WILDER RANCH STATE PARK
Ohlone Bluff Trail | Santa Cruz, CA
★★★★☆
Endless views of pure, raw California seaside cliffs, plus a hidden, ferny gem.
Last hiked 2/28/21
Length: 11.8 mi.
Gain: 400 ft.
Type: Out and back
Difficulty: Low
Crowds: High
Dogs: No
THE RUNDOWN
As Californians, we often take our state’s endless coastline for granted. Sometimes, the cliffs, seagulls, and waves can even seem monotonous. One often feels satisfied after a short seaside stroll, let alone a 12-mile hike. But warmed by the early morning sun and armed with heavy cameras and rugged boots, we gasped, laughed, and photographed our way through this trail. We were reminded that there is nothing monotonous about the California Coast, and that we sure are lucky to live here!
Park at the Wilder Ranch State Park Day Use Parking. There are plenty of spaces, but it does get quite crowded in the afternoon.
Park Hours: 8am to sunset
Fees: $10
Trailhead: Old Cove Landing Trail at Day Use Parking Area
Restroom: Yes
Starting at the Wilder Ranch parking lot, venture out to the bluffs and start your journey. You certainly don't have to complete the entire 12-mile roundtrip to absorb all the beauty of this place; feel free to head back at any point.
An essentially flat trail makes this hike fit for all ages and levels.
Park at Wilder Ranch Day Use Parking ($10/car).
STEP BY STEP
↑ Proceed from the parking lot to Old Cove Landing Trail and follow it towards the coast.
Note: This trail is unmarked, but just look for a trail leading to the coast between the parking lot and the historic ranch buildings.
→ The trail slowly winds to the right and turns into Ohlone Bluff Trail. Follow this trail along the coast.
Tip: We recommend taking detours onto the various beaches you come across, as each one is beautiful and enjoyable in each way. For example, explore the hidden grotto at Fern Grotto Beach.
Note: When the water level is low enough, it is sometimes possible to cut across Sand Plant Beach instead of making a detour inland before coming back out to the coast. Use caution if you choose to do so, as rip tides are very dangerous.
→ Ohlone Bluff Trail ends at 4 Mile Beach, but feel free to double back at any point, as the views do get slightly less exciting towards the end.
Fern Grotto is just a short detour from the main trail. It's somewhat hidden behind some tall shrubs, so approach with a discerning eye.
When the water levels are low, you can cut across Sand Plant Beach, pictured here.
These mini beaches off the main trail are a dream - fairly secluded and absolutely beautiful.
We'd love to come back and bike along the coast sometime!
MUSINGS
Wilder Ranch is a unique state park. It's five minutes away from the city of Santa Cruz, boasts a variety of landscapes and trail types, and is also home to a well-preserved historic site -- Wilder Ranch itself. Starting well before 8am, we took advantage of the lack of crowds to visit the quaint buildings of Wilder Ranch. Hearing the roosters crow and goats bleat made us feel like we were there to farm, not hike! Since we had a full day ahead of us, our visit was short, and before long, we made our way to the coast via Old Cove Landing Trail (which weaved along acres of farmland, so we didn't feel like we missed out too much on the ranch).
What ensued was a hike...no, a brisk walk...no, a most peaceful cliffside stroll on Ohlone Bluff Trail. There was just so much to take in -- the dramatic cliffs, the sea lions balancing themselves ever so expertly on wave-swept rocks, the secluded beaches, and the tons of wildlife. Our first real stop was Fern Grotto, a surprisingly deep cave tucked behind a beach with ferns sprouting from every angle. We had read about this place before, but to experience it for ourselves was 100% worth the effort in trying to find it. You should see a sign by the trail, but it's not super obvious. Looking down at a small beach, try to spot a short and wide cavern, partially shrouded by plants, carved into a cliff wall behind the beach. You'll need to take a short hike down to the beach, which is flanked by cliffs jutting out into sea.
Though Ohlone Bluff Trail generally hugs the coast, there are sections that make their way inland and almost into local farmland. It's not intuitive, but don't be alarmed. Just keep following the trail and you'll find yourself by the water again in no time. The cool thing about this, however, is that there are tons of wildflowers along the edge of these farms in the spring. We continued to 4 Mile Beach, where we headed north towards the hills on a separate hike (to be clear, we personally didn't take the out and back trip as described on this page, but we think it's a great option with double opportunity to enjoy the same views).
Hiking to 4 Mile Beach and back is a rather lengthy 12 miles. If we hadn't continued into the hills on the Wilder Ranch - Bluff to Ridge loop, we likely wouldn't have hiked the entire length of Ohlone Bluff Trail, as the views get slightly less dramatic as you approach 4 Mile Beach. In fact, Strawberry Beach, 3 Mile Beach, or really anywhere along the trail are suitable turnaround points. Whatever floats your boat!
A flock of seagulls...
a snowy egret and a great egret...
a northern harrier...
and a bunch of cute little sea lions sunning themselves on the rocks below!
The California coastline never fails to impress us. Views for miles.
Wilder Ranch itself. Pay a visit to learn about history and to say hello to the resident chickens and sheep.
MORE INFO
Some Reminders
Parking fills up quickly on weekends here! Arrive early to guarantee a spot.
This path takes you along a series of cliffs, the majority of which are not fenced off. While views of the crashing waves and sea lions below are tempting, please keep a healthy distance away from the cliff edges for your safety (and to prevent erosion).
Please be respectful of the private farmlands bordering this trail.
Do a tick check at the end of your hike. They've been spawning like mad lately...
Helpful Resources
Wilder Ranch State Park page here.
Good Eats
Verve Coffee Roasters serves great coffee in an airy, modern cafe with lots of natural light. They've got multiple locations for your convenience.
Mission St. BBQ is a great option for you hungry hikers out there.
Ferrell's Donuts is a classic Santa Cruz establishment. (All you UCSC slugs should know this one!) We can't say their donuts are the best we've ever had. But they're reliable and really good bang for your buck! At the time of posting, you can get 6 donuts for $6.
We've never tried this one, but it's been recommended to us, and it's on our list for next time: Taqueria Los Pericos