Gorgeous trails, ample parking, a gift shop, clean restrooms, and some trails are even dog…read morefriendly! Henry Cowell State Park boasts some of the most spectacular Redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains. One can opt for a trail hike, or make a campground reservation to spend more time in nature! Take in some fresh forest air, get your steps in, and take in the natural beauty around you. You surely will not be disappointed. $10 entry fee for the entire day. Such a deal!

This is a beautiful scenic hike surrounded by nature. The river runs alongside the trail for most…read moreof the way, creating a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere as you make your way toward the overlook deck. The views are breathtaking and the sound of the flowing water makes the experience even more enjoyable. If you're planning a picnic, head down to the river area -- the water is not very deep, making it a great spot for families and kids to enjoy. The steam engine train ride adds a special charm to the visit, offering a beautiful way to take in the scenery. There are also BBQ options available where you can purchase food, along with items from the general store. You can also bring your own food and spend the day soaking in the peaceful surroundings. A wonderful place to hike, relax, and enjoy the beauty of nature.

I found so many banana slugs on the Skyline to sea trail! It got warm real quick so make sure you…read morehave enough water and a hat. The volunteer working at the little store they had was so sweet and informative. He told me all about the fire that happened here several years ago! I'd come back again. Also, lots of benches to enjoy the views and good amount of parking.

Came here to see the waterfalls but unfortunately with the fires in 2020 it is closed. Not sure…read morewhen it will be back open for hikes. Nonetheless it was a nice hike here. It was nice to see benches made from the trees to allow for break times and snack time. Parking is $10 but it is good for the day and to other state park until sunset.

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!

We enjoyed our stay at Moss Landing KOA. Yes, the sites are close but management did an amazing job…read moredirecting my husband into a back in spot. Conveniently located for going out whale watching and going out on Elkhorn Slough. Short drive to Monterey to visit the Aquarium and go sailing out in the ocean. Great week of adventures!

Rating one star and if I could I would go less I would! Staff surrounded us as we were parking and…read morewe must have not have been dressed right or something cause they decided we did not belong there! They told Us our Cattle dog was part Pit Bull when we know for a fact she is not! I have vet papers stating she not a mixed breed but they would not even look at them and instead said you have been re funded and need to leave immediately. When asked how he was qualified he said he was not an expert. 46 spaces in less that 4 acres. Staff was friendly until they weren't made us feel like we were at Alcatraz! They tell what their insurance covers and does not cover, tells you where to park, how to park etc... oh and said you need to walk across the street to smoke but didn't even asked if I was a smoker! Just assumed I was! said we could stay but our dog could not be on the premises. she has been at several parks and never had one issue ever and she is only 1 1/2 years old! We made these plans 6 months in advance and had no where else to go! Had to come up with a reservation immediately! The only nice thing I could say about the park is it is clean but very very tight! With many years of traveling and the hundreds of parks I have stayed in this was the worst experience we have ever had!! We were in the area for a family celebration and now we are having to park many miles out of our way and drive lots of extra miles everyday! Only wish there were other options in the area!

A lovely and peaceful county park in the foothills of Saratoga. Getting here is a pretty easy shot…read moreup highway 9 before it gets too windy, though there are still many curves. Since it's a County Park, there is a $6 entry fee, though you can also park outside of the park and still enjoy the trials. The outside parking is quite far from the actual entrance, so I wouldn't park there if you're trying to enjoy the picnic or main grounds. There are a couple of easier short trails, and then some longer steep trails, but not a ton in between. Parts of the park are ADA accessible, including the deck in the circle of trees. There are a good number of picnic tables and picnic areas, with many of the picnic tables having charcoal grills at them. I was here on a warm winter day and some were in use, but most were open. One of the parking lots was closed when we were there, but there was still plenty of parking since it was winter.

Pine in the Ass…read more +3,400-acre park located in the Santa Cruz Mountains that's just a short--but windy--drive from Downtown Saratoga along scenic Hwy 9. The Good: * It seems like they've upgraded their parking situation quite a bit, as they have several large lots. * Restrooms in aforementioned parking lots * RV camping year-round (check website) * Hike-in Campsites (check website) * Open picnic tables and reservable areas * Leashed dogs okay on certain trails (check signage) * Equestrian trails okay (check map) * Biking (check maps) * Good place to see salamanders thanks to the lake * 22 miles of trails The Meh: * $6 entrance fee * We did a nearly five-mile loop (look up San Andrea & Madrone Loop on AllTrails), and I just found the trails to be pretty mundane and not nearly as exciting as other parks we've visited recently. The Ugly: * Why do they have to have the parking machine at the entrance of the park? This just causes traffic to back up unnecessarily as everyone has to stop, get out, pay, get back in their car, and then drive off. Seems like a silly place to put them, but what do I know? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Conclusion: Not a bad park overall (probably 3.5*) but just didn't have that "can't wait to come back" feeling that I usually get after a nice hike.

It's a nice lake where dogs are allowed to swim. There are beach-like access to the lake around .5…read moremile past the docks on the hiking trail. After play, you can "rinse" at the docks before getting into the car. This is the place we go whenever sf beaches are too cold. The only bad i can think of are the foxtails on the sides of the hiking trail.

TikTok started showing me Del Valle Regional Park videos which made me wonder if the universe was…read moretrying to tell me I need to go on a hike... well, I did. And it was beautiful so who really won? I don't recall which trail we did, but the views were nice. There's not much shade along the trail we took so I'd say wear a hat if you can and stay hydrated. Once in a while, we saw a random cow walking along which was cool. This place is popular - we saw a lot of families and bicyclists when we were here.

Awesome place to camp if you can find a spot. Most sites…read morehave electric hookup. Except the best sites (tent only) 36 & 38. 37 is a bit back Hot showers (quarters) nice beach. Can get really windy during the day.

We road our bikes through here years ago. This past weekend we finally camped here for 3 nights…read more We had a great time. The beach and trails were great. We will definitely come back.

I have been a member for many years…read more Great place. Great people. An experience that should not be missed. Come on up!

Was looking for a private yurt- airbnb seemed to have just what i needed, king bed in a yurt, but…read morethe host never responded to my booking. I saw it was 'lupin lodge' and reached out directly. I asked directly about accessibility options as stairs were not possible, and they assured me that i was all good. We came in late, and learned that the accomodations were very... rustic. No ADA accessibility, lots of stairs, definitely not wheelchair accessible. So we were given a key to an unbooked yurt on flat ground. Not great. 5 stairs, on an incline. Door was unlocked, bed had clearly been slept/f*cked in. No thanks.

Kirby Cove is an easy hike out-and-back that offers a direct view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Be…read moresure to go on a clear day, or else the fog completes obscures everything and your view is like looking at a white wall. You may encounter deer on the hike. At the end, the trail drops you off at a sandy beach. I have been here twice and both times were completely unoccupied, except for one seagull.

Kirby cove is a must-visit, easy hike just across the Golden Gate Bridge. Park at the Battery Ridge…read morearea in Marin. then you can hike out too the Battery Spencer viewpoint, then over to the Golden Gate bridge; there is an underpass so that you can reach the East viewpoint. Then you can hike down to Kirby Beach. Go during the week, and try to arrive before noon for good parking.