From a bench along Main St, I sat and studied the black cars of the McCloud Railway Company. The train sat silent and deserted, as I had arrived in McCloud, CA, on a quiet, Sunday evening. Only a hint of activity surrounded me, a few people taking walks, a local resident opening the door to his car.

The signs for the railway company proudly offered “Train Rides: 4:00 – Open Air Excursions, 6:00 – Dinner Train.” The Sunset Dinner Train is one of McCloud’s interest points, running Thurs, Fri. and Sat. during the summer season and Sat. only during the remainder of the year.

I had come to this small Northern California town, however, for what sat behind me, the historic McCloud Hotel. Now a National Register Historic Landmark, the hotel spent the late 1980’s and early 1990’s empty and condemned. During this period of time, the stately guest house that had once provided housing for lumber mill workers sat as an empty shell of the building it had been when first built in 1915.

Thanks to the efforts of Lee and Marilyn Ogden, who purchased the property in 1993 and reopened it two years later, visitors to the Mt. Shasta area have an excellent lodging option in this meticulously restored historic hotel.

I was checked into the hotel by Lee, who was juggling a multitude of tasks behind the front desk, yet still managed to extend a warm welcome.

My room faced the front of the building, with large windows that let in a glorious amount of light. Beautifully decorated in soft tones, with a queen bed, small sitting area and private bath, it was everything I needed and more. Downstairs common areas offered books, games and plenty of seating areas, all surrounded with rich woodwork and historic décor.

I arrived after the hotel’s complimentary wine and appetizer hour, served from 4:30 to 5:30 in the afternoon. But I had plenty of time to enjoy the warm ambiance of the lobby during the evening.

Not wanting to venture far from the comfy lodging, I grabbed a quick bite for dinner just down the block, returning to the hotel after that for a peaceful night of reading.

The next morning ushered in stunning weather and the hotel’s complimentary full breakfast – often served in the indoor lobby or dining room - was being served in the north garden. I grabbed a small table in the patio and took a deep breath of the morning air.

A carafe of fresh orange juice soon appeared on my table, along with a steaming cup of hot coffee. A dish of fresh peaches accompanied the beverages, with light cream that was whipped with sugar and cinnamon. Not to be upstaged by the first course, an entrée of Apple Layered French Toast with ham and berry syrup soon followed, spruced up with an attractive orange and strawberry garnish. It was all delicious, made even better by the warmth of the sun and serenity of the garden.

There are always small delights that are unique to each visit at an inn. I watched a tiny chipmunk scurry across the patio, sneak into the building and exit just as quickly. I listened to the animated conversation at a nearby table from guests who were in town for five days of square dancing at a large dance hall in town.

McCloud grew up as a company town for the McCloud River Lumber Company, established in 1896, which handled vast resources of Ponderosa and Sugar pine in the area. The decline in lumber activity over the last century has made way for tourism to build.

Aside from McCloud itself, Mt. Shasta – the city, not the mountain – is just twelve miles up the road. Summer seasons in Siskiyou Country offer a wide variety of outdoor activities and winter opens up a snow-filled scene of its own. Burney Falls offers excellent hiking and photographic opportunities. Fly-fishing, rock climbing and hot air ballooning are all possibilities, too.

I didn’t have enough time in McCloud. I would have enjoyed taking a ride on the Sunset Dinner Train, to see the area’s outstanding scenery from a restored 1916 dining car. And a relaxing afternoon in the McCloud Hotel’s lobby would have been enjoyable, as well.

I stopped briefly in the small city of Mt. Shasta, just to look around and, admittedly, to pick up some homemade blackberry cobbler at the Black Bear Diner. But it was time to move on to Oregon, so I drove north on Hwy 5 and crossed the border into California’s northern neighboring state.