Articles: Explore Endless Natural Beauty at Santa Cruz State Parks

Santa Cruz County is one of the few places where you can still hike an unbroken trail from the redwood-covered mountains to the rugged, windswept beaches of the Pacific Coast. With a path that winds along majestic old-growth redwoods, graceful waterfalls and gorgeous vistas, hiking the Skyline to the Sea Trail in Big Basin Redwoods State Park is just one of many ways to soak up Santa Cruz County's natural beauty.

Inside a magical eucalyptus grove at Natural Bridges State Park you can watch the over-wintering monarch butterflies or explore the tide pools along the park's rocky shoreline. Just off the Old-Growth Loop Trail at the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park, you can marvel at the sight of a twisted redwood forest. At Manresa and Sunset State Beaches, you can stroll the wide expanses of pristine coastline and watch the sandpipers scurry along the water's edge.

Santa Cruz County's vast preserves of open space are a tribute to the early conservation efforts that began here over a century ago. The first campaign to save the redwoods succeeded in establishing Big Basin Redwoods State Park in 1902, now California's oldest state park. Today, Santa Cruz County has an extraordinary number of state parks--14 in all--and each offers a unique experience for visitors.

California's oldest state park, Big Basin, is home to the largest continuous stand of ancient redwoods south of San Francisco. Big Basin encompasses 18,000 acres of old growth and recovering redwood forest. The park offers over 80 miles of trails that meander alongside creeks, waterfalls, and the giant trees. Some of the trails link Big Basin to Castle Rock State Park and the eastern reaches of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Along the crest of the mountains, Castle Rock State Park is a forested wilderness of redwoods, Douglas fir and madrone with 32 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails. The park features a number of unusual sandstone outcroppings that are great for rock climbing.

In Felton, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is popular for its easy loop trail around the park's oldest and largest trees. The trail is wheelchair and stroller accessible. More trails crisscross the San Lorenzo River and its steep, redwood-covered canyons. The park features a campground, picnic areas and interpretative programs.

The trails of the nearby Fall Creek State Park are far less traveled. The park's stillness stands in sharp contrast to the sounds of the early industrial operations that once echoed through the canyons. Now, the loudest sounds are the trickling waters of Fall Creek. Hikers will find remnants of old logging operations, quarries and limekilns along the park's trails.

The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park in Aptos is another tribute to nature's resilience. This dense, redwood paradise was clear-cut as recently as 1923, but second growth redwoods now populate the hillsides once again. The 10,000-acre park offers miles of trails for walking, running, hiking and mountain biking. Interesting sites include an unusual, twisted grove of redwoods, remnants of an old sawmill, and the epicenter of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

On a bluff overlooking downtown Santa Cruz stands the last remaining original building of the Santa Cruz Mission. Built in 1791, it was the 12th Franciscan mission in California. All but one of the original buildings have been lost to earthquakes, but Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park has restored the remaining structure and curates fascinating exhibits depicting the mission's history.

The former rancho serving the Santa Cruz Mission is now Wilder Ranch State Park. North of Santa Cruz, the park offers visitors a glimpse into the history of the rancho and its later incarnation as a dairy ranch. Along with its living history demonstrations and tours, Wilder Ranch offers hiking, biking and horseback riding trails that skirt along the cliffs, as well as more challenging trails that climb the steep hills and meadows overlooking Monterey Bay. Beautiful windswept beaches and a breathtaking fern grotto line the coast.

Further up the shoreline lies Rancho Del Oso State Park, which is the coastal side of Big Basin. Here, the densely forested trails of Big Basin open up to glorious views of the Pacific Ocean. Rancho Del Oso is home to the Theodore J. Hoover Natural Preserve, a rare coastal freshwater marsh that shelters many endangered species and Waddell Beach, a world-renowned spot for windsurfing and kiteboarding.

One of the most picturesque spots on the coast is Natural Bridges State Park. A sandstone sea arch shaped by wind and waves rises just beyond the beach. Long ago, Natural Bridges was a series of connected arches, but today only one remains. During low tide, you can explore the tide pools filled with sea stars, tiny crabs and sea anemones. Each winter, hibernating monarch butterflies cluster in the park's eucalyptus grove. Bring your binoculars and watch as thousands of these royal creatures dance and flutter overhead.

The beaches that Santa Cruz County is most famous for extend south from Santa Cruz to Watsonville and include the state beaches of Seabright, Twin Lakes, New Brighton, Seacliff, Rio Del Mar, Manresa, Manresa Uplands, Sunset, and Palm. Here, families relax on the sands, play in the surf and soak up the sunshine.

At New Brighton, Manresa Uplands and Sunset, you can camp on bluffs above the water or inland among the pines. At Seacliff, RV campers can be lulled to sleep by the crashing waves right on the beach.

Seacliff is home to what locals affectionately call "The Cement Ship." An experimental ship constructed of concrete, it made just one voyage in 1919 before permanently docking at the beach. Its remains are now regarded as a favorite fishing spot.

Surfing is popular at Manresa. Swimming is best at Twin Lakes. Sunset and Palm both feature mountainous sand dunes.

Picnic pavilions for large groups can be found at New Brighton, Seacliff and Sunset. Barbeque grills and picnic tables for smaller groups line the long stretch of sand at Seacliff.

The beaches of Seabright, Twin Lakes, New Brighton, Rio Del Mar, Manresa and Sunset have fire rings for building campfires and toasting s'mores. The pounding waves and flickering flames create an idyllic setting for watching the sunset.

From the mountains to the sea, Santa Cruz County's natural beauty abounds in its state parks.