River Fox railbikes near Sacramento: family-friendly 10-mile ride
Riding historic train tracks on a railbiking adventure with River Fox Railbikes near Sacramento, California. Pairs of riders pedal two-seat, motor-assisted railbikes along the railroad tracks.
On a sunny Sunday afternoon in June, we hopped aboard a railbike for an hour-long railbiking adventure that took us past orchards, farmland, old barns, a sunflower field, and along the Sacramento River. Therese Iknoian and I were riding on 100-year-old R&R tracks with River Fox Railbikes, part of the River Fox Train operation near Sacramento, California.
This is a relatively new operation, as the first River Fox railbikes didn't depart the train station until June 20, 2020. But, despite COVID restrictions, the company has continued to provide railbiking adventures along this historic section of track ever since. River Fox offers various departure times beginning at 8:30 on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday mornings each week throughout the year.
What are railbikes?
Railbikes are pedal-powered carts that resemble recumbent bikes in how you sit and pedal. The specially designed carts feature large rubber-covered wheels for quiet, smooth rolling over railroad tracks. Companies typically design their own versions of a railbike, but each is decidedly similar in approach. Some, like these, offer a motor assist (just like you find on an electric bike) to help with any uphill sections. Of course, in Sacramento, rolling along beside the river, there are no hills! So the assist is most handy when starting up again from a stop at a crossing.
Dr Whoo (the very wise owl) and Tiny Wilbur (the stylish but decidedly small moose) LOVE railbiking, even if their legs don’t reach the pedals. They share a helmet and rely on the electric assist to help power them down the tracks on a very special railbiking adventure.
A bit of local railroad history
The tracks on which the River Fox Railbikes and the train run were built in 1922 by Northern Electric Company to transport passengers between Woodland and West Sacramento. In 1941, passenger service ended, and the tracks served diesel freight trains carrying farm produce from the Sacramento Valley to the rest of California. In 2003, Sierra Railroad merged with the West Sacramento / Woodland line and revived passenger service operating as the Sacramento River Train. Today, the River Fox Train (and railbikes) is owned by Mendocino Railway and is a sister company of the famous Skunk Train, which also operates its own railbiking adventure.
These railbikes are light and easy to pedal
Each railbike seats two people and features an electric-assist motor, allowing riders to rest between active pedaling sections. The amount of rest and non-pedaling is entirely up to you. Pedaling the railbikes is relatively easy, making it a suitable adventure for any age or level of fitness.
One person in each cart becomes the designated driver, operating both the handbrakes to ensure you don’t go too fast or bump into carts in front of you, as well as activating the motor assist as needed. The track is relatively flat, however, and the distance traveled is only about 10 miles round-trip. On our trip, people of all ages, including children, enjoyed the ride.
Short and scenic railbiking adventure with River Fox Railbikes
While the out-and-back adventure is relatively short, it is pretty scenic, enjoyable, and takes you past farms and orchards (and a lovely sunflower field in season) that you would not ordinarily see. At the beginning of the route, you ride along rails running along the Sacramento River, veering from the river for the latter part and moving through farmlands.
The turnaround point is rather nondescript. Just a designated point in the track where the lead conductor calls out for everybody to stop. Everyone disembarks and then stands trackside while the two conductors work to turn the railbikes around for the return journey. Unfortunately, there was nothing much to see, with no tables or chairs, so on our pretty warm day, everybody just huddled in the shade.
Trips go rain or shine, so dress accordingly, including rain gear if needed. And be sure to pack along a camera or smartphone, water, sunscreen, snacks, and insect repellent, depending on the time of year.
Disclosure: We were hosted by River Fox Railbikes for the railbiking journey. Any reviews, mentions, and opinions here are our own, and are not approved, provided, or otherwise endorsed or influenced by River Fox, its parent company, or Visit Yolo County.
