Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail
| Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail | |
|---|---|
 The 70 ft. (21 m) Berry Creek Falls, as seen from the trail | |
| Length | 29.5 mi (47.5 km) |
| Location | Santa Cruz County, California, USA |
| Trailheads |
Saratoga Gap, California Waddell Beach, Pacific Ocean |
| Use | Hiking |
| Elevation | |
| Elevation change | 2,600 ft (790 m) |
| Highest point | Saratoga Gap, 2,600 ft (790 m) |
| Lowest point | Waddell Beach, 0 ft (0 m) |
| Hiking details | |
| Trail difficulty | Easy |
| Season | Year Round |
| Sights |
Castle Rock State Park Big Basin State Park |
| Hazards | Severe Weather |
The Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail is a 29.5-mile (47.2-kilometre) hiking trail that descends from the ridge of the Santa Cruz Mountains in Northern California to the Pacific Ocean, passing through Castle Rock State Park and Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Big Basin is California's first state park. It contains beautiful waterfalls and some of the largest, tallest, and oldest Redwood forests left in existence.
The trail usually takes two to three days to complete, with nearly all thru-hikers traveling from East to West (towards the ocean). It is possible to walk the entire trail in one day, though this is unusual and very difficult. However, there is a 50-km (31-mi) ultra running race held on this trail one or two times per year. Many hikers like to take a detour up Berry Creek Trail to see the waterfalls or to camp at Sunset Trail Camp, adding an additional 2.7 mi (4.3 km) to the hike.
The trail begins at Saratoga Gap on the ridge, at the intersection of SR 9 and Skyline Boulevard (SR 35). It 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.
Santa Cruz Metro routes 35 and 40 formerly went from Big Basin State Park Headquarters to Waddell Creek and back. Since September 2011 Route 40 no longer goes all the way to Waddell Beach[1] but instead turns around at Cement Plant Rd. Route 35 only stops at the Headquarters on the weekends during the Spring/Summer season.
There is a proposed plan for a "Saratoga-to-the-Sea" Trail. The plan would create a trail starting somewhere near Hakone Gardens in Saratoga, passing through a defunct quarry, and terminating in Sanborn-Skyline County Park. This trail would connect to the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail via a completed section of the Bay Area Ridge Trail. The quarry is owned by the Santa Clara County Roads and Airports Department, which is conducting feasibility studies of this plan.
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The Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail passing through a fallen California Redwood tree.
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The Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail passing over Waddell Creek.
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