Pogonip Open Space Preserve
Managed by City of Santa Cruz Department of Parks and Recreation
601 acres14.7 mi of trail
Emma McCrary TrailSpring TrailPogonip Creek Nature LoopRincon Trail+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Don DeBold from San Jose, CA, USA · CC BY 2.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Santa Cruz
26% of Santa Cruz’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. 76 miles of mapped trail cross Santa Cruz, 5.9 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Pogonip Open Space Preserve (14.7 mi), DeLaveaga Park (11.3 mi), Moore Creek Upland Open Space Preserve (4.6 mi).
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns · #33 of 847 in California. What drives it
Conserved land
26%
2,081 acres · of 12.7 sq mi of land
Trails
76 mi
5.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,081 ac
34 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
62 mi
38 mi lanes · 18 mi paths
Highest peak
262 ft
Horseback Hill
Lakes & rivers
15
11 beaches · 3 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Santa Cruz?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Santa Cruz have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Santa Cruz is among the top 1% of U.S. towns, #33 of 847 in California. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Santa Cruz’s overall grade.
Conserved land26% of the land · typical CA town 4% · U.S. 4%ATrails5.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (76 mi) · CA 0.9 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land34 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,081 acres) · CA 5 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to homeVirtually all residents within a half mile of a park · CA 91% · U.S. 72%A+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Among the top 1%
LessMore
California towns of 2,500+ (847)Ahead of 96%
Water is 20% of Santa Cruz’s area (3 of 16 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 21%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would still be A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Pogonip Open Space Preserve, with 14.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
DeLaveaga Park
Park
553 acres11.3 mi of trail
DeLaveaga Upper LoopLa Corona TrailRedwood Lower LoopEnchanted Trail+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trailhead
Moore Creek Upland Open Space Preserve
Managed by City of Santa Cruz
308 acres4.6 mi of trail
Prairie View TrailCoast Vista TrailMoore Creek TrailTerrace Loop Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Lighthouse Field State Beach
Managed by California Department of Parks and Recreation
46 acres2.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Harvey West Park
Park
44 acres2.3 mi of trail
Old Stage TrailSteeple TrailWagner Grove TrailHarvey West Trail+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
Lower Moore Creek Natural Reserve
Nature preserve
44 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Arana Gulch
Managed by Santa Cruz, City of
68 acres1.1 mi of trail
Marsh Vista Trail
No dogs
Directionsto the parking lot
San Lorenzo Park
Managed by City of Santa Cruz, Department of Parks & Recreation
110 acres0.9 mi of trail
Levee Connector Footbridge
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Third and Raymond Streets Parking
All 54 parks & preserves
Pogonip Open Space Preserve601 acres · 14.7 mi of trail · City of Santa Cruz Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsDeLaveaga Park553 acres · 11.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMoore Creek Upland Open Space Preserve308 acres · 4.6 mi of trail · City of Santa Cruz
DirectionsLighthouse Field State Beach46 acres · 2.4 mi of trail · California Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsHarvey West Park44 acres · 2.3 mi of trail
DirectionsLower Moore Creek Natural Reserve44 acres · 1.6 mi of trail
DirectionsArana Gulch68 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Santa Cruz, City of
DirectionsSan Lorenzo Park110 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · City of Santa Cruz, Department of Parks & Recreation
DirectionsNeary Lagoon Wildlife Refuge46 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsMonarch Butterfly Natural Preserve18 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsNatural Bridges State Beach63 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · California Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsCave Gulch/Wilder Natural Reserve52 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsArroyo Seco Canyon54 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · City of Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation Department
DirectionsMoore Creek Wetland Natural Preserve16 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsUpper Moore Creek Natural Reserve15 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsAntonelli Pond19 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Land Trust of Santa Cruz County
DirectionsDepot Park11 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsLa Barranca Park2 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsKalkar Park6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsBethany Curve Greenbelt4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsSeep Zone Natural Reserve12 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWestlake Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsFrederick Street Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSergeant Derby Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsGarfield Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary1,914 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
DirectionsTwin Lakes State Beach32 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · California Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsUniversity Terrace Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsOceanview Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsJessie Street Marsh3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsGrant Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsStar Of The Sea Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTrescony Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSanta Cruz Mission State Historic Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · California Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsTyrrell Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMission Plaza Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsJohn Franks Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRiverside Gardens Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsNatural Bridges State Marine Reserve56 acres
DirectionsCarbonera Creek Open Space19 acres
Ohlone Tiger Beetle Management Area5 acres
DirectionsVegetation Zone3 acres · Coastal Watershed Council
DirectionsWilder Ranch State Park2 acres · California Department of Parks and Recreation
Arana Gulch Creek / Brookwood Drive2 acres
DirectionsMoore Creek Open Space2 acres
Laurel Park2 acres
DirectionsWilder Beach Natural Preserve1 acres
Mike Fox Park1 acres · Santa Cruz, City of
DirectionsEast Cliff Accent1 acres
DirectionsCliff Drive Open Space1 acres
DirectionsSpineflower Habitat Protection Zone1 acres
DirectionsTwin Lakes - USA1 acres
DirectionsOctagon Museum Park1 acres
DirectionsCowell's Cove1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
2,081 conserved acres
26% of Santa Cruz’s land. Water is left out: Santa Cruz has 12.7 square miles of land and 3.1 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Santa Cruz’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city1,723 ac
Other state land194 ac
State parks128 ac
Joint88 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits24 ac
State Department of Land5 ac
Other or Unknown Federal Land1 ac
Local Conservation Area · 853 acLocal Recreation Area · 615 acState Conservation Area · 193 acLocal Park · 132 acLocal Other or Unknown · 129 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 3 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pogonip Open Space Preserve Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 600 | Open |
| DeLaveaga Park & Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 548 | Restricted |
| Moore Creek Preserve Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 247 | Open |
| UC Santa Cruz Campus Natural Reserve State Conservation Area | Other state land | 123 | Open |
| Younger Lagoon Reserve State Conservation Area | Other state land | 70 | Restricted |
| Arana Gulch Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 68 | Open |
| Natural Bridges State Beach State Park | State parks | 62 | Open |
| Santa Cruz Riverwalk Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 47 | Open |
| Harvey West Park Local Park | Town or city | 44 | Open |
| Lighthouse Field State Beach State Park | State parks | 43 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
157 places to go in Santa Cruz
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Santa Cruz
Plus 7 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Santa Cruz
East Field House Pool
DirectionsSanta Cruz High School Pool
DirectionsTraining PoolIn Harvey West Park
DirectionsWading PoolIn Harvey West Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Santa Cruz
Beach Flats PlaygroundIn Raymond Street Park
DirectionsCentral Park Playground
DirectionsChestnut Park PlaygroundHours: sunrise-sunset · In Chestnut Park
DirectionsCowell's Beach Children's Surfing AreaIn Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
DirectionsDeLaveaga Park PlaygroundIn DeLaveaga Park
DirectionsDepot Park PlaygroundIn Depot Park
DirectionsEl Rio Playground
DirectionsGranary Playground
Directions11 more playgrounds
Hagar Court playground
DirectionsJohn Franks Park PlaygroundIn John Franks Park
DirectionsLaurel Park PlaygroundIn Laurel Park
DirectionsLighthouse Neighborhood Park PlaygroundIn Lighthouse Neighborhood Park
DirectionsNeary Lagoon PlaygroundIn Neary Lagoon Wildlife Refuge
DirectionsOceanview Park PlaygroundIn Oceanview Park
DirectionsRanch View Terrace Playground
DirectionsRiverside Gardens Park PlaygroundIn Riverside Gardens Park
DirectionsTrescony PlaygroundHours: sunrise-sunset · In Trescony Park
DirectionsUniversity Terrace Park PlaygroundIn University Terrace Park
DirectionsWestlake Park PlaygroundIn Westlake Park
Directions57 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Santa Cruz
Branciforte Dog ParkHours: sunrise-sunset
DirectionsMimi De Marta Dog Park
DirectionsPacheco Dog Park
DirectionsSmall Dog ParkIn University Terrace Park
DirectionsUniversity Terrace Dog ParkIn University Terrace Park
DirectionsPlus 2 dog parks without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Santa Cruz
Kayaker's SlipwayIn Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
DirectionsPlus 2 boat launches without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Santa Cruz
2 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Santa Cruz
Arana OverlookIn Arana Gulch
DirectionsChuck Beebe Scenic BenchIn Pogonip Open Space Preserve
DirectionsCoolidge Drive LookoutIn Pogonip Open Space Preserve
DirectionsCowell View Bench
DirectionsDutra OverlookIn Dutra Overlook Park
DirectionsLa CoronaIn DeLaveaga Park
DirectionsMeadow Chair View
DirectionsSharpe Overlook
Directions4 more scenic views
Stevenson Knoll
DirectionsTop of the World LookoutIn DeLaveaga Park
DirectionsView of downtown
DirectionsWhale Point
DirectionsPlus 11 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Santa Cruz
Horseback Hill262 ft elevation
DirectionsBolcoff Hill85 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Santa Cruz
Buckeye Picnic AreaIn Harvey West Park
DirectionsCathedralIn DeLaveaga Park
DirectionsEvergreen Picnic AreaIn Harvey West Park
DirectionsForty ThievesIn DeLaveaga Park
DirectionsFriendship Picnic AreaIn Harvey West Park
DirectionsGeorge Washington Memorial GroveIn DeLaveaga Park
DirectionsHaunted MeadowIn Pogonip Open Space Preserve
DirectionsLone TreeIn DeLaveaga Park
Directions7 more picnic areas
Maple GroveIn DeLaveaga Park
DirectionsMillennium CircleIn Harvey West Park
DirectionsOak Picnic AreaIn Harvey West Park
DirectionsTwisted TreeIn DeLaveaga Park
DirectionsUpper Glen Picnic AreaIn Harvey West Park
DirectionsVolcano Commons Picnic AreaIn Antonelli Pond
DirectionsWagner GroveIn Harvey West Park
Directions44 picnic areas are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Disc golf in Santa Cruz
U.C. Santa Cruz Disc Golf Course
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Santa Cruz
AFE Salamander GardenAFE Salamander Club
DirectionsBSSC Garden
DirectionsTrescony Community GardenHours: sunrise-sunset · In Trescony Park
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 15 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 16.8 miHorses · 3.5 miUnpaved · 39.0 mi
Emma McCrary Trail2.0 mi
Spring Trail1.7 mi
DeLaveaga Upper Loop1.6 mi
La Corona Trail1.4 mi
Pogonip Creek Nature Loop1.3 mi
Redwood Lower Loop1.1 mi
Moore Creek Trail1.1 mi
Enchanted Trail1.0 mi
Rincon Trail1.0 mi
Fern Trail0.9 mi
15 more trails
Prairie View Trail
0.9 miBranciforte Creek Trail
0.8 miU-Con Trail
0.8 miLookout Trail
0.7 miCoast Vista Trail
0.7 miBrayshaw Trail
0.6 miMiddle Earth
0.5 miArboretum World Tour
0.5 miOld Vineyard Trail (East)
0.5 miLime Kiln Trail
0.5 miHarvey West Trail
0.5 miSycamore Grove Nature Trail
0.5 miParkway Trail
0.4 miStar Wars
0.4 miCamper Park
0.4 miBiking & sports
62 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
38 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
18 mi
off-road bike paths
5.3 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Emma McCraryBike route
2 miDeLaveaga Upper LoopBike route
1.6 miLa CoronaBike route
1.6 miEnchantedBike route
1.1 miCourts & fields
39Beach volleyball
33Tennis
32Basketball
14Baseball
11Soccer
5Multi-sport
5Volleyball
3Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →20 places on the National Register, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 31 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
★
Looff Carousel and Roller Coaster on the Santa Cruz Beach BoardwalkNational Historic Landmark · Structure · listed 1987
About itOctagon BuildingBuilding · listed 1971
About itNeary-Rodriguez AdobeBuilding · listed 1975
About itLive Oak RanchBuilding · listed 1975
About itGolden Gate VillaBuilding · listed 1975
About itMission Hill Area Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1976
About itBranciforte AdobeBuilding · listed 1979
About itHotel MetropoleBuilding · listed 1979
About itCope Row HousesBuilding · listed 1982
About itBank of Santa Cruz CountyBuilding · listed 1982
About itA. J. Hinds HouseBuilding · listed 1983
About it8 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Santa Cruz: April to August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.9 | 10.8 | 11.9 | 13.1 | 14.1 | 14.7 | 14.5 | 13.6 | 12.4 | 11.2 | 10.1 | 9.6 |
| High (°F) | 61 | 61 | 63 | 65 | 67 | 70 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 70 | 65 | 60 |
| Rain (in) | 5.9 | 5.6 | 4.1 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 5.6 |
July is the driest month (under 0.1 in) and September the warmest (highs of 72 °F). 5.9 inches fall in January, the wettest month. The climate in Santa Cruz →
Next door
Santa Cruz and its neighbors
Santa Cruz has the most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | 26% | 5.9 | 34 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Live Oak | 2% | 1.1 | 4 | 99%+ | B+ |
| Paradise Park | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Pasatiempo | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Twin Lakes | 24% | 4.2 | 24 | 99%+ | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Santa Cruz
Where can I hike in Santa Cruz?
The longest trail networks: Pogonip Open Space Preserve, 14.7 miles; DeLaveaga Park, 11.3 miles; Moore Creek Upland Open Space Preserve, 4.6 miles; Lighthouse Field State Beach, 2.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Santa Cruz is conserved land?
26% of its land, against a typical 4% for a California town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Santa Cruz’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Pogonip Open Space Preserve (on leash), DeLaveaga Park (on leash) and Harvey West Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Santa Cruz?
62 miles of bike routes are on the map: 38 of painted or protected lanes, 18 of off-road paths and 5.3 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Emma McCrary, DeLaveaga Upper Loop and La Corona.
Is there public land near Santa Cruz?
34,441 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Santa Cruz or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,088 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Santa Cruz have?
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #33 of 847 in California. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Santa Cruz neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →