Parks & Nature in Santa Cruz

1 places · Redwoods, headlands & open space

All (14)Point Reyes Station (3)Berkeley (3)Richmond (1)Santa Cruz (1)Mill Valley (1)Santa Rosa (2)Oakland (1)Half Moon Bay (1)San Jose (1)

A narrow dirt trail clings to a rocky ridgeline on the left, with dense green chaparral and forested hills dropping away into layered blue mountains. In the distance, hazy ridges fade under a bright morning sky with scattered white clouds.

Parks & Wilderness

Santa Cruz, CA

Castle Rock State Park

This 5,242-acre park features dramatic sandstone formations shaped by tafoni weathering, creating honeycomb-like erosion patterns. Castle Rock Falls drops 80 feet into a forested canyon and flows most strongly during winter and spring. The ridgeline trails offer views extending to Monterey Bay on clear days.

morningspring · winter