Skyline to the Sea Trail

Of the many trails that run through the Santa Cruz Mountains, the one known as the Skyline to the Sea Trail has been called the system's "reigning monarch." It covers a total distance of 32.5 miles, divided into several segments that connect the crest of the Santa Cruz Range to the shores of the Pacific.

The uppermost segment, which runs from Saratoga Gap to Big Basin Redwoods State Park, was developed over a single weekend in 1969 by a team of some 2,500 volunteers. The trailhead here is located at an elevation of 3,000 feet. The opposite end, known as the Waddell Creek segment, starts at sea level near the Rancho del Oso Nature and History Center. It is the only part of the route where bikes are allowed, covering five and a half miles one way and rising 450 feet up a gentle slope of graded fire road as it passes through the Waddell Creek Valley.

To traverse the Skyline to the Sea Trail from one end to the other takes two to four days on foot. It is rated as a moderate hike. Most hikers take the downhill direction from east to west. Cyclists head uphill from west to east. Along the way there are stands of tall Douglas fir, Monterey pine, and second-growth redwoods. Also seen are riparian habitats and meadows containing some 20 species of wildflowers. The trail is accessible year-round.