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!

Really nice park with a lot of space. It is right by a school. There is a big playground for the…read morekids. If you head up the stairs, there is a huge field with a large running track around it which worked out well for me. BTW, what's the scoop with the blue balls all around, someone has a sense of humor!

Don't come here for a kids birthday party without a reservation. They do not have public picnic…read moretables (mostly on weekends), when they are "reserved". Pretty ridiculous to have zero public tables at a public park

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.

First time hiking here but it's was worth the $8 entrance fee. Sure the waterfall wasn't as big as…read morewe hope for but still enjoyed it ! It's peaceful and the trails were well marked, will definitely come back if we are vacation down that area

stopped here because highway 9 closed. 5 year old and 3 year old had fun. Little mushy from the…read morerain. Near where we're staying so super convenient.

I'm glad this park is here and I'm glad that it's being looked after…read more I was wrong to make my previous review.

I love this park! There are plenty of trails and they are well maintained. Dog friendly - I saw…read moreseveral people with their dogs

This is large open space in the hills of Santa Cruz near the UC. It is not really a public park in…read moreterms of there aren't a whole lot of public benches, picnic tables, garbage receptacles, playgrounds etc... What it does have are numerous trails, most if not all are unpaved that weave into this raw open space. Some parts of the hills are open grass lands thus no shade. Some trails go into a forested area where lots of trees are some being smaller redwoods, thus lots of shade there. I picked a route/loop that was about 4 miles that had a little incline and mostly through the forested area. It was mostly on the Spring Trail. There's an old Limestone Kiln on this trail that used to extract limestone from rocks, which was then used for mortar and plaster to help build California in the 1900s. So a little piece of history here. Not crowded at all (which I love) during a Monday afternoon. More joggers than hikers for some reason, no bikers that I saw and lots of leashed dogs strolling with their owners. Santa Cruz is a very dog friendly town. I'm assuming most if not all users here are from the surrounding neighborhoods/university. I ran into lots of colorful plant life along with the birds those tow, small lizards basking in the sun and even a 3 foot snake right on the trail. Startled me at first as it is well camouflaged on the dirt and shade from the trees. I could tell by the shape of the head that it wasn't a rattle snake, so I just carefully stepped around it as not startle it. Unlike many people I don't freak out on these occurrences, so this was more exciting to me than worrisome. But glad I found this open space as I often like to exercise/hike while I'm visiting an area and now I can pair this with some beach relaxation afterwards. Santa Cruz score!

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.

Stopped off after a beach visit nearby. This looks like a great neighborhood overall and this park…read moreadds to it. There are incredible views of the ocean and the hills from here. The park itself is tiny and there is a skate park as well and I am sure this is super popular with the neighbors. Was nice to see families hanging out here on a Saturday morning.

What is this neighborhood park? So clean and new…read moreLet's check it out before it gets dark! This was way before COVID19 When the playground was still open And together kids were seen None of them had Genotropin Sliding, climbing, running, jumping Kids playing with other kids Wasn't the time for social distancing They couldn't shut their lids! A skating park nearby Many kids rolling and laughing I heard a baby cry Dinner time and I'm done photographing So we had to say bye!

5-STARS FOR SEACLIFF STATE BEACH! Home from our beach day…read moredate, and I have to say... this beach was BEACHING! Today was exactly what we needed--relaxing, mood-boosting, peaceful, and simply enjoyable. Sometimes a day by the ocean really does feel like a reset button for the soul. We arrived early, chose our spot wisely, and settled in for the day. The weather was absolutely perfect! The waves were crashing and hugging the sand like a long-lost friend. The birds were birding (including one beautiful little feathered friend whose name I couldn't remember--and unfortunately, I couldn't get a picture either ‍). The dogs were out there pupping around in the water, happily retrieving balls and sticks their humans tossed for them. And the kids were everywhere--playing, splashing, laughing, and having the absolute BEST time in the sun. One of the things I really appreciate about Seacliff State Beach is how accessible and accommodating it is. Beach accessibility Handicap parking available Clean restrooms Working showers Clean changing rooms Covered picnic areas Pet-friendly amenities, including dog bowls with clean, fresh water And the parking is very reasonable at $10 for the day, with seniors receiving $1 off. That's a pretty great deal for spending an entire day at the beach! We even got lucky enough to see dolphins swimming by! We also spotted a healthy seal enjoying the water. Unfortunately, we did see another seal on the beach that appeared very lethargic and remained there for much of the day. That part was heartbreaking to see. I sincerely hope someone was able to get the appropriate wildlife professionals involved. And then there was our little tent adventure. Packing it up was easy enough... until we tried getting it back into its bag with the wind fighting us every step of the way! So we decided to bring it home and fold it back up in the garage where Mother Nature couldn't interfere with our packing skills. After a full day of sunshine, fresh ocean air, good food, beautiful scenery, wildlife, and just enjoying each other's company, we came home feeling relaxed, refreshed, and grateful. And if you know the area, Seacliff State Beach is also conveniently close to some great local spots, including Manuel's Restaurant, Marianna's Ice Cream Parlor, and Snow White's, just to name a few. WOULD ABSOLUTELY VISIT AGAIN! Seacliff State Beach checked all the boxes for us: accessibility, amenities, family-friendly fun, pet-friendly spaces, beautiful scenery, and a perfect place to spend a relaxing day by the ocean. The beach was beaching.The birds were birding.The waves were waving.The dogs were pupping.And we were just grateful to be there. Sometimes you don't need anything fancy. Just a beach, a picnic, someone you love, and a beautiful day. Until the next beach day...

I saw pictures of Seacliff State Beach online and wanted to check it out. I drove out there and it…read morewas pretty crowded. Parking is $10 but if you come late in the day, there's no parking in the lower lot. I parked in the upper lot and walked down the long step of stairs. It wasn't too bad. The view was incredible especially with the sunken ship. It used to be a restaurant and entertainment venue. However, the pier leading to the ship is long gone. There is a visitor's center where you can buy gifts and also learn the history about Seacliff State Beach and also look through a telescope to see the sunken ship much better. The beach was very packed and if you're going there to relax and swim, it's the best place to do so. There's not much to do around. There's no restaurants or shops next to the beach but that's fine because it keeps it natural. There was still a lot of damage to the parking lots and parts of the beach from previous floods and storm damage. There are plenty of bathrooms along the beach but bring your own soap and toilet paper because there isn't any. Overall, it was a nice beach and good place to relax and frolic in the sand and water.