, and features the highest covered bridge (35 feet) in the western United States, along with lots of grassy picnic area and kids’ playground equipment. Built in 1892, the Felton Covered Bridge served the main route through Felton until it was bypassed in 1938. Today, it’s maintained and supported by the Felton Volunteer Fire Department’s annual July pancake breakfast. 

Hallcrest Vineyards and The Organic Wine Works provide the most fun and interesting winery experiences in the Santa Cruz area. 

Many “organic wines” are made from organically grown grapes, with sulfites and other preservatives added later that can cause allergic reactions in some wine-bibbers. Hallcrest’s Organic Wine Works is one of the few truly organic producers in the United States, making wine from grapes that are both organically grown and processed without sulfites, “in accordance with the California Organic Foods Act of 1990 and certified by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF).” 

Hallcrest Vineyards was founded in 1941 by Chafee Hall, who made wines from estate-planted White Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Hall built the winery’s current buildings in 1945, producing his last wine in 1964, when he retired.  

John and Lorraine Schumacher and John’s sister Shirin purchased Hallcrest in September, 1987, restoring the name and the buildings. 

A budding biologist, 13, John Schumacher made his first wine at age 13 from plums plucked from a family tree while his parents were away. He went directly from high school to the U.C. Davis enology program, and today he’s to be found harvesting grapes or driving a forklift around the property. Enjoy their wine cartoon book available in the tasting room. 

Featured wines include Hallcrest Chardonnay, Clos de Jeannine (Rhone style red), Pinot Noir, Veilig, Syrah, Cabernet/Merlot blends, Cabernet Sauvignon; Organic Wine Works Chardonnay, Radical Red, A Notre Terre blend, Carignane, Syrah, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and Vinotopia Ice Wine. 

Hallcrest Vineyards and The Organic Wine Works, 379 Felton Empire Road, Felton 95018; (831) 335-4441 or (800) 699-9463,www.webwinery.com/Hallcrest. Open 12 noon-5:00 p.m. daily. No tasting fee. Partly wheelchair accessible.  

My favorite restaurant in Felton is the copper-countered Cowboy Diner—a great place to watch sports or cartoons)—with its cowboy décor and chuckwagon cover draping the kitchen pass-through. 

The diner’s “outlaw cuisine” includes cowboy sushi, hot legs of chicken, prawn and mushroom quesadillas ($11), yam cakes ($5), ginger ribs ($14), and unusual large salads. Try the Wastenau of tilapia filet with jalapeno-lemon dressing ($12); the Bang Bang, Bang, with 8 ounces of marinated top sirloin on horseradish slaw ($12); the Big Bleu with charbroiled chicken, gorgonzola and hazelnuts ($9); or pork salad Annie with BBQ pulled pork ($10). A just plain green salad and corn bread is $6. Steaks and burgers are done to perfection, with special lunchtime burgers as low as $5.55, and crowned by the Ol’ Smokey—ground, smoked tri tip with melted cheese ($9). Coleslaw comes mounded on a separate plate with cilantro and basil and a pink marinated cabbage flower on top. Outdoor seating.  

Cowboy Diner, 6155 Highway 9, Felton 95018; (831) 335-2330. Beer and wine. Visa and MasterCard. Wheelchair accessible. 

Slightly south of “downtown” Felton is La Bruschetta, an Italian restaurant featuring Sicilian cuisine with Greek influences from the towns of Ragusa and Siracusa and some attributes of Arabian culture a la Palermo, all cooked from local organic ingredients and free range chickens. 

Chef/owner Luca Rubino creates breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast includes free range eggs and organic fruits, veggies, grains, flour, and dairy. Lunch features a variety of salads—from calamari and Caesar to oranges (all under $8)—panini, and a wide range of pastas. Dinner pastas are $14-$16, and entrees include swordfish stuffed with capers, black olives, onions raisins and pine nuts; prawns with garlic, capers and tomatoes; filet mignon baked with pancetta, onions, and rosemary, and veal rolled around mushroom and spinach stuffing topped with pecorino cheese (all $17-$20). Good Italian and short local wine list.  

La Bruschetta, 5447 Highway 9, Felton 95018; (831) 335-3337, fax: (831) 335-2556, www.labruschettasc.com. Open 8:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. daily. Beer and wine. Visa, MasterCard. Wheelchair accessible.