Don't Marsh my Mellow…read more Update July 2025: the main Sequoia Audibon Trail is currently closed for construction until (allegedly) Oct 2025. There's a website to track the construction if you're interested: https://www.sanmateorcd.org/project/pescadero-marsh-habitat-restoration-and-resiliency-project/ In the meantime all the other trails are open and hikeable but be aware none of them actually connect and are all out-and-backs: 1) Butano Trail: access by parking in dirt lot on Pescadero Road. Put in 1958 Pescadero Creek Rd into your GPS. 2) Round Hill Trail: access at the end of Water Ln, by the park offices. 3) North Pond Trail: Access by parking at the north end of Pescadero Beach, and then you'll have to high-tail it across the PCH to get there. Normally, this Trail connects to the aforementioned Audibon Trail, but not with the current construction. Put in 18253 Cabrillo Hwy into your GPS for the parking lot.

I love this place! The first time we came was back in 2022 and we did the Sequoia Audubon Trail but…read moreit was closed yesterday due to construction. So we did the Butano Trail instead. And what a beautiful trail it was! It's not very long--about 2 miles out-and-back. But simply gorgeous with lots of birds, wildflowers and so peaceful. We had the entire area to ourselves (except for one couple towards the end). There's plenty of parking (there's about 3 different parking lots in the area depending on which trail you want to do or if you want to check out the beach), free and there are bathrooms. Not the best bathrooms but they're decent. We're always so surprised that no one comes here. But that's okay. We love the quiet.

This is a very nice location to stop and stretch your legs, not to mention an awesome place for…read morephoto opportunities!! There is some construction going on near the light house but you can still walk around it and enjoy all the wonderful views. There are walking paths that you can go on and walk down to the beach area when the tide is low as well there are also paths that you can take along the cliff area. Don't worry about parking as there is plenty and there is no parking fee to park your car. Overall this is a must stop to just walk around, take some pictures and take in Gods coastal creation, soooooo beautiful and peaceful.

Sweeping vistas and interesting history. Had our dog so did…read morenot visit museum. Did check the vistas and watched the waves crash in.

Planned out a day trip including a stop at Pescadero first followed by a hike at Butano State Park…read more The park itself is quite small and cozy and it's easy to see why it's often referred to as one of the least known California State Parks, because you really do have to make an effort to come here. That being said, the road to the park is quite well paved and there should be no trouble accessing it. We unfortunately visited the park during one of the controlled burns. I would not recommend visiting at those times because the smell of smoke lingers for quite some time even though we visited over a week after the burn ended. There was even one area of the park that was still smoking. It's also sad to see the extensive damage from the CZU fire that ripped through this area back in 2020. But overall there are still tons of beautiful redwoods and the trails are well maintained. Also not many people visit this park so you'll have plenty of peace and quiet on the trails!

Butano, as it once was, prior to the summer of 2020, CZU fire, is no more. It's prior lushness is…read moremarked by charred redwoods and lack of undergrowth. But that doesn't mean it's not worth a visit. As of December 2024, all trails in the park are open. I commend the crews that restored the trails-they did an amazing job restoring safe access to the park. While camping remains closed, there are limited facilities (no drinking water and only pit toilets that are in sad shape.) However, if you come with an open mind and an appreciation for how forests regenerate after fires, it's quite an interesting park. I'd hiked an out and back last summer on Jackson flats and then, on NYD 2025, hiked the recently reopened loop of Little Butano Creek, Goat Hill Trail and Olemo Fire road. The creek was still low but there were too many banana slugs and mushrooms to count. Yes, lots of charred trees but also lots of green coming back. The lower trails aren't particularly steep or challenging and it's never crowded. Very peaceful park. It will be interesting to come back, over time, to see how the park regenerates and changes.

Such a cool neighborhood park with 3 different sets of slides and some shade. One set of slides is…read morea long run, old school metal with several dips and generally there is cardboard at the bottom you can use to help you get more lift. There is a kiddie playground, too. And there is a basketball half court. Benches and picnic tables for snacks. Nice views of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk in the distance.

A beautiful spot to sit in the shade and read, shoot hoops,or just gaze at the Boardwalk and ocean…read more Street parking only (including two handicapped spots), so try to come on a weekday. Several benches, but we take our folding chairs. Bring the dog -- they can be unleashed in part of the park. A functional restroom with two unisex stalls near the entrance -- an outside sink and soap dispenser complete the facility. I'm experiencing a profound sense of peace, despite the occasional screams from people on the rides at the Boardwalk.

Location was in the middle of beautiful big redwood trees about an hour away from home. Rangers at…read morethe park were professional and friendly. Restroom were clean campground was clean. Although the little store on site is closed, you are still able to buy bundles of wood near the entrance of the campgrounds. It was a nice warm day and the water was deep enough for the children to swim. 2 Full size tents are able to fit. Ring fire pit w/ability to BBQ.

We decided to check out this camp ground for group camping after reading all the great reviews. We…read morewound up getting the Huckleberry #3 camp site which fit our needs perfectly, not too far from the bathroom and next to the on-site water supply. While the drive in was rather tortuous, lots of switch backs and hair pin loops, the actual solitude and cleanliness of the site makes the trip worth it. The group site does allow pets and the rangers do come and check. There was a bbq grill stand at our site, as well as a fire pit and a bear resistant food locker. Trashcan were on site with easy access. Showers and bathrooms were very well kept and the water was warm. If you're looking for a quiet internet free nature retreat this is the camp site for you, just be mindful that it is a bit of a challenging drive.

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

Deep New Sea…read more ±4.2k-acre state park and beach, that's located almost equidistant from Half Moon Bay (±32min drive) to the north and Santa Cruz (±26min drive) to the south. It is probably the preeminent place*** to see a pinniped rookery (i.e., elephant seals) in the state, as they accumulate here by the thousands** every winter to breed. The Good: *Tours available to get you as close as possible to the Elephant Seals and are REQUIRED btwn mid-Dec to the end of March. *April to early December you can visit the park without a reservation but the number of elephant seals will be drastically reduced and certain areas will be off‐limits without a docent. *We've done the tour here around three times and the docents are always fantastic and full of great info. *Nice visitor and marine education center you check into at the beginning of the tour with restrooms, displays, and some CA park swag to purchase. *Even if you're not here for the elephant seals, the ocean views are worth the drive alone in the off-season. *Picnic tables by the VC *Trails are a nice gentle four-mile round-trip The Meh: *No dogs allowed *No bikes *$10 entrance fee *Tickets are $10.99/adults ($7 + $3.99 processing fee) and nonrefundable *The area around Año Nuevo is very desolate, and there's not much around in terms of food, so bring a snack or picnic lunch with you so you're not starving by the end of the three hour tour. A three hour tour... The Ugly: *You'll definitely need to plan well in advance if you want to have a weekend tour during the breeding season. Don't think you can just book one the week of--you pretty much need to book in October when they release the tickets for sale, even as far away as March! Weekday availability is pretty good throughout the year, though, for obvious reasons. Conclusion: Fantastic place to get your learn on, enjoy some nature, and get in a few steps while you're at it. **Some years there could be up-to 10k elephant seals! ***Also, check out the Elephant Seal Vista Point in San Simeon (near Hearst Castle)

From tennis/pickle ball courts to playgrounds to lots of sidewalks and grass, Sunrise Park has a…read morelot to offer for everyone! I appreciate how walkable it is and how safe it feels. Also added bonus that people seem to clean up after their dogs, which isn't always the case at other parks. There are always families and people of all ages enjoying it. The parking is abundant so you never have to worry about looking. This park has something for everyone :) If they added more tennis courts, it would be a 5! They only have two, and they are often taken.

This is a great park for all ages. My two year enjoys going from the younger side to the older age…read moreside. If you go in the morning, the slides might be wet so bring a towel just in case. There's a basketball court and a tennis/pickle ball court too. There's picnic tables under an overhead for sitting or lunch.

A beautiful, family-friendly place to come for a hike. There is a dedicated parking lot at the…read moretrail entrance but you can also park off the highway if the lot is full. There is a public bathroom/elevated porta potty available to use at the entrance. There are multiple trails to choose from, some being steeper or longer than others. Most of the time, you are shielded from the hot sun by the tall redwood trees that give you cool shade and that give you beautiful scenery to look at as you're walking. Because there is lots of shade, you will see moss and lichen. This environment is great for banana slug spotting - we saw two on our walk and our kids got a blast out of it. We very much enjoyed our familiy excursion here to Purisima.

Pure Thing…read more 5,412-acre Preserve that's situated on the west side of the Santa Cruz Mountains, and features over twenty-one miles of trails. The Good: *Free! *Great place to see the venerable Coast Redwoods, which are unfortunately second-growth (±100 years old), and not old growth. *North side of the park has views of HMB coastline *Mountain biking on certain trails (check map & trail signs) *Equestrian OK on certain trails (check map and trail signage) *Banana slugs! If you love them like we do, then this place is just full of 'em! *Several different parking lots (for total) but they are limited. You'll probably have better luck at the North Ridge parking lot, as it is bigger. *Restrooms at three out of the four lots. *Redwood Trail is ADA friendly The Meh: *No dogs The Ugly: *The last part of the drive over (from the South Bay, at least) is no picnic and full of windy roads--which is great if you're the driver. Not so much if you're a passenger and you are prone to getting car sick. Conclusion: Fantastic park with lots of Redwoods and nature.

Wow! We went to Leo's Haven at Chanticleer Park and it's amazing. I wish this park was closer to…read morehome. It was just built in 2020 so everything is in great condition. It was built in partnership with Shane's Inspiration (if you've been to Griffith Park, it's the same organization). So, many of the park features are universally accessible. The playground area is spacious and a wonderful safe space for children. There are some climbing areas and slides for toddler age but the larger playground is great for preschool-elementary age. There isn't a ton of shade so bring hats and sunscreen! There are some benches scattered around the park and a few tables outside of the gated area. There is a private lot and street parking. They have bathrooms and they are fairly clean!

This is a super nice new neighborhood park. Really liked the garden picnic area. Plenty of parking…read more Just wish it had some trees/shade.