Stayed at the campgrounds of the Henry Cowell State Park for 2 nights. The sites are spacious with…read moremost of them having plenty of shade and room to park our car with tent on top. They just finished building brand new restrooms, showers and a dishwasher station near the site we chose which was awesome. There are individual restrooms cubicles that are spacious with warm water and a hook to hang a towel, etc., and an electric outlet. We took one of the nearby trails accessible from the campground that led to cable car beach which is fed by eagle creek. One side of the hike was beautiful with views of Santa Cruz and an observation deck and the other shady with trees. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Only downside was a campsite full of younger people were next to us and kept talking loudly until maybe 12:30 a.m. Camp hosts are supposed to keep those things in check and it was not dealt with. And as it was a chilly night, we didn't want to get out of our tent to go ask them to keep it down. I would if in the future I come to this campground alert the host ahead of time of a potential problem before retiring so they can be aware to check on it. Otherwise, this is an excellent campground near to Santa Cruz and many trails and the skunk train that takes you into Santa Cruz.

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.

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.

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.

I had an amazing trip with the California State Parks Backpacking Adventure, Ridges to Redwoods!…read moreI'm glad I pushed myself and experienced the tremendous beauty, the support of community, and the highly capable and competent interpretive team. It was a meaningful experience with spectacular vistas and I garnered an even greater love of our local ecology. I highly suggest doing one of the California State Parks Backpacking Adventure trips. They team is supportive and helpful from outlining what to bring to helping with on the trail blister issues. It was an amazing experience. I can't wait to go again.

From the owner: This program is truly unique, the only such program led by California State Park staff. We offer…read morenaturalist-led backpacking trips in the Santa Cruz Mountains, sharing with you the natural and cultural history of the area. Trips vary in length and difficulty, proposing options for every experience level. Each trip provides two naturalists and you can meet them before hand at one of our in-person or video-conference pre-trip meetings. Native plant teas, trail desserts, demonstrations, stories, and jokes are added bonuses!

Nice place and great location. Rather poor drainage. I was there several days after it rained and…read moreyou can see in the picture there are big pools of rainwater.

On our way to Santa Cruz and needed to make a pit stop for the dogs. We found this place on yelp…read more As soon as we pulled up we realized that this was not for us. Wood chips and weeds. A terrible combination for dogs. So we left and went next door to sky park. See review under skypark

Easy parking. Nice redwoods and can't go wrong with Henry Cowell. Give this park a visit. You won't…read moreregret.

Caitlin was the nicest tour guide. She had us walking through nature and explained a lot about…read moremushroom hunting, and made the experience magic.

We went on the short hike adventure. This hike is perfect for someone who is a beginner who hasn't…read morethought about foraging in a forest before. We all learned something new. The guide was very nice and informative. Meeting at one location, then meeting at another 5 minutes away seemed like a time filler. I would recommend just giving a meeting location and starting on time at the location. People should be able to handle going pee and getting coffee on their own before a hike. Seriously, I would consider dropping that part of the tour. For the price I would have hoped for a location that was a little more remote or wooded. We walked 0.5 miles and could see the parking lot the whole time. A great addition would be to make a little helpful hints guide for all of the participants so they can look back and remember the tips. That would make the price seem more worth it.

I did the sunrise special in May of 2021. Loved it! It was very organized, well planned and…read morebeautiful. I did the trip alone and felt completely safe and comfortable the entire time. Thank you Slow Adventure!

Fantastically organized and worth every penny! Walked from Santa Cruz to close to Monterey --…read morefollowed the guide's very detailed (but not overly so) book as we went and enjoyed many near deserted miles of lush and fabulous coastline -- so many of these beaches we probably wouldn't visit otherwise. Every detail was thought of and it was such a delight to not worry about luggage transfers and have our car nicely waiting for us at the end. Our guide (that we could call) was a big help, too. It was a very pleasant surprise that our accommodations were consistently quite luxurious, too. Love this company and can't wait to come back again next summer!

I took my first lesson with Eskape Sea Kayaking (ESK) back in 1999. I was hooked and have been…read moreexpanding my kayaking skills ever since, mainly under the tutelage of the instructors of ESK. Roger, the owner, is not only a great teacher, he is an amazing coach. He keeps his class sizes small so that he can give each person individual attention. Both in receiving lessons and watching him teach others, it always impresses me how much Roger tunes into the nuances and needs of each person in the class. The staff ESK brings in to help with the classes always mirrors that style as well. Roger, Tom, Bryan, Gregg and the rest are some of the best paddlers on the West Coast. Whether you want to just learn the basics or go out and take on the big waves, this is the place to go.

What Yoda is to The Force, Roger Schumann is to kayaking. If your future kayaking plans involve…read moreanything more then calm fair-weather kayaking on a pond, Roger's instruction will be invaluable. Roger will taylor classes to your skill level and comfort. We spent four consecutive days with Roger and left far more competent and safe than when we arrived. The classes are reasonably priced and you could not ask for a more beautiful location. We saw Sea Otters, dolphins and birds beyond count. We could not have been happier!!! http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g33048-r317079943-Santa_Cruz_California.html#