Major Parks Around Santa Cruz

California’s diverse and breathtaking landscape is well represented in the many state parks near Santa Cruz. Find a list and descriptions below to choose your ideal day in the great outdoors.

Año Nuevo State Park
The property contains a diversity of plant communities, including old growth forest freshwater marsh, red alder riparian forest and knobcone pine forest. Its four perennial streams support steelhead trout and coho salmon, and its wetlands are habitat to the rare San Francisco garter snake and red-legged frog. Cultural resources include the remnants of a prehistoric Native American village site and a number of structures from the 19th century Cascade Ranch.

Big Basin Redwoods
Big Basin Redwoods State Park is the oldest state park in California. It has miles of trails that link Big Basin to Castle Rock State Park and the eastern reaches of the Santa Cruz range. The Skyline to the Sea Trail threads its way through the park along Waddell Creek to the beach and adjacent Theodore J. Hoover Natural Preserve, a freshwater marsh. The park has a surprising number of waterfalls, a wide variety of environments (from lush canyon bottoms to sparse chaparral-covered slopes, many animals and great birding. The park is also home to stately redwood groves.

Castle Rock
Ranging in elevation from a peak of 3,820 feet near Mt. Bielawski (Mt. McPhersen) to a low of 960 feet along the San Lorenzo River, Castle Rock State Park contains numerous plant communities including redwood forest, chaparral, grassland, riparian, and mixed hard wood forest. Steep canyons feature unusual rock formations that are popular with rock climbers. The park is crisscrossed by 32 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails.

Fall Creek
Fall Creek in the northern area of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is 2,390 acres and contains about 20 miles of hiking trails.

Henry Cowell Redwoods
This park features 15 miles of hiking and riding trails through an ancient redwood forest. Zayante Indians once lived in the area, which is the home of the Redwood Grove and features a self-guided nature path. Adjoining the park is Roaring Camp Railroad. The tallest tree in the park is about 285 feet tall and about 16 feet wide, while the oldest trees in the park are about 1,400 to 1,800 years old.

Lighthouse Field
Also known as Point Santa Cruz, this area forms the northern boundary of Monterey Bay. It is one of the last open headlands in any California urban area. Surfers, tourists, birds (including the rare black swift) and wintering monarch butterflies are drawn to this area. Sea lions populate the offshore rocks. The lighthouse is home to California's first surfing museum.

Manresa & Manresa Uplands
Manresa State Beach features a beautiful expanse of sea and sand, with fishing, surfing, and other recreation available.

Natural Bridge State Beach
Natural Bridges State Beach is world-renowned for its yearly migration of monarch butterflies. The best time to see monarchs in the park is usually from mid-October to late January. This beach, with its famous natural bridge, is an excellent place to view shore and ocean birds, migrating whales, and seals and otters playing offshore. Further along the beach, tidepools reveal sea stars, crabs, sea anemones, and other colorful ocean life.

New Brighton
This 93-acre park along the coast of Santa Cruz offers spectacular views of the Monterey Bay. Pine trees, Monterey Cypress, oak, eucalyptus trees, and wild berry vines surround the area. Once the site of a Chinese fishing village, it now offers locals and visitors a peaceful haven.Palm State Beach
This wide beach is perfect for a long walk or sunbathing. Fishing and swimming are popular activities, as well as picnicking.

Portola Redwoods
The park is in a rugged, natural basin forested with coast redwoods, Douglas fir and live oak. Eighteen miles of trails crisscross the canyon and several streams, notably Slate Creek, Peters Creek and Pescadero Creek. Trails also connect to adjacent parks, while the Sequoia Self-guided Nature Trail and Old Tree Trail introduce visitors to the natural history of the area. The park has one of the tallest redwoods (over 300 feet high) in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Rancho Del Oso
The ranch includes a ranch-style house and grounds that were once the home of Hulda Hoover McLean. Also on-site are a protected courtyard surrounded by a main meeting room, exhibit rooms, gift shop, and a large deck overlooking Waddell Valley and the Pacific Ocean. The many Rancho del Oso trails offer superb recreation for the nature enthusiast.

Santa Cruz Mission
This adobe structure was established in 1791 and built between the years of 1822 and 1824, mostly by the hard work of Native Americans in what was then known as "Alta California." The lovely, single-story adobe has been restored to its original appearance.

Seacliff
This long stretch of sand and bluffs has great accessible facilities including picnic areas, an interpretive center, and a fishing pier. The beach is also a popular swimming spot. One of the most unusual attractions in the Santa Cruz area rests at the end of the fishing pier. The USS Palo Alto, one of only three cement ships built during World War I, has been a popular attraction for visitors since 1929.

Sunset State Beach
Surrounded by fertile farmland, Sunset State Beach features a picnic area and 200-foot-high dunes (the largest in the country) built up in front of coastal bluff. The beach itself stretches down to meet the mouth of the Pajaro River, giving three miles of unobstructed and spectacular shoreline. Visitors enjoy broad vistas of the Monterey Bay from two main overlooks. During the summer and autumn, it is possible to see large groups of bottle nosed dolphins. The beach features pine trees, mountainous sand dunes, and oceanside picnic spots.

The Forest of Nisene Marks
The park offers 10,000 acres of rugged semi-wilderness, rising from sea level to steep coastal mountains of more than 2,600 feet. The site of logging operations until the 1920s, visitors can still find evidence of logging operations. There are 30 miles of trails nestled in this second growth forest, which are perfect for hiking, mountain biking, or horseback riding (in some areas).

Twin Lakes State Beach
The beach has a mile of sandy shoreline and is popular for swimming and picnicking. The park's adjacent Schwann Lake is a good location for bird watching. It is one of the area's warmest beaches.

Wilder Ranch
The park covers approximately 7,000 acres, with 34 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails winding through coastal terraces and valleys. Several buildings once belonging to the Wilder family have been restored. Tours and living history demonstrations are offered. The grounds include Victorian homes, barns, shops, gardens, and a historic adobe. Major wetlands restoration projects have attracted some of the original flora and fauna back to the area.

For further reference, please visit the following sites:

• Santa Cruz State Parks
• California Parks & Recreation Department