Dunsmuir, Siskiyou County’s Little Town with a Big Heart
By
Christie Nelson
A funny thing happened on the way to Shasta; we discovered delightful Dunsmuir.
What I knew about thisNorthern California
historic
railroad town perched on the edge of Interstate Five could fit in a
thimble. Travel
time from the Bay Area
and/or Sacramento 
What I found out after several days of sampling its natural charms is that Dunsmuir is a friendly village set in an emerald forest alongside the upper fork of theSacramento
River
in sight of the chiseled 6,000 foot granite spires of Castle Crags.
It boasts a burgeoning art scene, old-times shops like the Dunsmuir Hardware filled with vintage collectibles, inviting restaurants and a Union Pacific Rail Yard where you can see the only operating turntable in the Western States, and do a bit of train spotting when trains come thundering through the canyon carrying lumber down from Canada or Amtrak passengers up to Seattle. And if this isn’t enough to wet your appetite, how about the opportunity to meet the citizens of Dunsmuir who modestly share the good news about their town and take time to get to know a bit about you?
On our first morning, October rain did not dampen the cheer and delicious breakfast at the Cornerstone Café and Bakery. While digging into berry pancakes and a pumpkin latte, we chatted with world-class fly-fishing guide Fred Gordon who was hanging his glazed ceramic fish sculptures on the wall of the café. While I don’t fish and my husband’s idea of fishing is to catch a nap without dropping the pole; but after spending awhile in Fred’s company and viewing his talent at capturing the beauty of multiple fish forms, I almost wished I had taken up the sport. If you’re interested in contacting Fred about renting a year round, stream side vacation cabin on theSacramento River , or acquire his ability
to
lead you on an angling adventure, no doubt you’d be in for a
treat.
After breakfast, the weather that our server described as “a big wet wind that rained apples down in my orchard” turned to a downpour. We decided to follow her recommendation to try a soak and sauna at Stewart’s Mineral Springs, further up the road in Weed.
Stewart’s Mineral Springs, over 100 years, is reputed to have the oldest wood-burning sauna in the country and healing mineral waters that cure any number of maladies. Our regime in this back-to-nature bathhouse included three dips in claw foot tubs filled to the brim with silky steaming hot water interspersed with bone-warming trips to the spacious sauna and cool showers in-between. Because the creek was running so fast we didn’t have to be persuaded to skip the customary ritual of dipping into the icy pools. The staff is friendly and helpful and want to make sure that you’ll be “in the pink” before you leave. We met a few folks who like to spend a few nights in one of the rustic cabins and they mentioned that the food at the on-site restaurant is quite good.
That evening lights glowed from the windows of Café Maddalena, at the bottom of a steep hill across from the Dunsmuir train station. Greeted by the chef-owner, Brett LaMott and his wife Nancy, we were glad we had a reservation at this popular destination. We tucked into a small table, ordered wine from their international wine list, savored onion-laced focaccia, and studied the Mediterranean menu. We poured over choices prepared from local produce, fish, poultry, and meats influenced by cooking traditions ofSpain , Italy ,
southern France ,
Morocco
and Algeria
The next morning in our fisherman’s retreat, golden sun streamed through the windows and steam rose off a mossy redwood trunk alongside the river. Creek rhubarb had turned red along the banks, and, on the opposite side of the river, amongst a wood of Live Oak, Cedar, Sugar Pine, Ponderosa Pine, and Douglas Fir, yellow Bigleaf Maple leaves floated out over the river.
We tore ourselves away and headed out toCastle Crags State Park
After a hearty soup and salad at Brown Trout Café and Gallery, we wandered down the sidewalk into Window Box Nursery where my husband was drawn to an Espalier apple and pear tree on a high wall. Cheryl Petty, owner, nursery woman, and painter, has created a splendid collection of native plants and bonsai. She invited us into her studio at the back of the nursery. Her pen and ink drawings and paintings lined the walls. We spotted Jim Scott, bonsai master, through the window applying his artistry to a bonsai tree beside a waterfall. I couldn’t leave without purchasing one of her luminous blue landscapes, “Stars overGumboot
Lake 
Our final stop was at Railroad Park Resort where you can sleep in a caboose and dine in a railway car. We toured the resort and peeked into the cabooses that are scattered across the property and refurbished with brass beds, comfortable chairs, and bathrooms. We were told that families from north and south frequently make this their annual meeting place even in the snow. Cabins with kitchens and an RV park are part of the mix here at this unusual getaway spot.
In the evening we were torn between having dinner at Sengthong’s, the Tai restaurant everyone was raving about and then catching the music at their Blue Sky Room, or, staying in and watching the Red Sox beat the Rockies in the playoffs. In the end, the Red Sox won. There’s something about baseball and the snap of cold air, and this year we had a river to sing us to sleep and the call of the train rolling through Dunsmuir to tease our dreams.
LIST OF PLACES AND PEOPLE
A funny thing happened on the way to Shasta; we discovered delightful Dunsmuir.
What I knew about this
What I found out after several days of sampling its natural charms is that Dunsmuir is a friendly village set in an emerald forest alongside the upper fork of the
It boasts a burgeoning art scene, old-times shops like the Dunsmuir Hardware filled with vintage collectibles, inviting restaurants and a Union Pacific Rail Yard where you can see the only operating turntable in the Western States, and do a bit of train spotting when trains come thundering through the canyon carrying lumber down from Canada or Amtrak passengers up to Seattle. And if this isn’t enough to wet your appetite, how about the opportunity to meet the citizens of Dunsmuir who modestly share the good news about their town and take time to get to know a bit about you?
On our first morning, October rain did not dampen the cheer and delicious breakfast at the Cornerstone Café and Bakery. While digging into berry pancakes and a pumpkin latte, we chatted with world-class fly-fishing guide Fred Gordon who was hanging his glazed ceramic fish sculptures on the wall of the café. While I don’t fish and my husband’s idea of fishing is to catch a nap without dropping the pole; but after spending awhile in Fred’s company and viewing his talent at capturing the beauty of multiple fish forms, I almost wished I had taken up the sport. If you’re interested in contacting Fred about renting a year round, stream side vacation cabin on the
After breakfast, the weather that our server described as “a big wet wind that rained apples down in my orchard” turned to a downpour. We decided to follow her recommendation to try a soak and sauna at Stewart’s Mineral Springs, further up the road in Weed.
Stewart’s Mineral Springs, over 100 years, is reputed to have the oldest wood-burning sauna in the country and healing mineral waters that cure any number of maladies. Our regime in this back-to-nature bathhouse included three dips in claw foot tubs filled to the brim with silky steaming hot water interspersed with bone-warming trips to the spacious sauna and cool showers in-between. Because the creek was running so fast we didn’t have to be persuaded to skip the customary ritual of dipping into the icy pools. The staff is friendly and helpful and want to make sure that you’ll be “in the pink” before you leave. We met a few folks who like to spend a few nights in one of the rustic cabins and they mentioned that the food at the on-site restaurant is quite good.
That evening lights glowed from the windows of Café Maddalena, at the bottom of a steep hill across from the Dunsmuir train station. Greeted by the chef-owner, Brett LaMott and his wife Nancy, we were glad we had a reservation at this popular destination. We tucked into a small table, ordered wine from their international wine list, savored onion-laced focaccia, and studied the Mediterranean menu. We poured over choices prepared from local produce, fish, poultry, and meats influenced by cooking traditions of
The next morning in our fisherman’s retreat, golden sun streamed through the windows and steam rose off a mossy redwood trunk alongside the river. Creek rhubarb had turned red along the banks, and, on the opposite side of the river, amongst a wood of Live Oak, Cedar, Sugar Pine, Ponderosa Pine, and Douglas Fir, yellow Bigleaf Maple leaves floated out over the river.
We tore ourselves away and headed out to
After a hearty soup and salad at Brown Trout Café and Gallery, we wandered down the sidewalk into Window Box Nursery where my husband was drawn to an Espalier apple and pear tree on a high wall. Cheryl Petty, owner, nursery woman, and painter, has created a splendid collection of native plants and bonsai. She invited us into her studio at the back of the nursery. Her pen and ink drawings and paintings lined the walls. We spotted Jim Scott, bonsai master, through the window applying his artistry to a bonsai tree beside a waterfall. I couldn’t leave without purchasing one of her luminous blue landscapes, “Stars over
Our final stop was at Railroad Park Resort where you can sleep in a caboose and dine in a railway car. We toured the resort and peeked into the cabooses that are scattered across the property and refurbished with brass beds, comfortable chairs, and bathrooms. We were told that families from north and south frequently make this their annual meeting place even in the snow. Cabins with kitchens and an RV park are part of the mix here at this unusual getaway spot.
In the evening we were torn between having dinner at Sengthong’s, the Tai restaurant everyone was raving about and then catching the music at their Blue Sky Room, or, staying in and watching the Red Sox beat the Rockies in the playoffs. In the end, the Red Sox won. There’s something about baseball and the snap of cold air, and this year we had a river to sing us to sleep and the call of the train rolling through Dunsmuir to tease our dreams.
LIST OF PLACES AND PEOPLE
Dunsmuir
Chamber of Commerce, 1-800-DUNSMUIR, http://www.dunsmuir.com
Dunsmuir
Hardware,
Amtrak
Depot, 800-USA-RAIL
Cornerstone
Café and Bakery,
Fred
Gordon, Fly Fishing Guide and Streamside Rental, 530-235-2676, http://www.fredgordon.net
Stewart’s
Mineral Springs,
Café
Maddalena,
Brown
Trout Café and Gallery,
Window
Box Nursery and
Railway
Park Resort,
Senthongs/Blue
Sky Room,
Photos
courtesy of Dunsmuir Chamber of Commerce and Railroad Park Resort
©
11-2007 Christie Nelson