Tucked along the Santa Cruz County coast near Davenport, this 5,800-acre land of the California…read moreCoastal National Monument just opened to the public. It is quite magical and special! What you will find are wildly diverse landscapes of Redwood groves, coastal bluffs, grasslands, and wildflowers all in one hike. There is steelhead in the streams, mountain lions in the hills, hawks overhead, and yes, even grazing cows This places offer several trails which will fit almost for everyone. Easy loops like Hawk Trail and Tree Trail, and tougher trails for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. Permit required for horses and some certain bikes on some trails. There's a secret hidden gem as a way to access to undeveloped pocket beaches like Shark Fin Cove. Huge free parking lot! Dogs are welcome on leash. Cotoni Coast Daries is relatively new to the public alr iconic. If you love the California coast, this is a must-see. Don't sleep on it.

We were excited to explore a new trail in the area that is also dog friendly! We had prepared to do…read moreboth the Hawk (Káknu) and Tree (Huyya) trails but decided to stick to the Hawk (Káknu) only. It's exposed and quite dusty so plan accordingly -- primarily sun protection. There were friendly hikers and bikers on the trail and the views were quite beautiful! I also appreciated many of the bench's set up along the trails too. The restrooms were clean. The only thing I wished for was a sink or some way to wash hands at the restroom area.

I had a very good experience at the park. Leashed dogs are allowed on trails which can be rare in…read moreso many parks in this area. So it was great to be able to have my dogs along. However, be very careful because there are lots and lots of poison oak. So make sure that you stay on the trail with your dog and away from those bushes. It was also a great workout, because the trails are all going uphill, so they are great for giving your heart going. Free parking and there is a bathroom. Remember to bring your dog poo poo bags until dispose of them properly. The road to get to the park right after you turn from the main highway is very narrow at some point and you have to drive very slowly. Just be slow and careful and you will be fine, it was a bit intimidating at first, but it is a very short amount of time in which you drive from the very narrow section before you get to the park. Also remember to make your reservation on their website ahead of time. Although the parking is free, you are required to register.

Great hike, I was able to hike the entire area in about 2h30min. There's lots of different trails…read morethat you can take based on your hiking experience. Very peaceful and not crowded (I went on a Saturday morning). Plenty of parking spaces.

Seems like brown dry grassland for 1st. 1/2 mile. Then the creek is an overgrown trickle of water…read more I'd recommend staying on other side of highway & hiking along the cliffs & beaches.

When in Santa Cruz come to Moore Creek Preserve. Local Meetup groups frequent this and t's a fun…read morewalk when in a group

Beautiful fall colors…read more Wonderful little walk through the very quiet forest Different types of mushrooms everywhere! Banana slugs!

Sam McDonald Park was such a pleasant surprise! I loved the variety of trails and the peaceful,…read moreremote feel of the area. Parking was easy, though it's tucked away enough that you could easily pass by if you don't know it's there. Does have restrooms. Overall, a beautiful spot--I really enjoyed my time here!

I love this place it's fantastic go here when it's a day after a holiday it'll be no one!read more

Wow! What a beautiful trail…read more My boyfriend and I did this trail as well as part of the skyline to the sea trail. There were a few detours that allowed us to complete a nice, lengthy 3.4 mile round trip to relax in the afternoon. The Redwood Loop Nature Trail is an easy and very short trail featuring the father of the forest and the mother of the forest. There are railings protecting the large redwoods, but even so, it's a very beautiful site. There isn't a lot of difficulty on this loop, as it's very flat and there isn't much incline. It's also the first trail you can do upon entering the park, as well as having the option to do much more difficult neighboring trails! This one in particular is great for kids. It can get muddy and there are a lot of mosquitoes! Definitely bring bug spray.

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.

I absolutely love this 5.2 mile loop trail with a moderate steady climb about 1500 feet in…read moreelevation near Woodside, California. It's not an easy hike but quite challenging hike. There's no nap so download the all trails map so you won't get lost. It took me about three hours to complete. This trail is great for nature exploring m, hiking, horseback riding, and running. I feel like it's a cardiac training route when I hiked in the rain. I did not see anyone , except for the two men who helped to cut falling trees and maintain the trails in the area. No dogs allowed on this trail. You'll need to leave pups at home. I like it. There were plenty parking by the trailhead.

Went on a guided hike w/ Craig - he's a Sierra Club hike leader. He had a 5-7 mi hike here suppose…read moreto be slow & easy, usually he does fast hikes & 10 miles. We meet at the elementary school in Woodside and took 2 cars to the park. It's not an official parking spot, it's on a residential street: Pinto Way. No bathrooms so you just pee by trees. Park is very primitive. No trail sign, names, map. No dogs & no bikes. Only hikers & equestrians. Lots of climbing on some steep trails. We did about 1,000-2,000 ft elev gain. Lunch was on the Bay Area Ridge Trail - not much views. Lots of Redwood Trees, saw 3 banana slugs, & lots of fungus. Recommended if you've been everywhere in the Bay Area and just want to get away.

Berry Creek Falls is absolutely stunning! If you're coming to Big Basin Redwoods State Park and…read moreyou've never hiked to the falls, you MUST do it. Don't come all the way out here and miss out on this gorgeous waterfall. We did an 8 mile out and back hike to the falls via the Skyline to Sea Trail. The hike is moderate and begins on a downhill slope into the forest. Going down is always the easiest part for me, especially when a trail starts off descending. The real challenge is going back up once you reach the falls. It's nothing too strenuous but I'd definitely bring plenty of water and bug spray because there are lots of bugs on the trail. The trail itself is mostly shaded and features an abundance of beautiful redwoods, vibrantly green foliage, and scenic viewpoints. The waterfall is definitely the highlight of the hike! The falls were still flourishing in mid-July which worked out for us because we were able to take full advantage of the scene. When you make it up to the falls, there's a small deck area with two benches where you can sit and enjoy the picturesque views of the falls. Surprisingly, it wasn't too crowded on a Saturday afternoon in mid July. You may have to wait your turn to take a picture next to the falls. People were really courteous and didn't spend too much time which allowed for others to capture the moment. Bring your lunch and take a break here before continuing on your hike back. The scenery is so amazing here. Definitely recommend a hike to Berry Creek Falls is you're visiting Big Basin Redwood State Park.

AMAZING PLACE…read more Beautiful views and scenery. We did the Redwood Trail to the Skyline to the Sea to the Berry Creek Falls to the Sunset back to the parking lot. There are so many beautiful waterfalls along the trail. Some parts of the trail near the falls are muddy so wear good hiking shoes Note: This is a long trail (11 miles). Pack water and lunch and stay on the trail. You pay for parking with the rangers (10$ cash or card). Bathrooms at the park entrance are nice!