I came here to start my drive down West Cliff Drive. I was interested in just covering it and not…read moregoing too deep so it worked out perfectly that there is a free 20 minute parking lot. From there, the view is good of the water, but you need to walk down to the beach into the sand to get a good view of the natural bridge. I was able to do that and get back to the car in 20 minutes (wink wink). But seriously, it can be done and it is not monitored that closely. Or you can just pay to park inside, but for me just wanted to snap a pic, it wasn't worth it to pay. The beach is large and there were families hanging out and there is also a bathroom inside the park just back from the sand.

Do not hesitate to bring the whole family! Wheel chair friendly too! The trail to the Monarch…read moreviewing is easy... and there are trails going right down to the beach where you can see an arch in the water still standing. The gift shop is full of interesting fair trade items. And the museum display is well done and informative. Parking is on the street free or in the lot for $10.00. Facilities are available.

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.

My family and i love this place! It's our first time to check it out and we are so amazed!!…read more We will come back to spend longer time soon and will explore more trail routes... Thank you for the people who keep this place manageable and accessible for all the hikers and visitors..You are all awesome!! See you next time!!

What a delightful State Park with medium and short trails that are coastal. We went at the end of…read morethe day, so we couldn't hike very far-- thus, we plan on returning another day when we could arrive earlier with the right gear (snacks, water, sunscreen, hat, camera, etc) because there is SO MUCH to see here! The trails aren't super long to get to cool sites, like seal pups and fern caves, and you get to gaze at beautiful wildflowers and bushes along the way, like giant calla lilies and blackberries. There were also many frogs croaking and birds singing while we were hiking, which created such unexpected symphonies. It also wasn't very crowded. We saw a few groups of casual hikers and a few joggers. There was some construction in areas close to the parking lot that was unsightly and a parking fee, but other than that, everything was just lovely. I can't wait to return to Wilder Ranch for a deeper exploration! [TIP: If you're a serious hiker who's looking for an all day trip, this isn't the location for you. Wilder Ranch is on the easy to medium hike level with trails that are fairly short, like 2.5 miles for one of the popular beach loops. You can, of course, make it a longer hike but exploring multiple trails or crossing the freeway to the other trails, but it is not the kind of location you can get lost. It's perfect for families and people who have a couple hours to spare.]

Great for hiking. Provided some great scenic views. Got some great photos and felt the ocean mist…read moreright at the edge of some cliffs. After parking you made about a mile walk to where the cliffs overlook the ocean. There is no beach access at this location. Parking with access was $10. Good price for the experience for my family of 3. After the 3 hour drive from Sacramento this visit was the perfect way to stretch our legs and also get some much needed steps in.

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.

This was a quick and easy way to take in the scenic coastline of Santa Cruz. You can walk, jog, or…read morebike the path that is about 3 miles long. I was running short on time so drove it, but was meticulous in stopping at each parking spot and taking in the sights. I started at Natural Bridges and went from there. I did the whole thing by car in about 30 minutes. There are small lots 10 cars or so along the way and I had no issues finding a spot at each one. Some of it has street parking as well. The coast curves delightfully and there are benches to sit and relax and at some places you can walk down to the beach itself or just sit on the rocks. Other places have steep drops and that's what makes it great! You'll also see surfers along the way.

West Cliff Drive is a scenic route starting downtown at the pier that winds along the rugged…read morecoastline northward to the Natural Bridges Park. This beautiful path is approximately 3 miles long which can be enjoyed by walking, biking or a slow ride in one's vehicle. A good portion of the route is wheelchair accessible. It is a great route to enjoy the sights and sounds of the abundant marine life including seals and dolphins, the waters of the Pacific ocean and Monterey Bay, fantastic views of the rugged coastline, and the waters full of surfers at iconic Steamer Lane. There are a few parking spots along the way. The parking lot at the north end of West Cliff Drive can fill up quickly.

Beautiful trail in the Santa Cruz mountains to experience true natural beauty of walking among…read moreredwoods. Compared to Muir Woods it's not a very doctrinated environment with boardwalks etc, lot of redwoods are fallen over the river which are supposed to enhance the ecology. The lime kiln hike is good for beginners. Good place to bring kids and pets - saw some kids look very happy that they were crossing mini bridges over running water here and there. The ending point of the trail is at the historic Lime Kilns and it's very interesting and hard to imagine that there was a full lime making facility during the Gold Rush there, plus an ecosystem of burning redwood to power kilns for melting lime rock, and a rail road to transport the lime away

This is large open space in the hills of Santa Cruz near the UC. It is not really a public park in…read moreterms of there aren't a whole lot of public benches, picnic tables, garbage receptacles, playgrounds etc... What it does have are numerous trails, most if not all are unpaved that weave into this raw open space. Some parts of the hills are open grass lands thus no shade. Some trails go into a forested area where lots of trees are some being smaller redwoods, thus lots of shade there. I picked a route/loop that was about 4 miles that had a little incline and mostly through the forested area. It was mostly on the Spring Trail. There's an old Limestone Kiln on this trail that used to extract limestone from rocks, which was then used for mortar and plaster to help build California in the 1900s. So a little piece of history here. Not crowded at all (which I love) during a Monday afternoon. More joggers than hikers for some reason, no bikers that I saw and lots of leashed dogs strolling with their owners. Santa Cruz is a very dog friendly town. I'm assuming most if not all users here are from the surrounding neighborhoods/university. I ran into lots of colorful plant life along with the birds those tow, small lizards basking in the sun and even a 3 foot snake right on the trail. Startled me at first as it is well camouflaged on the dirt and shade from the trees. I could tell by the shape of the head that it wasn't a rattle snake, so I just carefully stepped around it as not startle it. Unlike many people I don't freak out on these occurrences, so this was more exciting to me than worrisome. But glad I found this open space as I often like to exercise/hike while I'm visiting an area and now I can pair this with some beach relaxation afterwards. Santa Cruz score!

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.

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.

What a gem! Beautiful park with biking and hiking trails, disc golf and golf courses, ball field,…read moreplayground and picnic areas. We came for a UCSC mountain bike race and got to watch some amazing athletes compete from up and down the state. Dogs on leash are allowed on trails. Parking is free.

Parking at the Enchanted Trail Trailhead parking area, I made my way up into De Laveaga Park for a…read morewalk through the Redwoods. I didn't have the chance to make it up to Henry Cowell State Park, but this location seemed a compromise since I was making my way to the Mystery Spot. I meandered through the trails just east of Branciforte Drive. The trails are well groomed, easy to hike with younger children and pets, and it was such a pleasant quiet morning for me. The trees were so tall and impressive, and I enjoyed being out in nature but close to civilization at the same time. If I had more time in the area, I would have spent more time here. I think it is a great location for locals to get out and enjoy nature!

My boyfriend and I along with his doggie visited this beach before we left Santa Cruz. We parked on…read morethe street, which was pretty easy. Siri said that this beach was dog friendly, but then there was a sign that "dogs prohibited." Hmm.... There was sooo much flies there that it was very uncomfortable. We quickly snapped a couple photos and then bolted because of the damn flies. We didn't like this beach due to the overwhelming flies.

We came here to search for monarch butterflies and unfortunately 2 sycamore trees fell the week…read moreprior which blocked the entrance to the butterfly grove. We were advised to try the preserve across from the lighthouse and found a few clusters of butterflies there. They were very beautiful! There were butterflies flying around us while we strolled around the park. We also spotted a long horn owl in a huge sycamore tree. We had a beautiful day here and for sure will be back for another visit soon.