Name: Wilder Ranch Coast Trail
Rating: 4.4

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E-Bikes Allowed

Overview

This is a family friendly trail that offers panoramic views of the Santa Cruz coast.

Description

This ride follows the coastline within Wilder Ranch State Park. The trail is above the cliff-band but you can hike your bike down to many of the beaches along the way. You can literally spend hours on this ride just to soak in the view.

You can do a loop by riding back on Hwy 1 but I would rather ride back the same way to enjoy a different set of views. This is a popular area so watch out for hikers.

Contacts

Local Club: Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz

Land Manager: California State Parks

Shared By:

Johnny Y

Full Details

Trail Ratings

4.4 from 50 votes

#2

in Wilder Ranch State Park

#356

Overall

4.4 from 50 votes

5 Star		58%
4 Star		24%
3 Star		16%
2 Star		2%
1 Star		0%

Recommended Route Rankings

107 Views Last Month

32,205 Since Apr 11, 2013

		72%
		11%
		13%
		2%
		0%
		2%

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Photos

Apr 15, 2013 near Santa Cruz, CA

the views are just phenomenal!! One of the most relaxing ride I've ever ridden! Photo by Dinno Domingo.

Jul 5, 2016 near Santa Cruz, CA

Apr 15, 2013 near Santa Cruz, CA

Apr 15, 2013 near Santa Cruz, CA

Apr 15, 2013 near Santa Cruz, CA

Sunset on the deserted Fern Grotto Beach

Feb 1, 2022 near Santa Cruz, CA

1 Comment

Weather

Current Trail Conditions

All Clear 46 days ago

Update Conditions See History

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Check-Ins

Jan 19, 2026

Jr. Olivo

Dec 27, 2025

J Im

Oct 11, 2025

Vaishnav Mayekar

Apr 12, 2025

Anonymous

Feb 22, 2025

Diljo Sinko

Jul 2, 2023

Jack Zhang

Most part of the trail is not well maintained. Must be wagons driving on it a lot. 12.9mi — 1h 21m

Apr 23, 2023

Van Albinto

Apr 16, 2023

Will Culkin

Jul 9, 2022

Markus Mattwandel

Dec 4, 2021

hogarth garcia

Sep 6, 2021

Zimu Zhou

Jul 25, 2021

Fereshteh Memarian

Mar 14, 2021

Kris k

Amazing ride by the pacific

Jan 16, 2021

J C

Nov 21, 2020

Christian Rodriguez

10h 45m

Aug 13, 2020

Abie Arcilla

What a fun, gorgeous single trail for early-intermediate riders. If you want to challenge yourself with easy single trails, this is the one for you! 9mi — 3h 30m

Jul 12, 2020

Sergiy Cherepov

9mi — 3h 00m

Jan 1, 2020

Mitch Baum

Jul 25, 2019

Jody Wissing

Beautiful, scenic ride. I'm from Dallas, so this is something very different for me. I'll be back. 8mi

Jun 1, 2019

Antonio Macias

Beautiful trail loved every second of it 14.3mi

Apr 23, 2019

John Tuns

10.1mi — 3h 05m

Mar 2, 2019

Thejdeep Gudivada

Jan 3, 2019

Willis Su

Nov 24, 2018

Orijit Dhar

Couldn’t finish due to rain 3mi

Oct 23, 2018

Tim Cooney

Beautiful, easy riding! 6mi

Sep 7, 2018

Kevin sypniewski

Aug 8, 2018

Erik James

3mi

Aug 5, 2018

Heather Wiscombe

Jul 8, 2018

Jeongkeun Lee

Jul 7, 2018

Dimitri P

Really fun and nice trail. Incredible views of cliffs and coastline. No fog, windy. 15.6mi

Jun 10, 2018

Pat Burke

28mi

Jun 9, 2018

David Rowland

May 12, 2018

Mary Ellen Goodwin

Tall prickly grass beautiful views

May 7, 2018

Shane Sawicky

Absolutely beautiful trail along the coastal bluffs of Santa Cruz! Very easy ride for everyone in the family; very little elevation gain as well...

May 5, 2018

Toby Tobkin

Apr 12, 2018

Inigo Rodriguez

Apr 8, 2018

Inigo Rodriguez

Apr 7, 2018

Remi Vichery

Jan 6, 2018

Bogdan Kravtsov

Beautiful, easy, but watch out for mountain lions. 16mi

Nov 22, 2017

Salman Karbasi

11.5mi

Nov 18, 2017

Ray Guerrero

Oct 22, 2017

Bob Wagner

Oct 14, 2017

Stefan D.

Sep 28, 2017

Michael Dermott

Nice easy cool down after the best of Wilder

Sep 17, 2017

Arpad Hevizi

Jul 23, 2017

Alan Tan

Jul 17, 2017

Dave Reed

21mi — 3h 00m

Jun 13, 2017

Courtney Roach

First ride a while ago

Mar 11, 2017

Vinay Sanjekar

12.1mi

Oct 13, 2016

Rj Tapia

Awesome tracks beautiful views not to crowded 7mi

Aug 21, 2016

Nick Vor

Aug 21, 2016

Abhi Flame

Aug 20, 2016

Toshihiko Honkura

Jun 11, 2016

Kunal mudgal

10mi — 2h 00m

Nov 26, 2015

Darren Karopczyc

Nov 23, 2015

Jessica Toth

Jul 15, 2015

Bunty SomRoy

May 10, 2013

Private User

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Wilder Ranch Coast Trail

“A scenic ride along the Santa Cruz beaches. ”

14.3

23.1

65%

67' 20 m

44' 14 m

144' 44 m

144' 44 m

0%

3%

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Know This Trail?

Dogs No Dogs

E-Bikes Allowed

Overview

Description

Contacts

Shared By:

Trail Ratings

#2

#356

#2

#45

#356

Photos

1 Comment

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Weather

Current Trail Conditions

Check-Ins

Nearby Recommended Routes

Best of Nisene

Demo: Flow/Sawpit

Braille Flow

Mid-Peninsula Linkup

Mt. Umunhum Out-and-Back

Ridge Trail Ride

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