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Disabilities-Accessible Trails and Parks on the San
Francisco Peninsula and in the South Bay
Fourth Edition, November 1998; updated May
2000
Compiled by Ben Pease for the Trail Center
Accessible Trails in Santa Cruz County
California State Parks in
Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz Mountains District. Sector Headquarters
600 Ocean Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Voice: (831) 429-2850 Fax: (831)
429-2876
Dogs are allowed on leash in
developed areas and at beaches; not on trails. Again,
seeing-eye and service dogs are permitted.
Big Basin Redwoods State
Park
Big Basin Ranger Station: (831) 338-6132
Rancho del Oso Ranger Station: (831) 425-1218
California's first state
park, now 18,000 acres, encompasses magnificent redwood
groves and the varied terrain of the Waddell Creek
drainage. Santa Cruz Transit provides limited summer
weekend bus service to Big Basin proper.
Near the Big Basin
headquarters, the 0.6 mile Redwood Trail explores stately
old-growth redwoods. Trail surface is hard-packed,
decomposed granite. Nature Center, some restrooms, one
camping and one picnic site are accessible to persons
using wheelchairs.
The west end of the
Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail, through
Rancho del Oso, is partially accessible
to wheelchairs - call the local ranger for any special
conditions. From Highway 1, the equestrian and bicycle
route follows a graded dirt road along Waddell Creek
through groves of alder and fir. Total length of this
road is about five miles, but after about two miles, just
beyond Alder and Twin Redwoods Trail Camps, a landslide
blocks the road.
Castle Rock State
Park
Voice: (408) 867-2952
Along the crest of the
Santa Cruz Mountains and encompassing much of the upper
San Lorenzo River watershed, much of Castle Rock State
Park's 3,600 acres have been left in a natural state. No
public transit serves the park.
From the main parking lot
on Hwy 35 (Skyline Boulevard), two and half miles south
of the Hwy 9 intersection, a short whole-access trail
leads to an oak-covered knoll with a picnic bench. The
trail surface is hard-packed, decomposed granite.
Restroom and one picnic site are accessible to persons
using wheelchairs.
Henry Cowell Redwoods State
Park
Voice: (831) 335-4598
1730 acres. Day Use Area
off Highway 9 south of Felton. 0.8 mile Redwood Loop from
Nature Center explores redwood grove along the San
Lorenzo River. Trail surface is hard-packed, decomposed
granite. Most nearby trails are hilly.
Lighthouse Field State
Beach and Natural Bridges State
Beach (Santa Cruz)
Level, paved trail follows
the edge of the cliffs along West Cliff Drive, connecting
these two state beaches. Good place to watch beach
cottage architecture, boogie-boarders, surfers, feeding
otters, soaring pelicans, and crashing surf. No direct
access to the beach at either park. Nature Center is
located at center of Natural Bridges; boardwalk descends
into eucalyptus grove which is wintering ground for
monarch butterflies. Surfing museum at Lighthouse Point
is not accessible. Santa Cruz Transit #3A, 3B
Santa Cruz and Adjacent
Cities
Just east of downtown, the
levee trails along the San Lorenzo River
include paved bike paths. Some of these paths are
accessible to wheelchairs, particularly on the east bank
near the County Civic Center.
Neary Lagoon is just north
of the Boardwalk, though reached via a side street off
Chestnut Street, just west of the railroad tracks. Gravel
trails and wooden boardwalks provide access to former
ox-bow of the San Lorenzo River, now thick with tule reeds
and home to many birds.
Municipal
Pier is accessible to wheelchairs. 1000-fot pier
has a somewhat bumpy board surface, offers restaurants,
views back to shore and of the crashing surf.
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