Santa Cruz County’s Best Hiking Trails
The best hiking trails in Santa Cruz County are plentiful and scattered throughout the area. The Monarch Trail located at Natural Bridges State Beach is known for its rock-like bridges that appear naturally throughout the area. Monarch butterflies frequent the trail and perch on the eucalyptus trees. The boardwalk is wheelchair accessible and leads to a simple path.
Redwood Grove Loop and River Trails lie within Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. Banana slugs, deer, and redwoods can be seen along the trails. People swim in the river and there are many open expanses. The Redwood Groove Loop winds its oval shape through the redwoods. You can also see the Saint Lawrence River. A canyon is naturally formed in the area of the river. Big Rock Hole is where many trail goers go swimming and swinging on a rope swing. It is located along Highway 9, north of the city. People often ride horses on the trails.
Big Basin Redwoods State Park has the Skyline to the Sea Trail. The redwoods along it are said to be thousands of years old. The movie “Vertigo” was filmed here in the 1950s by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Jimmy Stewart with Kim Novack. There are waterfalls, forests, grasslands, and the Pacific Ocean from the trail. It is located along the 9 and 236 freeways. It is twenty-five miles northwest of the city.
Ohlone Bluff Trail is located in Wilder Ranch State Park. The trail is named after the indigenous people who once filled the area. There are picnic spots along various parts of the trail. Hours may vary in different parts of the trail so a watch is necessary.
Pogonip has an ocean view and is off Gulf Club Drive. There are several trails available for walking or working. It is common to see runners, people walking dogs, and others relaxing along the trails. It is located along Spring Street accessible from Highway 9. The area was for a country club at one point. Spring Box Trail has fish and many springs in the streams.
The Nature Conservancy’s Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve has hiking trails and is home to many bird watchers. From the area you can see more than 200 species of birds. They migrate from Mexico to the southeastern part of Arizona.
West Ridge Trail is located alongside three other trails: the Bennett Creek, Fall Creek, and South Fork trails. The Lime Kilns, Cape Horn, and the Lost Empire Trails are all at the 1.7 mile marker. There is a large tree called Big Ben and a barrel mill that turns redwood into barrel heads.
The Old Cove Landing Trail runs in the middle of the Wilder and Sand Plant beaches. Monterey Bay can be seen from the trail and many birds and aquatic life can also be seen. There is a cultural preserve near the Wilder Ranch buildings. Ancient Native American villages and Mexican adobe dwellings can be seen throughout the trail area.
