#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.

What an Amazing place. The water is so clear and the foliage looks like something out of a movie…read more Just Beautiful.

Bear and I always have a blast at Highlands. Thanks County Park Staff. Awesome Job…read more Thanks for everything

We had fun watching our first baseball games of the season. It was fun watching the kids play…read more This park also has a good skateboard area. There are places for barbecues and picnics. There is green grass area. Its a fun park to go to.

We stopped by here for a Spartan picnic on the way to Santa Cruz for skating. Costco is great for…read morethis. A roast chicken ($5.00) , bag of Mediterranean Salad $4.50) Farmer bread or rolls for starch ($5-$6). And a nice Beaujolais for the adults. The park was clean and deserted. It was a bit late and cold for us to swim. The swimming hole looks quite low. We could not find the rope to swing off of, however we did find a tire swing. We definitely want to return mid week when it's earlier and spend a few hours here. The drive is really winding and narrow. There were three spots where we had to stop, let traffic come from the other side, then take our turn. One 3 milestretch was really slow as the road was not wide enough for 2-way traffic. A little fear/excitement for kids not knowing if an oncoming car was heading toward us. I admit I did a bit 'speed-racer' to heighten the rush.

Best little swimming hole for families with young children! Clean and always some "new" little…read morefriend to play with. Has a sandy beach and a few picnic tables for lunch. Is dog friendly just as long as they aren't left to roam and take a dump while you aren't there to take care of that to throw away like responsible pet caregivers do so nobody will step in the hot steamy load while barefooted cause ya'know... beach/water/park bbq's umm yeah Oh there's typically some beautiful ducks taking a swim in the afternoon.

The park itself is small and has a small uncovered playground. The real winner is the covered…read morebridge. It has historical significance as well as beauty and grandiosity. It is impossible to walk through this bridge and not pull out your phone to snap a few photos! There is a parking lot in front of the park, and it's close to a bunch of outdoor shopping areas, so the location is convenient and easy to get to. It is worth a stopover but don't expect this county park to be an adventure destination. It's pretty small, but it is cool!

Another great gathering place in the heart of town with stunning views of the mountains and plenty…read moreof space for the dogs and kiddos to run around. Get some lunch from the taqueria and grab a picnic table.

Great find! Was looking for a nice strenuous hike with beauty and comfort. Scored on all accounts…read more Wonderful docent provided advice and cautions (and a clean bathroom inside). Did a loop that was about 2 1/4 miles up, across the summit and back down - Woodrat Trail - Sunset Trail - Lower Chapparal Trail. Hint - Take a picture of the map at the sign. Caution - not all intersections are marked with signs. To get to the start of the Woodrat trail, you need to walk the Discovery Trail a bit (even through the sign "all other trails" seems to indicate otherwise). Lots of flora.....on June 1, lots in bloom. Bring bug spray (didn't see bugs, but be ready). Lots of wood shade which is a welcome break from the sun. Saw plenty of other hikers of all ages, so difficulty was only my being out of shape. Go check it out!

All I need to say is that this is the birth place of Sunset Magazine. I cannot believe this place…read moreis 2 miles from my house. Gorgeous for day hikes and watching wildlife. I've seen so many different bird species here it's unbelievable. Oh, and plenty of foxes, deer, and of course pumas.

Love love love this place, it's beautiful and serene for stunning trails and streams. It feels like…read moreevery tree has a story to tell, these giants with some as tall as 180 feet have been standing here for centuries. Must visit with your kids, friends and family for a breathtaking experience.

My family and i love this place! It's our first time to check it out and we are so amazed!!…read more We will come back to spend longer time soon and will explore more trail routes... Thank you for the people who keep this place manageable and accessible for all the hikers and visitors..You are all awesome!! See you next time!!

Love this park! It is so huge, seems so clean...and so much to do…read more There are bocce ball courts, playgrounds, a dog park, what looked like a skate park but was closed, a big field that we definitely saw a coyote running rampant on, picnic tables for birthdays, trails... So much in one park!

We were on our way to Santa Cruz, when we needed to make a pit stop for our dogs. We had stopped by…read morenext door at the dog park,but didn't even bother getting out. This park was a much better option. A paved trail to walk on. Water stations that worked and a very clean bathroom. There's also a huge green grassy field. We saw plenty of people walking their dogs on the lawn. Almost everyone had their dogs on leash. A much better option than the dog park

This is a beautiful nature walk with a relaxing swim hole to swim in. It does get crazy crowded and…read moreparking is limited, so plan ahead for that. There is no bathrooms, cell service, or trash cans, so keep that in mind when coming.

I spent a Saturday afternoon hiking at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, getting lost in the forest…read moreamong the massive towering trees, and running along the dirt-covered train tracks. Don't worry, I wasn't being chased by a train, I purposely came there to run (note, there are "no trespassing" signs, so you venture along the train tracks at your own risk). Following the tracks, you'll see below, parallel to it, the river that turns into the Garden of Eden lagoon. Peaceful, isolated, with no other visitors in sight while I was there this past weekend, the whole area was pristine and picturesque (no pesky college kids or trash laying around as other reviewers have described... but maybe that's cuz it's October). Just a flowing river forming tiny waterfalls over the giant rocks in the water. A hidden oasis and sandy shore in the middle of the forest! There's a bit of climbing needed to get to and from the swimming hole, but it's not too steep and totally worth the trek. The best place to park is Henry Cowell "Ox Parking Lot" off Highway 9 (it looks like a turnout area along the highway and can easily be missed). Don't google map "Garden of Eden", it will lead to the middle of the forest, and there is no vehicle access. The Garden of Eden is gorgeous, and feels like stepping inside a Thomas Kinkade painting. Will definitely be back.

Greyhound Rock is one of my favorite stops along Highway 1. There's lots of parking, the beach…read moreitself is massive, and it's easy to spread out and explore. The tide pools are fantastic, and there's so much marine life to find -- I even saw my first octopus here, which was incredibly exciting. The beach is full of different little areas to wander, and it's a great spot if you enjoy exploring and looking for critters. That said, the access is a real problem. The trail down is very steep and not elderly-friendly at all. The main path has collapsed toward the end, and while there's an alternative route, it's not well set in or particularly safe. The trail is also very overgrown, which makes the descent even more difficult. The park service really needs to address the access issues, because the beach itself deserves better infrastructure.

To me and my BF Joe K, there is nothing better than visiting a coastal town or city along the…read morePacific Ocean. Santa Cruz is one of our favorite vacation spots. And what is even better, we can visit a marine conservation area. While we were visiting a friend who lives in said city, he gave us a site seeing tour of a few of his favorite public beaches that were actually somewhat secluded. Davenport is a nearby town outside of Santa Cruz, where you will find some nice accessible beaches, like Greyhound Rock. It doesn't look like a Greyhound to me, but it is grey. It almost seems like a private beach, because there are less tourists who are aware of this location. There is plenty of parking in the lot with restrooms nearby. It is government protected and mostly the locals seem to make use of the area, because it is a bit out of the way from the more touristy places of Santa Cruz. We spent some relaxing and leisurely time gazing from the look outs and listening to the crashing waves of the ocean. I never get tired of the scenic views, and contemplating and appreciating what Mother Earth has created. I just wish that all human beings were aware of how important protecting this planet is for our survival....