Back in the mid-80's, my younger brother and I had a bit of cabin fever, and decided to walk from our grandparents' central Watsonville home, up to Mount Madonna park. We made it about 2/3rds of the way up the winding, two lane road before a passing motorist stopped for us. The driver told us to pile into the bed of his pickup truck, then shortly after dropped us off at the park. My brother and I briefly explored the park, but dusk was approaching. Back in the days when there were public pay phones aplenty, we used a dime (or perhaps a quarter) to telephone our grandparents to ask for a car ride back down the mountain. In our youthful minds, it was just a little adventure, but our grandparents spoke of it for years afterwards. read more

On a warm Sat at the end of Feb, I hiked with 2 friends on an 8 miles, 700 ft elevation gain, Sprig, Merry-Go-Round, and Tan Oak Loop. Paid $6, parked at the Amphitheater at 9am. Headed over to the ruins of Miller's Mansion. The forest grove sure was pretty and tranquil. The lake was nice but far away. Saw some benches carved out of huge logs, very cute. Too bad we missed the white deer pen. We completed the hike exactly at noon, 3 hours hike. read more

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My mom has not been up here for over 30 years and she out of the blue said. Let's take a picnic lunch and so we went up.. It was super quiet as it is off season. I would love to go next year and spend a night on the ridge. Might be fun.. but lovely day to just be cruising in the woods.. read more

Mount Madonna County Park - Front entrance is off 152 and it was a great day to come in.. - Parks Near Me - Watsonville, California

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Mountain of Youth ±4,600-acre park located in the Santa Cruz Mountains and situated between Morgan Hill and Watsonville. The Good: *Archery range *Camping available *Visitor Center *Picnic areas *Over fourteen miles of trails with some nice loops *Redwoods! *Trails are mostly shaded and in decent shape. *If you're a banana slug fan then this is the place for you. Even in the dead of summer we will still see at least a few of these iconic mollusks. *Restrooms (see map) The Meh: *$6 entrance fee but at least they accept credit card. The Ugly: *Some of the uphills here are a real wicked pissah! Just remember when you go downhill for a while, that eventually you're gonna have to come back up that hill... Conclusion: Great park with lots of amenities and some great nature. read more

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What a beautiful place to camp! The redwoods are stunning. I arrived and was greeted by a friendly and helpful park ranger at the entrance. I drive easily to my camp site and set up camp. The spots are set in a way that give you descent privacy from your camping neighbors. I am already planning on another booking soon! read more

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Very clean. Great trails for easy to moderate hikes. Access is easy. Beautiful trails and views. Would definitely recommend it.

Just went camping here, it was amazing! Took my toddlers and we hiked some of the meadow trail and it was such an amazing sight! The weather was a bit chilly but the sun was warm. Weret too many bugs which was great! read more

Mount Madonna County Park - Meadow trail - Parks Near Me - Watsonville, California

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It was a long drive to get there, but worth it. The park is really nice. They have an archery range. The bathrooms and showers are very clean . We saw a woodpecker, and quail. The camp sites have bear boxes.( we didn't see any bears). read more

The campground is beautiful. Bathrooms are clean. Staff is very nice. Make sure you enter the park from the Gilroy area.

I must admit I felt like a true explorer here. I didn't have cell service and was unable to use my all trails app, so a real map it was! We hiked the Meadow loop trail which intersected with the Blue Springs trail. Fining the trail starting point and where to park was a little confusing, but once we were on the trail it was marked really well. Each post we came to was numbered, so we were able to follow along on the map and ensure we were going the right direction. We came a couple weeks after some heavy rain so the trail was very wet and had quite a few downed trees. We were able to climb over most of the trees, but one covered so much of the trail that we had had to cut through the brush to get around it. I highly recommend picking up a map on your way in because there are many trails and it could be pretty easy to get lost if you don't know exactly where you're going. Entrance fee is $6, as it is with most if not all count parks in SCC. Plenty of different areas to park and begin your hike. Trails range in length and moderation. read more

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Mount Madonna is a redwood park in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It is the perfect getaway from the Bay Area as it is only 45-50 minutes away from San Jose. Really close to winery's if you want to drop by and pick up wine on the way for your camping trip. It's close to civilization, but just far enough away too. We had spotty service, but you're there for camping and to get away, so that's fine. BUT if you really can't get away, you might be able to find some places with cell service. And there's a plug in the main bathroom if you really did want/need to charge your phones. We camped in Huckleberry and our reserved area was the gigantic one that is actually meant for about 100 people that is also the closest to the park entrance. Definitely bigger than our group of about 15-20 people needed, but it was amazing. We were really close to the main bathrooms and public showers. Cleaned daily, showers are free and are on a timer. Our campsite had a fire pit, picnic tables, bbq grill pit, a water spout that even had a holder for your soap, plenty of room to setup camp. Even though we were close to the main bathrooms, we did have 3 porta-potties for if you need to go in the middle of the night or don't care to walk out of your campsite. Rangers were really friendly and helped us decide what hiking trail would be great for our kids. We found out they have yurts and also offer RV camping. We camped in June, so it was pretty hot during the day, but there's plenty of shade to stay cool. read more

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I grew up in Gilroy Ca.. Mount Madonna was our back yard. It is a beautiful park. The trees, plants, animals. Wild deer running around the trails.. The trails are miles to your needs. Plenty of great clean air hiking the mountain. You are in a little altitude so you can feel it in your lungs. They got the horseback trails and camping available. Next time I go up. I promise some good pics. But for now take my review and check out their website. The hiking is what I did more of. They got those slopes, hills and 30, 40, 45, 60 degree angles and and some pretty cool deep dark forest land. Almost feels like you in a movie set for Lord of the Rings, Underworld, Robin Hood.. It will work out your heart and lungs and give your brain some good oxygen. They are on top of the Mountain and when you are leaving the park you can either go towards the beach or back into the valley. Kind of gives you that choice. Right? or Left? where do you want to go. East or West. Yelp it out and see what you think. read more

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Nice views! Lots of incline on the trail we did, but it was a good hike overall. Benches and some shade before the morning fog burned off. read more

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Great campground. Lots to explore. Close to Gilroy gardens for a day trip. Our granddaughters had lots of fun! read more

My boyfriend discovered this park via AllTrails when we were looking for an area to hike near Gilroy. I highly recommend the 2.4 mile Mount Madonna Meadow Trail Loop if you are looking for an intermediate trail with views. AllTrails lists this loop as an easy one, but this trail isn't the simplest as many parts were quite steep going both uphill and downhill. It is a great workout for anyone who isn't in the greatest shape, but is working on that New Year's resolution! There are restrooms, mostly portable, throughout the park. Day passes are $6 per vehicle and they take credit card which is a huge plus. If you are looking for a particular hiking trail, there should be enough cell reception to utilize Google maps to get you to the start of your trail. We arrived around 4:30pm on a Saturday and it wasn't crowded at all. Highly recommend if you're looking for an unique and not-so-crowded hike during COVID! read more

Mount Madonna County Park - Mount Madonna Meadow Trail Loop - Parks Near Me - Watsonville, California

This is a beautiful and well maintained park. Great hiking trails amongst the big trees. The restrooms were clean. We hiked up the ridge trail which will provide a moderate workout to reach the top. Didn't encounter many people on this day. But, there were some younger hikers shouting out to each other which disrupted the peacefulness of the forest. Otherwise, listening to the wind blowing through the trees was awesome. Most other hikers were respectful, but please remember to wear your mask when you encounter other hikers. read more

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Mt Madonna is so beautiful! I'm so happy that i just live 15 mins away from it! See pictures of what you can expect :) There is a parking fee of $6. Nothing to the nature therapy this county park will give you! Tips: it's up in the mountain and can get pretty cold up here so layer up! Note: There's camping, will have to let my friends know so we can try it out! read more

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Mount Madonna is an amazing redwood park in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It is the perfect getaway from the Bay Area as it is only 45-50 minutes away from San Jose. My husband and I recently camped here for two nights. We stayed in the Valley View #3 Campground. This is a very nice campsite and had all the essentials- food locker, fire pit, picnic tables, and plenty of room to set up camp. This campground had one bathroom, however, this bathroom does not a shower. The closest shower to this campground is near the main entrance of the park next to the Valley View #1 campground. When we arrived, the ranger at the gate was very friendly. She provided us very accurate directions on how to get to the campground and even sold us some firewood. We weren't even thinking about fires, but I am happy she offered the idea to us and we were sold. I can't remember the exact price, but I think the firewood is around $13/box, and it is sold by a ranger at the entrance of the park. On the 2nd day of our trip, we did a lovely 7 mile trail run. The Valley View #3 campground is really close to the trail to get to the Giant Twins. The Giant Twins are two massive trees in the park that are gated off because they have been around since the American Revolution in 1776. We then proceeded to take the Giant Twins trail back to the Sprig Trail, where we went on the Blackhawk trail, to the Ridge Trail, and then back on the Sprig trail to our campsite. All these trails were amazingly beautiful. The trails were about 99% covered and for the most part downhill. The only steep uphill parts were the beginning of the Sprig Trail. This trail was a 1.5 mile hill of death because it is so steep and strenuous. Nonetheless, we still enjoyed these trails and would defiantly come out here again to enjoy more of Mount Madonna's trails and camping. We camped in late March so it was still pretty cold and we even got some rain! If were to camp again, we would come back in the summer months for warmer weather. read more

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What an absolutely fantastic park! I am genuinely enchanted by its sheer size and the abundance of hiking trails it offers. My favorite time to visit is during the fall and winter seasons. There's something magical about the park during these months, especially around 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm, just before dusk. The atmosphere becomes incredibly mysterious, shrouded in a captivating blanket of fog that adds an enchanting touch to the surroundings. I can't help but fall in love with it every time I visit. If you're looking for a place that embodies the very essence of natural beauty and tranquility, this park is an absolute gem! read more

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If you're looking for an easy hike in a secluded coastal redwood forest , the Giant Twins Trail is a good one. It's a 1 mile out- in trail across from the Valley View 3 campground. We had the trail all to ourselves. The trail is shadowed by the canopy of giant Coastal Redwood trees so it's a bit dark , nevertheless beautiful. Trail rating: 4/5 Humans : 0 Wildlife: 0 Stroller friendly: No ADA compliance: No Wildflowers: Foxgloves, popcorn flowers read more

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Great time! Beautiful surroundings with even more beautiful people. This is our second time visiting. read more

Mount Madonna County Park - Parks Near Me - Watsonville, California

Great trails in the redwoods, with great views of the Monterey Bay. Extends down to the day use are off 152

We took a family trip here because we were looking to do something different. It's a little bit of a drive from the Bay Area (30-45 minutes from San Jose based on traffic) but it's got some wonderful hiking trails. You can camp there but we just hiked for about 1.5 hours. There is lot of shade so it's nice and cool. There are lots of trail options so make sure you get a map when you enter. We went on a Saturday and it was not crowded but just enough people that we did not feel like we were alone in the woods. I understand that they typically charge for parking but they were not on the day we were there. Our girls (5 & 7) had a great time. read more

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California Trip #3--2 "Faeries, come take me out of this dull world, For I would ride with you upon the wind, Run on the top of the disheveled tide, And dance upon the mountains like a flame." ― W.B. Yeats, The Land of Heart's Desire Whenever I come visit, hiking is my first priority. Unfortunately, several of the places on my list were closed due to the flood earlier this year. Mount Madonna County Park (MMCP) caught my eye and I decided to check it out since it was close to my hotel in Gilroy. "This 4,605 acre park is dominated by the redwood forest so characteristic of the Santa Cruz Mountain range. To the east, the park overlooks the Santa Clara Valley, to the west, Monterey Bay. As the slopes of Mt. Madonna descend toward the valley, the landscape changes from redwood forest to oak woodland, dense chaparral and grassy meadows" (https://www.sccgov.org). I was only able to visit just a small portion of this beautiful park. I was extremely excited that I finally spotted banana slugs while on the trail! Here are some of the activities at MMCP: * 118 drive-in and walk-in reservable campsites * Hikers and equestrians have access to an extensive 14 mile trail system * Mt Madonna Stables offers horseback trail rides * A one-mile self-guided nature trail winds around the ruins of cattle baron Henry Miller's summer home. * Archery Range * Amphitheater * Visitor center where the natural history, geology and cultural history of the park is highlighted. * Picnicking * The Giant Twins Trail (1/4-mile round trip) leads to two of only four of the park's ancient redwoods, which were struck by lightning and are hollow. The other two old-growth redwoods are off-trail and unmarked. Here is a link to a map of the park: https://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/parkfinder/Documents/MtMadonnaGuideMap.pdf As with most parks in California, there is a fee. I found the drive there so much easier than going to Big Basin and I enjoyed myself just as much. My time at MMCP was very special and it will always remain in my heart. read more

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Spent one night camping at the Valley View campground site #309. Wouldn't recommend it. It was somewhat crowded on a busy weekend and there was lots of traffic noise throughout the day and night including something that sounded like a nearby race track or racing motorcycles. You could definitively hear the traffic noice at the campsite. The bathrooms were relatively clean when compared to state parks but it wasn't as nice as I would have liked it to be. There were some nice trails in mostly shaded areas. Would recommended camping at one of the campgrounds located away from the highway. read more

Beautiful camp grounds for family camping. I'm not very used to this type of camping as all the camp grounds I camp at have big and major hiking trails were you summit or from summit to bottom trails. Mt Madonna, not so much... more of small little trails. Great for family style camping. Bathrooms have soap and very clean, even free showers near the entrance. Some campgrounds are much better than others as we saw some campgrounds you had to put your tent right next to the road. Camp rangers were a mix, you either got that overly nice ranger, dizzy ranger or that total senior d-bag ranger who tends to come at the worst time and then yells at you. Extra cars are $10 per night and you'll have to park in overflow. When unloading make sure you unload then GTFO! (2 cars to a campsite) or you'll be yelled at. Short drive from Gilroy, a very good alternative if you don't want to drive too far from San Jose. read more

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Our favorite local hike. Perfect for the family and our puppy. Nice wide aced trails. The trail we did to the right yesterday was about 4 miles round trip and the turn around was a look out area. Most shaded and some good elevations at parts. read more

Mount Madonna County Park - Look out at end of the trail to the right, can't remember the name - Parks Near Me - Watsonville, California

Been her twice, once with a big group and now just two of us. Very clean and neat, well maintained park. We get fire wood at the entrance of the park.Observed the park rangers keeping an eye on everything, which is good. It's not too far away from the Bay Area and we get to stop at Gilroy downtown and at the vineyards and gilroy gardens on our way back home. Check in is at 3 pm and check out is at 1 pm for tan oak campground and quite time starts at 10pm. read more

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I love Mount Madonna - one of my favorite nearby hikes! I prefer the Watsonville entrance (off Old Mount Madonna road), since its greener/cooler there. In the mornings, the mist settles over the trees and it feels like I'm hiking along the Pacific Northwest coast in Oregon/Washington. The park isn't heavily trafficked so I like how serene it is - plus the park is huge so you'll get a great hike in if you take a loop around the entire thing. If you're looking for a closer entrance, go to the Sprig Recreation area (entrance near Gilroy - you also don't have to pay for parking on this side, but the lot is pretty small). The pictures I posted is from this side on the Merry Go Round trail. The hike from this side of the park is dryer and has lots of inclines (Moderate difficulty). It gets pretty hot after 10AM in the summer so make sure to come early! Overall, this is one of my favorite parks in the Santa Clara County and I'd recommend coming here for a lovely morning hike. read more

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I'm an outdoors person. I try to get the kids to appreciate nature as much as possible so we went on a whim a few Sundays ago. Usually I use my stroller for Gavin but this time I wanted him to walk; the intention is for both kids to start getting used to these mini "hiking" adventures. Hella back roads driving to get to Mt. Madonna but it is definitely worth it. It is simply beautiful; all the redwoods, chaparrals, and grassy meadows... it equates to serenity. It is $6 to enter. You can get an annual pass for $90. The park is open everyday from 8AM until sunset. I saw one restroom facility (I did not go too far) but the restrooms were clean and it had a small parking lot to which I parked to embark the Giant Twins Trail. My kids were picking up things and running through the trail. It was fun just watching them. At one point on the trail, I had to hold onto Gavin because one trip or fall then down into the ravine he will go. The Giant Twins Trail is kid-friendly but definitely keep an eye on your kid(s) at all times. There are about 6 different trails to choose from. I hope that by the end of next summer, I would have accomplished all the trails. I love being in a big city, close to civilization as much as possible but escaping from the fast-paced life to looks the trees and tree stumps puts me at peace. It made me go slower.... I am always on the go so it was quite a refreshing change. read more

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A top choice for me when it comes to recreational spots! The campgrounds and hiking paths are simply stunning, populated by banana slugs and majestic trees. The park rangers are incredibly friendly and accommodating, while the restrooms are kept in impeccable condition. Walking along the trails is a fantastic experience and dogs are welcome as long as they are leashed. It's important to clean up after your pets! Moreover, you'll find a variety of mushrooms to admire, making it a picturesque setting for photography enthusiasts. read more

We stayed in a yurt last night. I wasn't sure what to expect. For someone who hasn't been camping in years, it was a good re-introduction. It is elevated, on a very sturdy, very large, fake wood deck with rail all around. Boy, if they put a GATE on it, it would be even greater. I don't have a dog or kid but can see the value. All the yurts at Mt Madonna are within easy -even in the middle of the night - walking distance to flushable, clean, well-lit restrooms. The showers though are nowhere close. They are all around a circle which the kids on bikes and scooters seem to think is a raceway. It wasn't too bad but you know, if they make normal noise it's because they are kids. If they make excessive noise it's because the parents aren't handling things. I didn't feel like the paths are well marked. We didn't' walk far but where we did I think we went off the trail. Good markings are important. I would fear walking farther and getting lost. Please improve marks along the trails. No electric outlet but one light overhead. Water from spigot even closer than bathrooms and they were close. My pictures will tell you more. If you don't see all 6 click "see all Pamela's Mt Madonna photos" in text under the ones you do see. The worst part was actually getting one. The web site for reserving one AB SO LUTE LY stinks. You can't specify "yurt" so you have to look through a scrolling list of 1 to hundreds of listings. (Ctrl + F won't even work once the list comes up) It won't simply show me a list of everything that is available by date so I can just see when I CAN get one. I called and asked about the "next available date" and person on phone was not smart. She said that there was nothing available soon. I told her I knew. I just want the Very Next One available. She took forever at her end then said the next one wasn't until October - that was in mid June. The two previous years I had been so frustrated with the reservation process that we just didn't bother! It's rough when you think to yourself "HaHa! Your reservation will NOT defeat me again!" SAFETY ISSUE - the fire warning signs said "Extreme Danger". NO open fires, no charcoal grills, only propane camp stoves. Well, we saw at least 2 good size fires going in different locations. If there is a ranger he/she was not doing their job. If there is NOT a ranger, they should have one doing rounds in a little golf cart or bicycle just in the camping areas. If there is a number to call in case of REAL fire, or to point out someones open fire, it is not prominent anywhere. read more

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Full of life and history, Mount Madonna is a one of a kind County park. Challenging trails and beautiful scenery, nature can clam the stress from the rat race of traffic, and endless activities as you watch the cycles of life before your eyes. read more

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Want a naked truth? I've never heard of Mt. Madonna until I stumbled on a camping video on YouTube, lol. It's a beautiful regional park, filled with redwoods, hiking trails, and campsites. We booked our weekend trip two months in advance. Check-in is 3pm, check-out is 1pm, and they sell firewood by the box. Cell reception is may vary depending on your cell provider. I have AT&T and the signal was not great, which is a pro for those who want to stay offline for the weekend. We choose campsite #121 at Valley View #1, because it's close to the bathrooms and more spacious compared to campsite #122 (our friends reserved that one and it seemed cramped for 5 adults and 2 kids). Each site has a picnic table, food locker, and fire pit ring. The closest water pump is in front of #122. There's a reserved campsite next to us, but it's for the camp host. Hammocks are allowed, but make sure not to use nails on the trees. Privacy-wise, it's OK. There's a huge stump nearby, so there's a few kids getting off their bikes by our vehicle and climb to the top to chill or play games. If you're lucky, you'll find banana slugs just roaming around beneath the moist dirt and bark in the dewy mornings. Beware of skunks and deers prowling around late at night when everyone is asleep. There's two bathrooms at Valley View #1; unfortunately, there are no showers in either of them. I believe the showers are located further down at Valley View #2? However, the bathrooms are clean with running water, ample toilet paper, toilet seat covers, and HAND SOAP! The park also have multiple hiking trails nearby. On our second day, we hiked up to the Amphitheater and the ruins of Henry Miller's summer home. From our campsite, it's a tough winding climb, but well worth the effort. Overall, I highly recommend for those who want to escape the hustle and bustle, but still want to stay within the Bay Area. read more

Beautiful camping trip. Aside from my company the trip was stunning. I'm definitely going back with a new camping partner. read more

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We love camping here amongst the Redwoods and oak trees. Soap in the bathrooms and automatic flushing toilet paper and seat cushion stalked bathrooms makes a huge difference compared to state and federal parks. Cleanest camping bathrooms I've seen. Loops 2 and 3 are quieter without the RVs. Free warm showers. Big bonus: dogs are allowed on the hiking trails! Love the easy drive for a quick weekend. Currently no wood burning. Lots of people had propane fire rings which I permitted; found at Lowe's and Amazon. read more

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There are plenty of trails to explore in this beautiful 4,605 acre redwood-covered park. Parking in Mount Madonna County Park costs $6, but we parked in a small gravel lot along Hecker Pass Road near the Sprig Recreation Area. This lot is free and fits about a dozen cars. There is an adjacent equestrian parking area here. It was easy to get parking because we came on a weekday; I can't speak to how busy this lot gets on the weekends. From here, with a steep 1,000 foot incline right off the bat and a moderate amount of hill climbing throughout the park, your calf muscles will definitely be put to work! We did an 8 mile loop comprising the Sprig Trail, Blue Springs Trail, Upper Miller Trail, Lower Miller Trail, Merry-Go-Round Trail, Tie Camp Trail and Ridge Trail. These trails took us past multiple camp sites and intersected with other trails that would've been nice to explore had we had the time. The redwood-dominated forest provided shade most of the way. Google Maps doesn't show most of the trails here, so I highly recommend downloading the official County Parks map (PDF) to your phone if you rely on your phone for navigation. read more

One of the best county park experiences. So much beauty around. Lots of campers around, however the trails were empty when we went. Magnificent redwoods and I guess eucalyptus (as per the nice smell) giving you shade in every trail. We parked next to the 'equestrian parking lot' because everything seemed packed with cars (however, again, no one to be seen in trails). This is a very fairy tale county park, I think so far is my favorite. After 2 hours of hiking and taking pretty pics we got enough, but for sure will come back. You have some areas with wonderful views to the sea side. Also, very close from Madonna is a Vietnamese Buddhist monastery well worth another visit. A real hidden gem among those tall redwoods. Also, the whole park smells sooo good, you will leave with the feeling you have been at a spa and even you skin will be softer (or you will think so). read more

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First time to Mount Madonna and we came for a family walk. We were directed towards Henry Miller home. We did the .75 mile beginner banana trail and it was perfect for our trip. We are hooked. Time to get hiking gear. read more

Mount Madonna County Park - Trail - Parks Near Me - Watsonville, California

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This is one of the most magical places in the Santa Cruz mountains! There are two temples located a little ways down the road that are a "must see" for everyone that visits up here. The temples are Mt. Madonna Hanuman Temple and the Kim Song Vietnamese Temple. Enjoy! read more