This review is specifically for the Waterfall Loop Nature Trail within Uvas Canyon Park, one of the…read moreBay Area's many "hidden gems." Nothing like a relaxing hike along a pristine nature trail to clear the mind and nourish the soul. I noticed that one recent review calls this hike "easy" but as we were climbing the stairs from the parking lot, we encountered two young women who looked to be in their 20s who were going in the opposite direction, returning to the parking lot. "It's beautiful," one of them volunteered to us, "but it's really HARD!" And indeed, on the trail we encountered young people who were visibly panting, even though the Waterfall Loop trail is shorter and easier than others in the park. So you might want to take that into account, FWIW, as the expression goes. It might also be helpful to mention the following: * The rules of this park call for purchasing an entry pass/parking permit online BEFORE you arrive. The reason is the limited number of spaces. Your permit is good for entry during a ONE-HOUR WINDOW for which you make your reservation. The person in the car ahead of us hadn't purchased a permit in advance and was able to use a credit card to purchase it at the entry gate but that might only be done when ample space in the lot is available. * To access the park, you must drive through a private 110-acre resort (Sveadal, meaning Swedish Valley), owned and operated by the Swedish American Patriotic League since 1926. It's a SINGLE-LANE road that is NOT LEVEL (quite rocky). You will want to make sure that your vehicle is in reasonably good shape for this drive. The only really scary part of this road for us was that at a couple of points, the incline is steep enough that you can't see ahead of you on this single-lane road. So you have to trust that no other vehicle is going faster than it should be coming toward you, in the opposite direction. * One more point ("muy importante"/very important): If you're coming for the waterfalls, use your preferred AI platform to check to make sure that the water will be flowing at the time of your visit. That's because the falls are generally seasonal and dependent on the amount of rain during preceding months. The falls are not large and thundering but they are nonetheless quite beautiful and soothing. PS: For those who don't know Spanish but may be interested: The Park is named after the Spanish word for grapes (uvas), referring to the abundance of wild grapes (Vitis californica) that early settlers found growing along the creek and throughout the canyon.

The best hike I've ever been on! Great views with multiple waterfalls throughout the trail and a…read morehuge plus that the park is completely dog-friendly. Easy parking but you have to reserve a spot ($6) ahead of time. We only booked a day before and there were still a lot of availabilities. The reserved hour is only a time frame of when you have to arrive to the park but you can stay for as long as you would like. My printer ended up not working the day of so I called the park and they were so nice in offering that I just write my reservation number on paper and place it on my dash. The weather was so nice when we went (mid March) and almost all of the trail was beautifully shaded. We did the Waterfall Loop trail which was about 3 miles and lasted about 1 hr & 40 min. Moderately challenging and such a fun workout with absolutely amazing views. I loved everything about this park!

Back in the mid-80's, my younger brother and I had a bit of cabin fever, and decided to walk from…read moreour 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.

On a warm Sat at the end of Feb, I hiked with 2 friends on an 8 miles, 700 ft elevation gain,…read moreSprig, 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.

$10 day use fee. Henry Cowell has 3 great attributes:…read more- The old growth loop is stunning. It's a very short flat loop, but the trees are magestic. - It has fairly interesting hiking paths. There is an option to stay on a wider paved trail to avoid ticks and poison ivy. - Right next door is Roaring Camp railroad. You can pay for parking there, take a train ride, then hike the redwoods without paying the day-use fee.

Stayed at the campgrounds of the Henry Cowell State Park for 2 nights. The sites are spacious with…read moremost of them having plenty of shade and room to park our car with tent on top. They just finished building brand new restrooms, showers and a dishwasher station near the site we chose which was awesome. There are individual restrooms cubicles that are spacious with warm water and a hook to hang a towel, etc., and an electric outlet. We took one of the nearby trails accessible from the campground that led to cable car beach which is fed by eagle creek. One side of the hike was beautiful with views of Santa Cruz and an observation deck and the other shady with trees. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Only downside was a campsite full of younger people were next to us and kept talking loudly until maybe 12:30 a.m. Camp hosts are supposed to keep those things in check and it was not dealt with. And as it was a chilly night, we didn't want to get out of our tent to go ask them to keep it down. I would if in the future I come to this campground alert the host ahead of time of a potential problem before retiring so they can be aware to check on it. Otherwise, this is an excellent campground near to Santa Cruz and many trails and the skunk train that takes you into Santa Cruz.

Stayed here with my fiancé for a night. It was pouring rain so that kept us up, but the electric…read moreblankets were amazing!!! The ambiance was also very cute! Was about $120/night for our stay in February. There are showers and restrooms on property. Would definitely consider coming back!

Loved this place. It was soo peaceful, wished we could have experienced the camp ground a little…read moremore. We did glamping and the beds were very comfortable. I loved the blanket warmer and our cabin. It was clean and very esthetic. You can do regular camping, glamping or cabins. Highly recommend it.

I can't express just how much I adore this park; it's easily my favorite in the entire Bay Area…read more The vastness of this place is awe-inspiring, and it's brimming with an abundance of stunning vistas. As for wildlife sightings, I've had some remarkable encounters. From playful turkeys to elusive wild pigs, even a rather startled Rattle Snake (don't worry, we kept our distance!), a coyote that seemed to be exploring its own adventures, graceful deer, and a bobcat that simply left me in awe. I've hiked on nearly every trail this park has to offer, and I just can't seem to get enough of it. It's one of those places where you want to return time and time again. The park's diverse beauty and its resident wildlife create an irresistible pull that makes every visit a unique and memorable experience. If you're a nature enthusiast, this park is an absolute must-visit!

I spent Christmas and New Years with my family in this beautiful place, we paid for almost 2 weeks…read moreto park our RV and it was very affordable. The spot have a very hot water to shower, electricity and a campfire to light, while you look at the beautiful landscape at night, I highly recommend it to get out of the city for a while and get some fresh air.

Love this peaceful and very secure location. Just a short drive south of Gilroy CA. Very nice…read moremanicured spots with perfect cable TV. I will always return here and enjoy this delightful camp spot. All staff very caring and available for any assistance. Put this on your list for the central coast in California !!

4.5/5.0 Stars. The park is quiet and well maintained. The pads are asphalt and roomy. They offer…read morea store, game room with a billiard table, pool, open area, dog park, laundry room (good condition and reasonably priced), propane, and views of hills with cattle in the distance. Almost all the staff are friendly and accommodating. When in the area we will consider returning.

Great campground with the Big Sur river running right through it. Loved the quick hike up to the…read morewaterfall through the redwoods. Lots of great shady sites and some really nice sites right on the river. Showers were nice and reasonably priced. If you are feeling lazy and don't want to cook, you can check out the restaurant/ coffee shop, also a nice little gift shop. There is also a store at the back of the campground that has ice , snacks , firewood and a small laundry facility which was super convenient !! Great woodsy campground with great amenities!!

BEST SPOT TO SEE RED WOODS. Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is a sprawling, 1,000-acre sanctuary…read morecentered around the pristine Big Sur River. Often nicknamed "mini Yosemite," it trades direct beach access for dramatic inland scenery, boasting spectacular valleys, forested peaks, and dense groves of ancient coast redwoods. Ancient Redwood Groves: The park is famous for its majestic coast redwoods, with some trees measuring over 1,000 years old. Accessible walkways, like the Redwood Deck, allow visitors to stand among these towering giants. Diverse Hiking Trails: Trails cater to all skill levels, ranging from the flat and easy Nature Trail loop to the challenging, steep ascent up the Buzzards Roost Trail, which rewards hikers with panoramic views of the ocean and mountains. On-Site Lodging and Camping: Unlike many rugged coastal stops, this park features developed accommodations, including a large campground alongside the river and the historic Big Sur Lodge, which provides comfortable cabins and a restaurant. The redwoods you see growing in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (as well as nearby Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park are Coast Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), the tallest living species of tree on Earth. The groves found throughout the park are particularly special because they mark the southernmost boundary of where the coast redwood species naturally thrives in significant numbers. Because they are located at the southern edge of their natural geographic range, the climate here is slightly drier and warmer than the dense, misty rainforests of Northern California. While they generally do not reach the record-shattering heights of their northern cousins in Humboldt or Redwood National Park, they are incredibly impressive, with many individual trees in the park towering well over 200 feet tall and thriving for upwards of 800 to 1,000 years. They rely heavily on the marine fog flowing through the Big Sur River gorge to stay hydrated during the dry summer months

Beautiful state beach for either spending the day or overnight in one of the campsites!…read more We stopped in on a Sunday around 1pm and wasn't crowded at all. Since we paid $10 at Seacliff state beach a few miles away it was free to enter with our receipt. We asked about the overnight camp sites and were told book in advance on www.parks.ca.gov. They did have some open sites although premium ocean view sites which I believe have hookups go quickly as are only around 9 of those. They are on the top of a tall bluff so do not have easy access to the beach. The beach is a further walk or drive to a separate area of the park. The beach area is pretty and would be a chill spot to enjoy the afternoon away from a ton of people. We enjoyed our time here.

One of my favorite beaches and campgrounds. Gets very narrow when the tide is in. Has interesting…read morefossil cliffs on the western end. Waves are gentle and relatively safe. Not the most accessible, however. Very steep concrete steps at one end, lower steps at the other, both in moderate disrepair. Wildlife includes sea otters, sea lions, various seabirds. Staff at the kiosk were friendly, helpful, and welcoming.

Pro's Friendly Staff…read more Beautiful Resort Family Oriented (lots of family amenities) Clean Restrooms Con's No sewage at campsites No WiFi throught the campground. Even paid service was not good No cell service (T-Mobile) No Over the air broadcast (regular TV antenna's do not pick up signal. Cant pick up local channels Conclusion If you want WiFi or to use your phone, better invest in starlink. If you need sewage better invest in purchasing a portable waste tank Great campground. Our 3rd thousand trails and this one was by far the cleanest and had the most amenities. Lot of families with small kids having a great time.

Will never camp here again. Was put in a site next to a run down trailer that had the worst smell…read morecoming out of it. Who ever was in there left their trailer door open all day but never left the trailer sat in there talking to himself. Made my family real uncomfortable. Only reason for giving 2 stars is because they let me move sites. But they really need to do a better job on who they let in a place where families are trying to enjoy themselves.