Our favourite park! We used to spend hours at skypark that is always crowded, but now we go to this…read morepark at the back of scotts valley. It has never had more than 1 other family there, even on a Saturday. It is small, but the bathrooms are clean, there is enough to do to keep my 1 year old busy for a couple of hours.

Great little park tucked away in Scott's valley on a quiet street. Rarely crowded, toddler and…read morebigger kid playgrounds, basketball court, bathrooms, shaded picnic area. I love this park!

Went for a run in the area and enjoyed exploring this beautiful park and lagoon, full of trees,…read morevegetation, and ducks galore. Stretching through the park, a dirt trail attaches to a boardwalk floating over the water, with a few benches for seating and info boards along the way about the surrounding animal and plant life and ecotones (connecting habitats). There's also a sand-filled playground, tennis courts, pollinator garden, water treatment center, and restroom on site, as well as a very small parking lot (fits about 6 vehicles). The serene environment and calming views overlooking the water from the bridges and walking paths are simply amazing.

This was such a nice little walk, beautiful scenery and I was lucky enough to see the goats,…read moreapparently they bring them here once a year to help clean the landscape. There is a cute little playground and lots of ducks to look at, the baby ducks were so cute swimming behind the moma. Definitely recommend this place to clear your mind and get a little me time.

stopped here because highway 9 closed. 5 year old and 3 year old had fun. Little mushy from the…read morerain. Near where we're staying so super convenient.

I'm glad this park is here and I'm glad that it's being looked after…read more I was wrong to make my previous review.

This has become one of the casualties of the last year…read more Currently this is the only no go area that I consider off limits to my students. While if you are jogging/biking through on your way to somewhere else it might be okay, this is not a spot that is safe to hang out in. This is especially true after dark. This area has been designated as a camping spot for those that have no options, and as such it has been more or less destroyed. There will be limited public services such as a police or fire presence and this space is controlled by ah, organized groups of independent businessmen. As such any violations of trade agreements are rigorously enforced. The duck pond is over. The disc golf course does not exist. If you must, come in daylight hours and tell a friend where you are. Do not bring your children here, and if you are looking to score drugs in santa cruz there are much safer places to do so. If you are not here doing business, avoid this park. And if you are doing business here be careful man. This is not a safe spot. For anyone

When I think of a park, I envision family's, children innocently playing, seniors out for some…read morefresh air and a sense of community. What the City of Santa Cruz has done to this once crown jewel is heartbreaking and disturbing. Spent syringes. Drug baggies. Human waste garbage. Get it together, Santa Cruz!

While the park is lovely, the older people in the dog park make visiting impossible. They complain…read moreabout noisy kids, playful dogs and do NOT follow any park policies. They treat the park as if it's their own private area and harass other visitors. They refuse to follow the simple rules, like no big dogs in the small dog area. When anyone says anything, they gang up on them and chase them off. I have been going to this park since I was a little girl and am saddened to see that park management refuses to deal with this "gang" of abusive and aggressive older persons!

My son and dog both like it a lot. Decent playground but miss the old wood one from the the 80sread more

Short and Simple. +…read more2 blocks away from home + fairly small which makes it easy for the parent(s) to keep an eye on the kid(s) + great for kids under the age of 5 + clean + tennis courts + large picnic area under one canopy + restroom facilities This is where I normally start my run. I rather have a treadmill though...

This is my local gem. It can get crowded but usually is fairly open. There is some gang tagging in…read morethe bbq pit area but nothing overtly offensive. I love the shaded tables right next to the playground. The only sand is by the swings, the rest is just the rubber substrate. The restrooms are pretty usable, although they are a little distance from the structures. You may not be able to get little ones there in time if they aren't good at early notification. There is a little kids play structure and a bigger kids structure. There is a water fountain which is very accessible to all. Plenty of slides, a few swings and a variety of climbing activities! There is a tennis court and a big, multi-purpose field. There is a decent parking lot. Pros: location, bbq pits, open tables, shaded tables, restrooms, water fountain, places to play, parking, a lot of trees Cons: possible gang hang out, also (being in Live Oak) there is a possibility of creepy molesters hanging out in the corners. I'm not kidding! There is a guy sitting across the park from me right now staring at my kids. It has been only me, my kids and this guy for the last 90 minutes. I've been staring into his creepy eyes whenever he looks over. Also, Brommer St. runs along it and can be street noisy if that sort of thing bothers your little ones.

Too Big to Trail San…read moreVicente (SV) is one of the newest parks to open in Santa Cruz County (ca. 2023), which already has some of the region's biggest and best parks, including nearby Henry Cowell and the venerable Big Basin. SV consists of ±8,900 acres of privately-owned mixed-use land that is operated by the Living Landscape Initiative, which is a combination of multiple conservation groups (Peninsula Open Space Trust, the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, The Nature Conservancy, the Save the Redwoods League, and the Sempervirens Fund). The land was recently devastated in 2020 by the CZU Lightning Complex fires, which delayed the park's opening, but the first seven miles of trails finally opened in 2022, with another thirty-one miles scheduled to open sometime in the future. ***Please be aware they want you to register (for free, calm down you cheapskate) thru their website and you'll get a lifetime pass to access the park. Please check the website for more details before visiting.*** The Good: *Huge parking lot *Restroom w/ pit toilets (don't look down!) in the aforementioned restroom *Fantastic signage! Maybe some of the best you'll find at any park. *If you forgot to register ahead of time, there is a kiosk in the lot where you can get a day pass. *Trails are in very good shape and would be great for Trail running, if that's your thing. *The one good thing that came from the fires is the burned trees now give way to great views of the Pacific Ocean. *Not popular at all, and you'll pretty much have the whole park to yourself. We were there for three hours and saw four people the entire time. *You'll get a little bit of road noise from the occasional car on the nearby street, but otherwise it's mostly piece and quiet. *Leashed dogs ok on certain trails (check signage) *Bikes ok on certain trails (check signage) *Equestrian OK on certain trails (check signage) *We read on AllTrails that the shadeage wasn't great on the trails but we actually found them to be OK for the most part. However, with that said, the one section we didn't reconnoiter was the Canyon Trail, which supposedly is the worst in terms of shade. *Lots of loops available, as we were able to pair several together and had very little overlap so it was nice to not to have to see the same stuff twice. *Great park to bring young kids as none of there's very little elevation gain and most of the trails are fairly flat. The Meh: *While the signage is fantastic, be aware the overall maps are oriented the same direction, so there'll be times when they're transposed (i.e., left is right, and right is left) from your actual location. But, if a big dummy like me can figure it out, then you'll be OK. *Seven miles of trails isn't very much, as we did nearly five of the seven miles on our first trip. We would've done the last two, but we were sta'hvin' kid! The Ugly: *Pretty crazy to see the devastating effects of wildfires even after five years of repair. *The drive up is a bit harry, but if you've been to Big Basin, then this should be no sweat. Conclusion: Fantastic new addition to the Santa Cruz hiking circuit.

Almost 2 years ago, we registered to get passes for San Vicente Redwoods. Today was our first time…read morechecking it out. When we arrived shortly after opening at 9, there was nobody there but when we left there were about 6 cars in the large parking lot. If you arrive without having a pass, there is a kiosk where you can register. There is also restrooms and picnic tables. We ended up doing the Live Oak Trail and the Lizard Trail so ended up about 4-4.5 miles today. So many cool trees and lots of birds. There's also a nice view of the ocean. Signage and trails were great. We did have to climb under/over one spot where a tree had fallen and blocked the trail. (Live Oak Trail) I would return for sure! This is phase 1 of the project and eventually there will be more trails open.

A neighborhood park that exceeded my expectations, and made for such a pleasant afternoon picnic!…read more - Grassy expanse with options in both the sun and shade - Many ducks to bird watch but no duck poo in the grass to avoid - Nice insects like dragonflies but no pests like flies or bees - Fall foliage, flowers, pine trees, and interesting plants - Plenty of options for neighborhood parking - Small playground with tables for parties or barbeques - Very clean, clear water with a little fountain and also little fish (for ducks and fishermen) - Not too crowded The one con others have also mentioned is that there doesn't seem to be a bathroom on the premises.

People who live by this park are lucky! It is an awesome small neighborhood park. There is a…read morepicturesque lake, a lot of birds, a nice big lawn area and a walking/running path. Plus points for it being empty and offering some moments of solitude and zen!