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Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail
The 70 ft. (21 m) Berry Creek Falls, as seen from the wooden viewing platform
Length	29.5 mi (47.5 km)
Location	Santa Cruz County, California, USA
Trailheads	Saratoga Gap, California Waddell Beach, Pacific Ocean Castle Rock State Park California
Use	Hiking
Elevation change	2,600 ft (790 m)
Highest point	Saratoga Gap, 2,600 ft (790 m)
Lowest point	Waddell Beach, 0 ft (0 m)
Difficulty	Moderate
Season	May 1st through November 1st
Sights	Castle Rock State Park Big Basin State Park
Hazards	Severe Weather

The Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail is a 29.5-mile (47.5 km) hiking trail that descends from the ridge of the Santa Cruz Mountains in California to the Pacific Ocean, passing through Castle Rock State Park and Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Big Basin is California's oldest state park. It contains beautiful waterfalls and some of the largest, tallest, and oldest Redwood forests left in existence.

History

The trail was started in 1969 by the Sempervirens Fund of Conservation Associates of the Sierra Club and was extended to the Pacific by 1978 with the acquisition of the Hoover Ranch near Waddell Beach. Planning began in 1968, with the initial trail segment to follow the state-controlled right-of-way along SR 9, linking Saratoga Gap to Big Basin. A "trail breaking party" was scheduled for April 1969; local Boy Scouts participated in building the trail. During that event, the first of what would become annual "Trail Days" cleanups, nearly 2,500 volunteers cleared and created almost 45 mi (72 km) of trails, including the first segment of Skyline-to-the-Sea.

The final segment, extending the western terminus to the Pacific Ocean at Waddell Beach, opened to the public in July 1978. It traverses the Rancho del Oso area of Big Basin, which was acquired by the state in 1977. Prior to the expansion of Big Basin, individual permission was required to follow the trail to the sea over private lands. The Sempervirens Fund launched a new project in 1979 to acquire an additional 45 acres (18 ha) of land for the trail, with the goal of relocating it further away from SR 9.

After the August 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fires, the trail closed, along with much of Big Basin Redwoods State Park. As of December 2021, the trail remains mostly closed and its future is unclear; some portions of the trail have been reopened, but no overnight camping is allowed.

Route

The trail begins at Saratoga Gap on the ridge at the intersection of SR 9 and Skyline Boulevard (SR 35). The trail parallels SR 9 through Castle Rock, crosses the highway, and then follows SR 236 to Big Basin park headquarters. It then descends through Big Basin, following Waddell Creek to its outlet at Waddell Beach, for a total distance of approximately 25 mi (40 km).

However, many hikers actually begin further southeast at Castle Rock due to its overnight parking facility; starting from Castle Rock, hikers first use the Saratoga Gap Trail, then the Travertine Springs Trail, joining Skyline-to-the-Sea at Beekhuis Road; this adds approximately 3 mi (4.8 km) to the total hiking distance.

The trail usually takes two to three days to complete, with nearly all thru-hikers traveling from East to West (towards the ocean); typically hikers would camp overnight at Waterman Gap, approximately 6 mi (9.7 km) from Saratoga Gap, and then at Jay Camp, near the Big Basin headquarters, approximately 9 mi (14 km) from Waterman Gap. Many hikers like to take a detour up Berry Creek Trail to see the waterfalls or to camp at Sunset Trail Camp, adding 2.7 mi (4.3 km) to the hike. It is possible to walk the entire trail in one day, though this is unusual and very difficult.

A 50 km (31 mi) ultramarathon is held on this trail, over the east-to-west route starting from Saratoga Gap, one or two times per year, which features an elevation gain of 3,000 ft (910 m) and loss of 5,880 ft (1,790 m). As of 2020, the 50K course record is 3:40:43, set in 2016.

Access

Santa Cruz Metro routes 35 and 40 formerly connected Big Basin State Park Headquarters and Waddell Creek, respectively, to Pacific Metro Center. Starting in fall 2011, Route 35 eliminated weekend service to Big Basin and Route 40 was short-turned at Cement Plant Road, eliminating service to Waddell Beach.

Summer weekend service was restored to Big Basin on Route 35 in 2023. Route 35B provides seasonal (spring and summer) service on weekends and holidays to Big Basin Headquarters. Buses depart from the Cavallaro Transit Center in Scotts Valley approximately every two hours between 8 AM and 4 PM, arriving at Big Basin approximately 45 minutes later. Return buses depart from Big Basin with approximately the same two-hour headways, between 8:45 AM and 5 PM.

Extensions and connections

As of October 2020, there is a 3.6 mi (5.8 km) extension that creates a "Saratoga-to-the-Sea" Trail. The trail originates at Saratoga Quarry Park, and terminates at Sanborn-Skyline County Park. This trail connects to the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail via a completed section of the Bay Area Ridge Trail. The park is owned by the city of Saratoga's Parks Department.

• The Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail passing through a fallen California Redwood tree.
• The Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail passing over Waddell Creek.

References

1. "Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail". Sempervirens Fund. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
2. "Redwoods For The Future [Editorial]". Santa Cruz Sentinel. September 20, 1968. Retrieved 18 November 2024. It is also proposed to link the new Castle Rock state park, the latest addition in the state park system, with historic Big Basin by the development of permanent trails.
3. "A Place Where Families Visit". Santa Cruz Sentinel. September 12, 1968. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
4. "'Trail Breaking Party' Scheduled By Sierra Club At Big Basin Park". Santa Cruz Sentinel. March 30, 1969. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
5. ^ Witherell, Don; Witherell, Phila (August 2, 1969). "Weekend Walk: New Castle Rock Park". Oakland Tribune. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
6. "Trail Cleanup On Weekend". Santa Cruz Sentinel. October 16, 1970. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
7. Raymond, Joan (January 2, 1983). "Sempervirens Fund strives to complete Big Basin State Park". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved 18 November 2024. The first segment of trail was built in one weekend by more than 2,500 volunteers.
8. Siebenthal, Denise (July 16, 1978). "There's A New World At Your Fingertips". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
9. "Sierra Club Party For Redwoods". Santa Cruz Sentinel. September 19, 1971. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
10. "Sempervirens Fund Launches Park Purchase Project". Santa Cruz Sentinel. November 2, 1979. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
11. "Homepage | Reimagining Big Basin". 2021-07-12. Retrieved 2021-12-30.
12. "Big Basin Redwoods State Park". California State Parks. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
13. "Current Trail Conditions". California State Parks. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
14. ^ "The Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail (before the 2020 CZU Fire)". Parks of the San Francisco Bay Area. Redwood Hikes Press. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
15. "Skyline to the Sea Trail Run: Marathon and 50K Adventure". Pacific Coast Trail Runs. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
16. "Big Basin - Skyline to the Sea". Coastal Trail Runs. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022.
17. "Fall 2011 Service Changes (September 15, 2011 to December 21, 2011" (PDF). Santa Cruz Metro. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 21, 2011.
18. "California State Parks and Santa Cruz METRO Offer an Eco-Friendly Way to Visit Big Basin Redwoods State Park this Summer" (PDF) (Press release). Santa Cruz Metro. June 28, 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 1, 2023.
19. "Santa Cruz Metro". California State Parks. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
20. "Schedule - Fall Service: Route 35 - Highway 9 / Scotts Valley (outbound)". Santa Cruz Metro. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
21. "Schedule - Fall Service: Route 35 - Highway 9 / Scotts Valley (inbound)". Santa Cruz Metro. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
22. "37 Miles of Trails Connecting Saratoga to the Sea". saratoga.ca.us.
23. "Quarry Park".

External links

• Hiking Trails in Santa Cruz County - Santa Cruz Wiki

v t e Santa Cruz Mountains
Peaks	Black Mountain Crystal Peak Loma Prieta Long Ridge Montara Mountain Mount Bielawski Mount Chual Mount Madonna Mount Thayer Mount Umunhum San Bruno Mountain Santa Teresa Hills Twin Peaks
Rivers and creeks	Adobe Creek Alamitos Creek Alpine Creek Bean Creek Bogess Creek Boulder Creek Branciforte Creek Butano Creek Carbonera Creek Clear Creek Coyote Creek Deer Creek El Corte de Madera Creek Guadalupe River Guadalupe Valley Creek Hale Creek Harrington Creek La Honda Creek Laguna Creek Little Boulder Creek Llagas Creek Loch Lomond Los Gatos Creek Love Creek Naples Creek Permanente Creek Pescadero Creek Peters Creek Pilarcitos Creek San Bruno Creek San Francisquito Creek San Gregorio Creek San Lorenzo River San Pedro Creek San Vicente Creek Stevens Creek Tip Toe Falls Uvas Creek Waddell Creek Waterman Creek Zayante Creek
Parks	Big Basin Redwoods State Park Butano State Park Castle Rock State Park Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park McNee Ranch State Park Portola Redwoods State Park Redwood Grove San Bruno Mountain State Park Sanborn County Park The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park Uvas Canyon County Park
Hiking trails	Bay Area Ridge Trail Devil's Slide Trail Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail
Open Space Preserves	Bear Creek Redwoods Coal Creek El Corte de Madera Creek El Sereno Foothills Fremont Older La Honda Creek Long Ridge Los Trancos Monte Bello Picchetti Ranch Pulgas Ridge Purisima Creek Redwoods Rancho San Antonio Ravenswood Russian Ridge Saratoga Gap Sierra Azul Skyline Ridge St. Joseph's Hill Stevens Creek Teague Hill Thornewood Windy Hill
Other	Santa Cruz Mountains AVA

v t e Hiking trails in California
Interstate	American Discovery Trail Great Western Loop Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail Pacific Crest Trail Tahoe Rim Trail Tahoe–Pyramid Trail
Bay Area	Alameda Creek Regional Trail Barbary Coast Trail Bay Area Ridge Trail Contra Costa Canal Coyote Creek Trail Guadalupe River Trail Iron Horse Regional Trail John W. Christian Greenbelt Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail Los Gatos Creek Trail Ohlone Greenway Philosopher's Way Richmond Greenway San Francisco Bay Trail Santa Cruz Trail Sawyer Camp Trail Spur Trail Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail Stevens Creek Trail Three Creeks Trail
Sierra Nevada	Four Mile Trail Hetch Hetchy to Lake Vernon Trail High Sierra Trail Independence Trail John Muir Trail Lower Sagehen Creek Hiking Trail Mist Trail Mount Whitney Trail Sierra High Route Silver Knapsack Trail Tahoe Rim Trail Tahoe–Yosemite Trail Theodore Solomons Trail Trail of 100 Giants
Southern California	Backbone Trail Cactus to Clouds Trail Gabrielino Trail Lost Palms Oasis Trail Mount Wilson Toll Road Sam Merrill Trail Santa Clara River Trail Silver Moccasin Trail Trans-Catalina Trail Ventura River Parkway Trail Windy Gap Trail
Other	Bigfoot Trail Brad Freeman Trail California Coastal Trail Hammond Trail Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail Joe Rodota Trail Kortum Trail MacKerricher Coastal Trail Nobles Emigrant Trail Pine Ridge Trail Pinnacle and Shorttail Gulch Coastal Access Trails Prince Greenway

37°10′32″N 122°14′12″W / 37.1755175°N 122.236644°W / 37.1755175; -122.236644

• Trails in the San Francisco Bay Area
• Protected areas of Santa Cruz County, California
• Santa Cruz Mountains