Hikes & Trails
By Alex V. · Owner, Beach RV Pleasure Point · Updated August 2026
The short answer
The best hikes in Santa Cruz are either old-growth redwoods in the hills or wave-cut bluffs on the coast, about twenty minutes apart. For a first visit, walk the 0.8-mile Redwood Grove Loop at Henry Cowell in the morning, then the 2.5-mile Old Cove Landing Trail at Wilder Ranch after lunch. Both are flat and both cost $10 to park. Fees, closures, and dog rules on this page were checked in August 2026.
Santa Cruz hiking divides between old-growth redwoods in the hills and wave-cut bluffs on the coast, about twenty minutes apart. For a first visit, walk the Redwood Grove Loop at Henry Cowell, then the Old Cove Landing Trail at Wilder Ranch, and you'll have seen both in one day.
This guide is written from our RV park on the East Side, with the details that decide a hike: current fees, what's still closed from the storm and fire years, drive times from Pleasure Point, and where your dog can legally come along.
The redwood walk to do first: Henry Cowell
The Redwood Grove Loop is 0.8 flat miles under 270-foot old-growth trees, about 20 minutes from the park and $10 to park — stroller-friendly and wheelchair-accessible. Stretch it by picking up the River Trail along the San Lorenzo, or climb to the observation deck for a five-mile loop with a view over the whole valley.
Roaring Camp Railroads sits next door if you want to pair the grove with the steam train. For redwoods without the crowds, the park's Fall Creek unit is a few minutes away, with creek crossings, the ruins of the old lime kilns, and a free trailhead lot.
The coast hike: Wilder Ranch
Old Cove Landing Trail is the Santa Cruz bluff walk most people mean: 2.5 flat miles past Fern Grotto, harbor-seal coves, and whale spouts in season, starting from the preserved 1890s dairy ranch. Extend along the Ohlone Bluff Trail toward Four Mile Beach and you can stretch it to seven miles of cliff edge.
$10 to park, open 8 a.m. to sunset, about 20 minutes from the East Side. No dogs anywhere in Wilder Ranch, which catches out a lot of traveling dog owners.
The backyard forest: Nisene Marks
The Forest of Nisene Marks in Aptos is the closest big forest to the park — about ten minutes — and the farther up Aptos Creek Fire Road you go, the fewer people you see. Most people walk the flat stretch to the steel bridge and turn around. Going all the way up to Sand Point Overlook is around twelve miles round trip. Maple Falls sits between the two, and the last stretch has creek crossings with no bridges.
$8 per car, and the epicenter of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake hides up the trail under the second-growth. Leashed dogs are allowed on the lower fire road and the picnic-area trails, so this is where to go if you want a real forest hike with your dog.
In town: bluffs and greenbelt, no driving required
From the park itself, the East Cliff blufftop path runs the shoreline from 32nd to 41st. Across town, West Cliff Drive's paved path is 2.7 miles from Steamer Lane to Natural Bridges, fully reopened after the storm-repair years.
If you want dirt without driving over the hill, there is Pogonip's meadow-and-forest loops above downtown (free, leashed dogs in via the Golf Club Drive and Spring Street entrances), and Arana Gulch's harbor-view meadows, where every trail but one welcomes leashed dogs.
Worth the drive
Big Basin, California's oldest state park, is open for limited day use as it rebuilds from the 2020 fire, and the green coming back around the burned trunks is worth the drive. Reserve parking ahead — and leave the rig at your site, because the park can't take RVs or trailers. The famous Berry Creek Falls loop remains closed.
Castle Rock up on Skyline is the half-day mountain trip: honeycombed sandstone, climbers on Goat Rock, and big valley views ($10, and the gate locks at sunset). Año Nuevo, 45 minutes north, is the elephant-seal walk — self-guided with a free permit from spring through fall, $10 to park, and no dogs allowed anywhere, including waiting in the car.
The newest trails in the county are at Cotoni-Coast Dairies above Davenport — the first nine miles opened in late 2025, with a free trailhead lot and leashed dogs welcome on two of the three loops. Most visitors have not found it yet.
Hiking with your dog
Most state-park trails here ban dogs, so plan around the exceptions: the lower Aptos Creek Fire Road at Nisene Marks, Pogonip's designated trails, Arana Gulch, the East Cliff and West Cliff paved paths, and two of the three Cotoni-Coast Dairies loops — all leashed.
No dogs at all: Wilder Ranch, Big Basin's trails, Castle Rock, Fall Creek, the UCSC campus trails, and Año Nuevo — the last not even waiting in the car. Which Henry Cowell trails allow a dog, and every beach rule, are in our dog-friendly Santa Cruz guide.
Know before you go
- Fees: $10 at most state-park lots, $8 at Nisene Marks, free at Pogonip, Arana Gulch, and Cotoni-Coast Dairies. Big Basin wants a parking reservation.
- Gates lock at sunset at Castle Rock and close out the state lots, so leave yourself time to get back to the car unless you parked outside.
- Poison oak lines half the trails in the county. Wear long socks, stay on the trail, and wash up after.
- Summer pattern: coastal fog until midday, warm in the redwoods. Hike the forest in the morning and walk the bluffs in the afternoon. Month by month, see our best time to visit guide.
Common questions about hiking in Santa Cruz
What's the best easy redwood hike near Santa Cruz?
The Redwood Grove Loop at Henry Cowell — 0.8 flat miles under 270-foot old-growth trees, stroller- and wheelchair-friendly, about 20 minutes from the East Side ($10 to park). If you want the trees with fewer people, the park's Fall Creek unit nearby sees far lighter traffic and has a free trailhead.
What's the best coastal hike in Santa Cruz?
The Old Cove Landing Trail at Wilder Ranch — 2.5 flat miles past Fern Grotto and harbor-seal coves, extendable to seven miles along the Ohlone Bluff Trail. It's $10 to park and about 20 minutes away. Note for dog owners: Wilder Ranch doesn't allow dogs anywhere in the park.
What are the newest hiking trails in Santa Cruz County?
Cotoni-Coast Dairies, on the bluffs above Davenport. The first nine miles opened in late 2025 on former ranch land, with a free trailhead lot, three loops, and leashed dogs welcome on two of them. It has not drawn crowds yet, so you may have a weekday walk out there to yourself.
Is Big Basin open after the 2020 fire?
Partly — Big Basin is open for limited day use as it rebuilds, and you can watch the forest coming back around the burned giants. Reserve parking ahead and leave the RV at your site (the park can't take RVs or trailers). The Berry Creek Falls loop remains closed.
About the author
Alex V. — Alex owns and runs Beach RV Pleasure Point, a sixteen-site RV park a nine-minute walk to the surf on the Santa Cruz East Side. These guides are the same advice we give guests at the office.