Wilder Ranch State Park
Santa Cruz coast, Hwy 1 · near Santa Cruz · Central Coast
Mountain Biking
At a glance
- Skill level
- intermediate
- Trail miles
- ~35-41 mi across coastal terraces and wooded canyons
- Elevation
- Moderate rolling; the Wilder Ridge Loop carries the most gain
- Best season
- Year-round - the most reliable dry-out in the area (coastal), but still closes muddy after storms
Worth knowing
- Good for a first timer
- No
Mountain Biking detail
- Ride types
- xc · all-mountain
- Signature trails
- Enchanted Loop · Wilder Ridge Loop · Zane Gray Cutoff
- Ebike
- Yes
- Ebike note
- E-bikes allowed on many designated trails per current mapping; confirm California State Parks signage.
- Intl tip
- If Demo is closed for rain or timber ops, come here - the coastal side dries first. Ride out from downtown on the coastal bike path to skip the parking fee.
The guide
Wilder is the quintessential Santa Cruz coastal ride - grassy marine-terrace singletrack with the Pacific in view, connecting u…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Wilder Ranch State Park — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 36.9612, -122.0857