Wilder Beach Overlook — Attraction in Santa Cruz

One of the most beautiful walks I've ever been on. Wildflowers and bucolic pastoral beauty to one side and stunning sea cliffs and caves to the other. A couple of secluded coves to play on the sand redeemed the trip for the kids who were really mad we weren't at the "real" Santa Cruz (aka, the boardwalk). But I prefer this a hundred times over.

Trail was flat enough for kids and probably even a stroller (we're coming out of a very wet winter and it rained just a few days ago, so there was some rutting and a few big puddles that would have made a stroller tough today ... But it doesn't look like that's the norm.

Parking was $10, but on the way out we saw a bunch of people street parking and scrambling up a little path that appeared to lead into the park... So I might try that if I didn't have little...

No signs, or if there are signs they’re faded out. Typical California trash. Whoever made the map has evidently never seen a map before. We walked down the unmarked bike trail because the ranger said there was a trail that led to the ocean after a 10 minute walk, but after walking 20 minutes we decided we must be on the bike trail heading to Santa Cruz. Never did find the trail that goes to the cliffs and ocean view. I don’t know why we even bothered trying, this is the same state that doesn’t have mile markers and lets the highway signs fade out completely so you have absolutely no idea if you’re going to be taking the right...

This is an overlooked of a nature preserve where there are always lots of birds chilling out on the sand.

You can reach this spot by parking in the Wilder ranch parking (parking fee) or you can ride in on your bicycle. This is a beautiful ride on a bike path from Santa cruise that is paved most of the way until you get to the Wilder path where it turns into dirt/sand. Most of the trail is pretty smooth but there are sections that's washboard,...