Came here for a short stroll along the coast on a day trip to Santa Cruz... I was impressed!…read moreExpansive and well maintained trails matched with beautiful views and wildlife! You can even go down to beaches, although the water doesn't look the best for swimming. Many birds and seals, and I believe the trail is pet friendly as well!

I often stop here for a picnic on my ride on the rail trail from Santa Cruz. The new trail…read moreextension to Davenport is almost complete!! Wilder ranch is such a great place. I bought a patch last weekend. Can't wait to eat another picnic lunch here while biking between Santa Cruz and Davenport!

Go on a weekday; the parking areas fill up quickly on weekends. It's $8 to park, and it's best to…read morebring exact change. The redwoods are not as magestic as the ones at Henry Cowell, but it's just as relaxing. There are a lot of loop trails around the ranger station. You can hike next to the stream going north, and cross at various points. You will find bridges, as well as clusters of rocks that are crossable. There is poison ivy that intrudes into the pathway; take precautions. Also treat your shoes with tick-repellent.

Beautiful forest with creeks, huge trees and banana slugs. Cool and shady. Many trails are…read morerelatively easy even if you're tired like I was. We've actually been here twice and enjoyed both times.

Seems like brown dry grassland for 1st. 1/2 mile. Then the creek is an overgrown trickle of water…read more I'd recommend staying on other side of highway & hiking along the cliffs & beaches.

When in Santa Cruz come to Moore Creek Preserve. Local Meetup groups frequent this and t's a fun…read morewalk when in a group

This checked all my boxes for a great hike: woodsy, water, scenic, peaceful, moderate, posted…read moresigns, and free parking was a bonus. We arrived around 10:15 am on a Thursday, and there were still a few parking spots in their smallish parking lot. I'm sure you'd have to come much earlier on the weekend. There's a map of the various trails. We decided to do a loop of: Fall Creek - S-cape - Ridge trail - back to parking lot. The Fall Creek section was very easy, and you're walking along the creek with a few small waterfalls to admire. A couple of times you cross over the creek, but there are planks to walk on. I couldn't stop taking pictures during this section. There's a bit of elevation when you get to the Ridge trail section, but nothing too bad. The only thing to be cautious of is the abundance of poison oak. There are some narrow paths where the poison oak was spilling over from both sides of the path. TIP: wear long pants. This is a hike that I'd come back to.

#641 #1/25 A very…read moreBeLated review of '23 summer hike... til next visit to a Lusher forest :) Started from Big Ben near Bonny Doon airport to Fall Creek and return. Climb Dry rebirth after the fire Me n this Forest Scenery is an old growth forest with little ground cover other than Redwood sorrels after the fire. Entirely canopied, easy and well kept but a steep trail. Heard owls at the top near Big Ben, a squirrel, few birds and some grasshoppers. Otherwise pretty quiet. Fall Creek had steady water flowing and a tiny waterfall at the time of my visit. Pups are NOT allowed here. Less visited old growth forest as the trail is continuous elevation down to Fall Creek and back up to Big Ben. A couple of crossing to HC Lime Kilns where the lime was used to rebuild SFO post 1906 earthquake and to Lost Empire. Signals were virtually nonexistent and the BBT is NOT marked! I took pictures of the Trail descriptions and maps prior to and that was helpful. Go with someone who is familiar with these trails or download descriptions and good trail mapS. Felton Empire Rd runs through it. There is NO parking lot or any signs to per se. Once you find the trail, you can park on the shoulder. Pro tip: It's MUCH easier to find and start from Bennet Creek to Fall Creek Trailhead as there is a parking lot off Felton Road. About 3 to 8.4 miles hike depending on the trails (partial loop) you choose with little to ~1500 ft elevation if you hike to Big Ben and entire loop (8.4 miles). Recommend water, protein bars and comfortable shoes.

The park is okay, but the bathrooms are not the best. One bathroom stall didn't latch closed and…read morethe other one had a homeless guy staying in it. We had to go somewhere else.

Made a stop here after a visit to our favorite Natural Bridges Beach to try and get a run or jog…read morein to burn off all the calories from picnicking. This is a small neighborhood park. There is a bball court where an intense game was ensuing. There is a small playground, some benches by a bbq area. It is on the small side and not much of an option for a run, so ended up leaving fairly quickly.

Such a cool neighborhood park with 3 different sets of slides and some shade. One set of slides is…read morea long run, old school metal with several dips and generally there is cardboard at the bottom you can use to help you get more lift. There is a kiddie playground, too. And there is a basketball half court. Benches and picnic tables for snacks. Nice views of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk in the distance.

A beautiful spot to sit in the shade and read, shoot hoops,or just gaze at the Boardwalk and ocean…read more Street parking only (including two handicapped spots), so try to come on a weekday. Several benches, but we take our folding chairs. Bring the dog -- they can be unleashed in part of the park. A functional restroom with two unisex stalls near the entrance -- an outside sink and soap dispenser complete the facility. I'm experiencing a profound sense of peace, despite the occasional screams from people on the rides at the Boardwalk.

Tucked along the Santa Cruz County coast near Davenport, this 5,800-acre land of the California…read moreCoastal National Monument just opened to the public. It is quite magical and special! What you will find are wildly diverse landscapes of Redwood groves, coastal bluffs, grasslands, and wildflowers all in one hike. There is steelhead in the streams, mountain lions in the hills, hawks overhead, and yes, even grazing cows This places offer several trails which will fit almost for everyone. Easy loops like Hawk Trail and Tree Trail, and tougher trails for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. Permit required for horses and some certain bikes on some trails. There's a secret hidden gem as a way to access to undeveloped pocket beaches like Shark Fin Cove. Huge free parking lot! Dogs are welcome on leash. Cotoni Coast Daries is relatively new to the public alr iconic. If you love the California coast, this is a must-see. Don't sleep on it.

We were excited to explore a new trail in the area that is also dog friendly! We had prepared to do…read moreboth the Hawk (Káknu) and Tree (Huyya) trails but decided to stick to the Hawk (Káknu) only. It's exposed and quite dusty so plan accordingly -- primarily sun protection. There were friendly hikers and bikers on the trail and the views were quite beautiful! I also appreciated many of the bench's set up along the trails too. The restrooms were clean. The only thing I wished for was a sink or some way to wash hands at the restroom area.

West Cliff Drive is a scenic route starting downtown at the pier that winds along the rugged…read morecoastline northward to the Natural Bridges Park. This beautiful path is approximately 3 miles long which can be enjoyed by walking, biking or a slow ride in one's vehicle. A good portion of the route is wheelchair accessible. It is a great route to enjoy the sights and sounds of the abundant marine life including seals and dolphins, the waters of the Pacific ocean and Monterey Bay, fantastic views of the rugged coastline, and the waters full of surfers at iconic Steamer Lane. There are a few parking spots along the way. The parking lot at the north end of West Cliff Drive can fill up quickly.

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