1. Año Nuevo State Park

0

Pescadero, CA

Cancel

Open app

Search

Año Nuevo State Park

4.6 (193 reviews)
Closed • 8:30 am - 5:00 pm

Año Nuevo State Park Photos

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Año Nuevo State Park

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Northern elephant seal weaner

Best place to see northern elephant seals in the wild. Fantastic, super knowledgeable naturalists. 10/10. We make a $20 donation after the tour. Wish we could donate more.

Pretty information checkpoint

One of the prettiest walks I've been on in a long time. The "hike" is a really leisurely path (1.5 miles) with an amazing view of the ocean on one side and the gorgeous hills on the other. The seals/sea lions are amazing to see through binoculars on the island, I couldn't believe how they covered the entire place with their laziness. The park staff were incredibly kind, knowledgeable, and helpful, with binoculars to lend you at lookout points. Every staff member we encountered during our time seemed so passionate about the place, it made our day to see people so excited about sea lions.

Rosey G.

Beautiful hike about 3.5-4 miles round trip. The state park barely has any cellphone signal, but the staffs worked there are extremely helpful and enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge. For those who don't know: One of the largest mainland breeding colonies in the world for the northern elephant seal is at Año Nuevo State Park. Their molting season is between April 1st to August 31st. The process can be a bit painful. Rule of thumb, please stay at least 100 feet away from all marine mammals. Also wear comfortable shoes as you will need to walk through a sand dune. Last but not least, please preserve our beautiful nature. Zip your food and eat them strictly at the picnic area. Don't leave any trash behind.

Watch out
Jim R.

This place is somewhat of a hidden gem - located along the coast off HWY 1, it was a convenient stop off on our way back to The City from Carmel via the "scenic route." The star attraction of this bucolic spot are its elephant seals. For whatever reason, they've chose this spot as their base for giving birth (Jan/Feb) and molting (fall) and mating before heading back out to sea. We stopped by in mid July and there were around 50 bachelor males sparing in the shallow protected cove or lounging on the beach. But come late fall, there are several thousand. How it works: -pay $10 to enter/park your car -there are several viewpoints out along the beach -the trail Is mostly crushed rock/sand-but you do have to go up and over one large sand dune so you will get sand in your shoes -it takes a total of around 45 min-1 hours to walk out to the viewpoints and a similar amount coming back -expect to spend 2-3 hours -you have to stop into the visitors center inside the big while barn to get a (free) wildlife permit (aka map) in order to go out to thecwater viewpoints -during busy season, advanced reservations are required and visits to see the seals are done only via guided tour (for safety reasons) If you are anywhere nearby this is an amazing sight whether just a few or thousands of these mammoth creatures.

Elyse W.

I had such a magical visit to Año Nuevo! I booked a tour to see the elephant seals and it did not disappoint. The etrance fee is $10 (credit cards accepted). There was plenty of parking, restrooms, and a water fountain. Out on the trails, there was only a port-a-potty. My tour was early January. Dress warmly - the coast is cold and windy. And wear comfortable walking shoes - we hiked for 2+ miles out through the dunes. I recommend bringing binoculars to view the seals, as well as the fun variety of birds. I loved our tour guide Sarah - she was enthusiastic and I learned a lot from her. Such a unique winter day trip for nature lovers!

Elephant Seal Viewing Area - South Point
Dong Wook C.

4.5 stars. Nice hike. Wonderful secluded beach with a few surfers. Several viewing points for elephant seals. Bathrooms located at the parking lot and another one that's located a short walk from the staging area. Docents are stationed at various viewing points to provide you information regarding the area. $10 parking fee but you will also need to obtain a permit to continue on to the elephant seal viewing areas. The permit is free. We got ours at the staging area. Great place to view wildlife and practice walking on sand. Some areas are muddy so wear appropriate shoes.

Dana A.

I can't say enough about my tour today at Ano Nuevo! I have been wanting to do this for so long and it was great! The docent was so knowledgeable, and answered everybody's questions, and was so friendly and sweet. I recommend this to all families I think kids would love this. If you have somebody who maybe can't do the little hike, they can also go via shuttle.. We had a really great weather today so it made it even better but please just go do this because you will not regret!

Kashyap J.

It was the perfect day to be out and about. Grab your set of binoculars and head out to the coastline. You will spot all kind of wild life. It was a good walk in bright sun. There is still buy of mud on the way to Brighton beach so wear correct gear. You can stop at white barn and trick up free permit to enjoy viewing elephant seal pups lying on the shores. Definitely worth going!

Susan S.

Beautiful park and an amazing way to see 100s if not thousands of elephant seals up close. Definitely plan your trip between December and March during mating season. I've heard tours book up months in advance, but I found mid-week availability only a few weeks away. And you have to book a tour to get to the trail to see the elephant seals. Tours are cheap--I think only about $8 a person. You can book them through the state park site. Walking tours take about 2 1/2-3 hours. They're not strenuous, but they are long and no eating or drinking (except water) is allowed. Definitely wear sunscreen, take a sun hat, and bring layers. Also, use the bathroom beforehand. We brought our 6 and 3 year olds--my six year old is a nature fanatic and can recite about 100 facts off the tip of her tongue about elephant seals or pretty much any other species you can think of. She was the inspiration for our trip. But, note to parents: the walk is definitely not too tough for young kids, but they might not have the patience. And that's a long time to go without snacks. My kids dropped to the ground at every opportunity to play in the sand, which made us wonder if we should have just gone to China camp beach a few minutes down the road. But the other tour goers were nice retirees and didn't mind the distraction. All in all, while the tour challenged our kids' attention span, it was worth it.

Katie R.

Such a beautiful and well kept state park! I visited here for the 2nd time that I could remember (excluding going as a child) in November, on what was the most spectacular day, and basically had the park to ourselves! When we arrived at the kiosk the park ranger asked if we were there to see the elephant seals and then provided us with a permit that included a map. She gave directions on how to get to the seals from the parking lot and then we were off. As with most state parks there is a $10 entrance fee, but we have a stat park pass so it was free. Parking lot is pretty large, since it's a stat park they will not let you in once it's full. Typically it will be one car in one car out at that point. There were both restrooms and port-o-potties available before you headed out on the trail. The trail starts as a gravel path and eventually turns into a boardwalk, then to sand dunes, then back into a boardwalk. When we went the second viewing area was closed due to flooding, so we were only able to stop at the first. I believe there are more dunes on the way to the second. The scenery and views at the park are beautiful. You start surrounded by meadow/grass lands, then reach the point where the ocean is on you left with meadow on the right, soon you are greeted by a pond, that might just be filled with pelicans if you're lucky! Past the pond you go up a short hill and eventually reach another park ranger station. Here they have a display of different animal skulls and some elephant seal fur. The park rangers here are very knowledgeable and helpful in answering any questions you may have about the park or the wildlife. From here, if you have a permit to go see the elephant seals you continue until you reach the viewing platform. Here there are volunteer docents that are available to answer any questions and help point out the wildlife. When we went it wasn't peak season so there were only about 30 elephant seals off in the distance. They do have some big binoculars set up so we were still able to view the seals. The park does close for periods of time during the year so be sure to check that they are open before making the trek out there. It is also important to note that during peak season you are required to have a reservation and there is an additional per person fee along with the parking fee.

Lucy Y.

One of my fav hiking spots in the Bay Area! No admission fee and there's a parking lot with plenty of parking. Love this spot as you get the chance to see all the lazy elephant seals lounging or occasionally play fight around. The hike was on fairly flat grounds with some areas of sand to get to the different lookout points. Took about two hours round trip to reach all the different lookout points. I also liked how there were different rangers stationed at the lookout points who were very informative. Highly recommend this hike!

One of the lookouts
Byron B.

What an amazing spot to go see awesome wildlife and learn about the coast of California . I would def go and bring the kids. The best time to see activity is in the winter with a guided tour or after April when you can go by yourself. Seeing the animals was so cool. Dress warm, bring a change of clothes and be prepared to walk a pretty good distance

Elephant seals are among the most studied animals in the world because they consistently return to the same California beaches every year.
Navin K.

Año Nuevo has been on my bucket list of for a long time, and our family finally visited this magnificent California State Park today. My wife had thoughtfully booked us on the 1 pm docent-led tour, and we got lucky with the weather as there was a break in the rain. My five favorite memories from today: (1) The atmosphere - bracing ocean air, stiff cold wind blowing in from the west, perfect elephant seal watching weather. (2) The size of the male elephant seal - these creatures are as big as a car, with some weighing up to 5000 lbs! (3) Pelicans everywhere I looked! (4) The docent-led tour (see separate review for this), which took us as close to the seals as possible. (5) The sights and sounds of seals interacting with each other - the squeaks, bellows, rattles, and fights! Other Tips: - Leave food in the car, but it is ok to carry water on the tour. - Parking is easy, and there are bathroom facilities inside the park as well as near the parking lot. - The gift shop has several interesting items and I picked up an iron-on patch for my safari jacket.

1/2/22

See all

Photo of Alfredo B.
5
144
619

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 35
Thanks 20
Love this 34
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 2
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Kris L.
0
108
24

7 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 2
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 1
Photo of John S.
890
3009
4500

1 year ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 1
Love this 3
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Tanis L.
284
1058
6370

3 years ago

Helpful 5
Thanks 0
Love this 4
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 2
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Dong Wook C.
20
757
4326

2 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 1

4 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 7
Thanks 0
Love this 6
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 25
Thanks 0
Love this 19
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1
Photo of C W.
83
7
0

2 years ago

Fantastic docent led tour. Saw so many elephant seals. Was not expecting to see them as close as we did. Must do!

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 18
Thanks 0
Love this 15
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 5
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 4
Oh no 0
Photo of Leung T.
190
1532
10894

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 5
Thanks 0
Love this 5
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Andrea S.
0
51
108

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Hee Y.
272
474
3053

6 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 7
Thanks 0
Love this 7
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 7
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0
Photo of Private U.
0
623
547

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Denise C.
1619
3335
9513

5 years ago

Helpful 6
Thanks 1
Love this 7
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Amber C.
0
202
745

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Anne R.
9
45
133

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 5

Año Nuevo State Park Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Año Nuevo State Park

Review Highlights - Año Nuevo State Park

“$10 parking fee but you will also need to obtain a permit to continue on to the elephant seal viewing areas.”

Mentioned in 33 reviews

Read more highlights

You might also consider

Wilbur's Watch

Wilbur's Watch

5.0(2 reviews)
10.3 mi

This is a really nice hike especially for the hiker who likes a nice mild hike. The terrain is low…read morelevel grasses, and the view is magnificent! You can see Pigeon Point Lighthouse throughout the whole trail. When you get to the top there is a nice bench and a viewing lens to look out towards the sea with. You pass a quaint old windmill, and the wildflowers are in abundance. You will experience a symphony of the many different birds in the area. It does get a bit windy, so hold on to your hat! The cars passing by on highway one probably pass this place all the time and don't even know what an incredible experience they could have if they just stop and venture off on this trail!

Wilbur's Watch trail is a nice little hike from the Pigeon Point Lighthouse hostel where I work and…read morelive. We always promote it to our guests because it is the perfect walk in the afternoon with the setting sun. It provides a nice overlook of the lighthouse and the grade is perfect for everyone. I remember when the contractors cut the trail and when Sunset Magazine did an article on the new trail featuring myself and a few of the kids that lived at the hostel. The trail crew does a pretty good job of keeping the trail clear as there are few ticks when the grass gets too tall.

Photos
Wilbur's Watch
Wilbur's Watch - The long stretch of eucalyptus and pine? trees make for a dramatic entrance to the trail ahead

The long stretch of eucalyptus and pine? trees make for a dramatic entrance to the trail ahead

Wilbur's Watch - The view of the lighthouse from the end of the trail. Spectacular.

See all

The view of the lighthouse from the end of the trail. Spectacular.

Franklin Point Trails - Año Nuevo Coast Natural Preserve - Photo 4: Franklin Point

Franklin Point Trails - Año Nuevo Coast Natural Preserve

4.8(4 reviews)
3.6 mi

"Driving Miss Moblee," Act III, Scene III (14/18)…read more [Overhead shot of Esther and Boke sitting on a wooden bench overlook at Franklin Point, as heavy waves and king tide surf crash against the rocks and scour the beach with frothy sea foam to "Beachcoming" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgZXTCkkgLk)]. [Camera zooms in to a small picnic of sourdough rye bread topped with Harley Farms chevre (Pescadero, CA) and hickory smoked lomo from El Salchichero artisan butcher shop (Santa Cruz). E. and B. also share bottles of 2017 Howard Family Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay and 2017 Wirz Vineyard Cienega Valley old vine Carignane, both from Big Basin Vineyards, using stemless Riedel wine glasses]. E: Boke, this here is one LOVELY view! And these Big Basin wines ya' brung' are DIVINE! I visited their Saratoga tastin' room and all for The Press, but these particula' wines wasn't available - back theeeen. B: No'um, lahkly not, butt wez wahn klub membahs at da' Beeg Bas'n Wahn'ry, 'n we jes' luvs ta' stop there ta' taste wahns like 'dat. [E. sets down her glass of Chardonnay on the bench and stares intently at B., despite his efforts to avert her gaze]. E: Boke ... or should I say ... Bradley N.? Ya' cun drop ya' redneck hillbilly Appalachian acc'nt thing, OK? OK?? I dun looked ya' up on tha' Internet, and while it is true that ya's from West Virgin'a an' all, ya' ain't no real redneck, is ya? Yeza Redneck In Name Only. Yeza R.I.N.O.! [B. is silent. He stares down into his glass and waits]. E: Ya' was valedictorian of ya' high school class and then ya' went ... ta' Williams! Of all places, ya' hadta' pick a New England school like that, didnta'? And not only that ... ya' had ta' go an' graduate summa cum laude AS WELL ... [B. blushes]. B: Honestly speaking, Esther, I didn't think you'd hire me as your driver if you knew all of that. Or if you learned about the Hopkins advanced humanities degrees, the Stanford postdoc, the Harvard interview, the Defense Language Institute training, or the still classified Black Ops secret mission stuff. I figured that the "Morgan Freeman meets Chris Cooper in Matewan" simple minded redneck persona would be easier for you to handle. E: Ya' maght be right about that. Nobody will hire a' Hopkins man these days, especially one witha' degree in the ... HUMANITIES! [B. nods his head, knowingly]. B: Well, Esther, in the interests of full disclosure, I doubt that your "Jessica Tandy meets Vivien Leigh" Southern Jewish belle thing is totally accurate, either. They teach you to act like that at Smith, did they? [E. acts shocked, but is clearly acting]. E: Well, I nevah! That is jes' so ... Yeah, screw it. I went to Smith and was an English lit major who got into wine instead of teaching or grad school. The Southern belle schtick still works on the Robert Parker generation of multimillionaire men in Sonoma, Paso, and Napa who are styling themselves as vintners these days. It's easier that way with most men, except for the more enlightened ones like Ian Brand, Chris Brockway, or Dan Petroski. B: Makes sense to me. A lot, actually. E: I figured that hiring you as my hillbilly driver would fill out the whole "Driving Miss Daisy in a black Tesla" thing that we had going there when seeking out cult wines by folks like Reeve, LIOCO, Belden Barns, Baker Lane, Littorai, Red Car, Leo Steen, Hirsch, or Pax Mahle. And it was working with the high-end Napa folks at Progeny, Lokoya, and Kapcsandy, too, before you had to go and blow the whole thing up on Yelp. Thanks for that, by the way! [E. gives B. the finger]. B: Well, you started it! E: No, you did! Jerk. B: I know you are, but what am I? [E. and B. smile, take sips of their wine, and stare out at the waves crashing in front on them]. E: Dude, what say we hike back to the Tesla and hit up some of the Westside tasting rooms in Santa Cruz this afternoon? Well, after coffee at Verve first. My treat. What do you say, B.? Are you even still listening? B: E., I'd say that's a very smart idea coming from a spoiled little Smith girl who gets paid to drink expensive wine. [After E. throws Chardonnay in B's face, the two start hiking back to the Tesla]. E: Hillbilly rednecks who went to Williams! When will they learn how to treat spoiled little Smith girl wine sluts like me properly? B: Never too late to try. After you. E: After you, dude. Also: I'm driving. [B.'s eyes widen, but gives her the key]. [Camera pans out to the trailhead where the Tesla is waiting. E. enters with B. and turns on the ignition, but she hesitates long enough for B. to notice]. B: The engine's on. On means go. E: Give me your "made in Montana" hat first. [B. places the hat on E's head, who is now wearing her mirrored aviator glasses. Like a Titan rocket, the Tesla streaks South on Highway 1 with "Joyride" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCorJG9mubk) blasting through open windows]. [End of Act III].

Jamie W and I would've never discovered this bucolic area were it not for a quiet weekend we…read moredecided to spend at Costanoa, our first time there (review: https://yelp.to/vaqsPWt1bI). While we really liked our lodge accommodations, we recognized we had to be resourceful about our time since we felt removed from civilization. Walking out of the property on the main drive, we simply crossed Hwy One. Easier said than done. We followed the trail that veers to the left and leads to the dunes. The views were beautiful with the bluffs lower than what you'd see in Big Sur. Consider it Little Sur. At 3-1/2 miles, the path was not excessively onerous except for the occasional patch of poison oak. The reward was the beach, but you can always turn back if nature gets too overwhelming. Might I suggest a campfire martini at Cascade in Costanoa as your alternative reward? RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails l've walked and reviewed: https://yelp.to/_QDxW4IQx4

Photos
Franklin Point Trails - Año Nuevo Coast Natural Preserve - Photo 3: Franklin Point

Photo 3: Franklin Point

Franklin Point Trails - Año Nuevo Coast Natural Preserve - Photo 5: Franklin Point

Photo 5: Franklin Point

Franklin Point Trails - Año Nuevo Coast Natural Preserve - Photo 10: Franklin Point

See all

Photo 10: Franklin Point

Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve

Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve

4.6(247 reviews)
22.9 mi

We really enjoyed this hike at Purisima Creek Redwoods. We started at the North Ridge parking area…read moreand followed North Ridge Trail Whittemore Gulch Trail Harkins Ridge Trail, returning to the same parking area. The entire loop ended up being around 6.5-7 miles. About 75% of the hike was shaded, much of it through beautiful redwood forest, with a small creek alongside portions of the trail. There are also some more exposed sections with great views. Be prepared for the elevation changes! The extended downhill sections are harder on the legs and knees than you might expect, and the return on Harkins Ridge is a long, sustained and quite strenuous uphill climb. It was probably one of the more strenuous hikes I've done in California in many years. That said, it was absolutely worth it. Beautiful scenery, lots of shade, peaceful forest, and a great workout. I'd definitely do this loop again -- I'd just be mentally prepared for that climb back to the parking lot!

I think my mainest girl is trying to eliminate me. I don't know why, but she thinks I love taking…read morelong arduous hikes through the woods and huffing and puffing through beautiful scenery. Levity aside, this is a stunningly beautiful park to commune with nature. But be warned, if you're a novice (me), don't have broken in hiking shoes (me) or could be in better shape (also me), it will be challenging. Steep inclines and declines are the order of the day. Also plenty of banana slugs. The park is beautiful, the silence is eerily beautiful, and you will enjoy all of it.

Photos
Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve - Banana slug

Banana slug

Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve
Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve - A few wildflowers

See all

A few wildflowers

Whitehouse Ridge Trail - tiny tree sapling

Whitehouse Ridge Trail

5.0(1 review)
10.3 mi

I'm sure if you read my reviews you'll see that I sound like a broken record when I talk about all…read morethe nature and hiking around the Bay Area. Yet, I'm still amazed when I discover a new area like the redwood-lined woods along the Whitehouse Ridge Trail. This trail is hidden away off the Pacific Coast Highway between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay, a place I find myself weekly. However, I only recently discovered this trailhead down Whitehouse Canyon Road. You'll have to be vigilant to notice the street because it's unmarked off of the PCH 1, but about 2.3 miles up a very uneven dirt road you'll come to a little parking area right before a private residence area. The Whitehouse Ridge trail is 1.2 miles but moderately strenuous in my opinion (maybe a little less depending on your fitness level) but is worth it for the totally amazing views of Franklin Point, Pigeon Point lighthouse, and Año Nuevo Point. You can choose the lower vista for a short hike or go up to the higher vista point for better views and further exploration amongst the redwoods. This area skirts Big Basin State Park and continues onto Chalk Mountain to eventually connect with the West Ridge Trail. To do the whole thing from Whitehouse Ridge to West Ridge would take all day so do some exploring before you attempt it all because it would not be a walk in the park (heh). This is one of my favorite hikes in Northern California. If you're looking for a moderate hike in a shaded area try this. Here's a link to a Google maps with markers to aid you: https://goo.gl/zx0e2b

Photos
Whitehouse Ridge Trail
Whitehouse Ridge Trail
Whitehouse Ridge Trail

See all

Skyline to the Sea Trail - Saw a bunch of these banana slugs along the trail after leaving Big Bason HQ!

Skyline to the Sea Trail

4.6(11 reviews)
2.4 mi

I've only hiked about 16 miles of this trail, but my oh my is it absolutely breathtaking! This is…read moretruly a hiker's and backpacker's dream trail. I've hiked about 8 miles of this trail through Castle Rock State Park and another 8 miles through Big Basin Redwoods State Park. I hiked this trail with a friend last year up to Berry Creek Falls and it was absolutely stunning! The actual trail itself is almost 30 miles long and stretches from the Santa Cruz Mountains all the way to Big Basin Redwoods State Park. The trail begins at the Saratoga Gap which is a ridge within the Santa Cruz Mountains. It makes its' way up the coast past the Pacific Ocean, then through the beautiful mountains of Castle Rock State Park, and finally through the amazing Redwoods within Big Basin Redwoods State Park. This trail has such an amazing variation of different terrains. From your typical coastal ridge paths, to hilly and mountainous inclines, to flat and paved excursions through the Redwoods; this trail seems to simply have it all. I'd have to say that my favorite section of this trail was definitely being able to hike through the Redwoods. Big Basin is California's oldest park and you'll get to see the most amazing old growth Redwood trees. I've always been fascinated by Redwoods, so exploring them while on this trail was so much fun. Aside from the Redwoods, the stretch of this trail through Big Basin is extremely green and filled with a plethora of different plant species and vibrant flowers. And of course, there's Berry Creek Falls which is pretty much the icing on the cake. This waterfall is beautiful and worth the extra miles to get there. I can't forget to mention the incredible rock formations that you'll see while hiking the section that goes through Castle Rock State Park. These views are equally mesmerizing. It's definitely a great workout as much of the trail ascends and descends through the mountains. Lots of water is must and I would recommend bug spray (at least for the portion that runs through Big Basin). I would love to hike the rest of this trail at some point and hopefully make it down to the beach one day. Either way, any hike along this trail will be enjoyable whether it's 5 miles or 30. Would highly recommend this hike if you're planning on visiting Big Basin Redwoods, Castle Rock, Sanborn County Park, or Saratoga Gap Open Space Preserve.

What a fantastic trail! 30+ miles over 3 days starting at Castle Rock campground to Waddell Beach…read more(stopping at Waterman Campground and Jay Campground at the Big Basin HQ). Almost all shaded by the trees (lots of redwoods!) and fantastic scenery the entire time, will well marked trails. You pretty much can't get lost at all. If you do, you deserve to get lost! Also all these campsites have piped drinking water and pit toilets so you probably don't need to bring your water pump. You'll need to make these reservations quite early too since they're pretty limited. State park # is (831) 338-8861 to make the reservations. NIGHT 0: Castle Rock Campground. We ended up not actually staying here because we thought (and there wasn't anything that indicated otherwise) that the campground was right at the trailhead. Instead it's 2.7 miles in. Thus as we had prepared for car camping the first night and were meeting others the next morning at the trailhead, we decided to find another campground elsewhere that was next to the road. Parking at Castle Rock trailhead gets crazy packed on the weekends so come early! The parking lot also closes at sunset so you'll need to make sure your car is in before then. DAY 1: This will be the most "complicated" path since you have to take a couple different trails. As you hike towards Castle Rock (assuming you didn't stay there the night before), you'll see a bunch of day climbers and boulderers. Gorgeous views above the tree skyline along the way. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/skyline-to-the-sea-trail-davenport?select=mjXU08P2ueRqY-WvlfHxSw#yvfjWy3mdAw7PSTrD67dWw After you past Castle Rock, take the Travertine Springs Trail for ~2 miles which will connect to the Saratoga toll road trail for another mile until you hit an uphill dirt road on your right. It's 0.4 miles going up a couple hundred feet so not too bad. This will take you to the Skyline to the Sea trail (finally!) in which you'll take this for another ~2.6 miles to Waterman camp. You'll hug Highway 9 pretty closely so you'll see a couple abandoned cars that fell off the road. This one more recent. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/skyline-to-the-sea-trail-davenport?select=mjXU08P2ueRqY-WvlfHxSw#QekFu-9mgaN6xt7NUH5KsA. And this one from a while ago! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/skyline-to-the-sea-trail-davenport?select=mjXU08P2ueRqY-WvlfHxSw#UnpOYfPqPlJ-impxBrz65A NIGHT 1: Waterman Gap Campground Your instinct may be to tucker down at the sites right around the pit toilet. My advice is to walk a little further towards the back to sites 5 and 6. It's a a bit extra of a hike but totally worth it since you get your privacy. Campsite isn't too far from Highway 9 too so you may hear some speedracers zooming by at night like we did. This is also the first (and only) area where you do get cell phone reception. DAY 2: You pretty much stay on Skyline to the Sea trail the entire way from here now. Your goal now is to get to the Jay Campground at Big Bason HQ. You still hug the road sometimes and even cross it a couple times. Again gorgeous views along here. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/skyline-to-the-sea-trail-davenport?select=mjXU08P2ueRqY-WvlfHxSw#WIfT7_JSDYc7zXVP0uHMWA NIGHT 2: Jay Campground You're at the park HQ so good time to stock up on stuff or get a bit of real food if you're tired of your freeze dried! THEY DO HAVE BEER THOUGH. And showers too (1 quarter = 2 min), The camp shop does not carry propane for Jet Boilers in case you run out like we did. However you can ask them to use their hot water though to heat up your freeze dried foods. DAY 3: You're almost there! A slight change in scenery here. No more hugging highways and more bridge crossing and waterfalls. Oh and way more banana slugs. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/skyline-to-the-sea-trail-davenport?select=mjXU08P2ueRqY-WvlfHxSw#mjXU08P2ueRqY-WvlfHxSw I swear, the last ~3 miles felt like FOREVER. The trail opens wider and the trees start thinning in front of you which makes you constantly feel like you're almost there. Then you immediately smell the salty ocean breeze and which iswhen you know you're at the end!

Photos
Skyline to the Sea Trail
Skyline to the Sea Trail - Another abandoned car that fell off Hwy 9 into the trail!

Another abandoned car that fell off Hwy 9 into the trail!

Skyline to the Sea Trail

See all

Año Nuevo State Park - beaches - Updated October 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...