Go Wilder

Bike ride in Santa Cruz and Wilder Ranch State Park

07.06.2017

Hot summer day? Ride on! Beat the South Bay heat and get some beautiful scenery on this beginner-friendly 10-mile (round-trip) seaside ride in Santa Cruz. You’ll roll from West Cliff Drive to Wilder Ranch State Park. Start at Bay Street and West Cliff to get the full ocean vista, and pedal along the sidewalk or bike lane, absorbing the sea breeze as you make your way to Natural Bridges State Beach, where the road ends.

Head up Swanton Boulevard and in a few short turns you’ll be at Mission and Shaffer, where a flat paved bike path parallels Highway 1. Rolling farmland and Pacific views take up most of the scenery, brightened by sporadic wildflowers. In just over a mile the trail dips into Wilder Ranch State Park. Hop off for a minute and walk past the garden, saying hello to the chickens and goats and horses. Cottages and farmhouse frame the setting.

Heading back, take a detour on Mission to Swift and Ingalls: Here you can stop at the contemporary Kelly’s French Bakery for a roasted eggplant sandwich, a breaded chicken panini, and macarons in almost any flavor imaginable. There's an outdoor patio, too. Roll call!

Street parking is available on the side streets by Bay and West Cliff (Lighthouse Ave. and Cowell St.). Follow West Cliff Dr. all the way to Swanton Blvd., and turn right to begin your ascent. Turn left on Delaware, right on Natural Bridges Dr., left on Mission, and cross Shaffer to get on the bike path. To stop at Kelly’s on your way back, continue along Mission instead of turning right on Natural Bridges Dr. Turn right on Swift and left at Ingalls. After you’ve had your lunch, you can continue heading down Swift to connect back to West Cliff. No dogs at Wilder Ranch State Park.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Napa Valley Paddle kayaker and paddle boarder on the Napa Valley river

    Napa's Wild Side

    It’s wine country’s Amazon. The gentle Napa River is an ecological—and recreational—delight. And Napa Valley Paddle sets you up for maximum enjoyment of this experience.

    View

  2. Been There, Dome That

    Surrounded by granite domes, craggy peaks, and miles of hiking trails, the High Sierra landscape of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park is famous for good reason. For a truly grand view, take a short hike to bold—and bald (except for snow at times)—Lembert Dome.

    View

  3. Wapama Wows

    Hetch Hetchy can be overlooked in Yosemite National Park because of its more remote location and limited facilities. But this is where you’ll also find one of the best day hikes in the park: Wapama Falls.

    View
  4. Hike Mount Tamalpais into Muir Woods

    Muir Woods Through the Backdoor

    A backdoor entrance into Muir Woods? Hike a tranquil trail that starts in Mount Tamalpais State Park and quietly leads into Muir Woods, letting you avoid the busyness of the main parking area.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. Inn-spiration Point!

    For more than a century, people have been hiking or mountain biking to West Point Inn for good reason. Perched at 1,785 feet on the southern slope of Mount Tamalpais, the historic inn has sweeping views from the Marin Headlands to the San Francisco skyline.

    View

  2. A Thousand Steps to Paradise

    A picture is worth a thousand words, but is a gorgeous beach in Laguna worth a thousand steps? The answer is yes, though the question is moot, because it’s only 223 steep steps down to the 400-yard stretch of sand known as 1000 Steps Beach.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    Take the Exit to the Best of the San Francisco Peninsula

    The San Francisco Peninsula is proof that some of Northern California’s greatest surprises are hiding just off Highway 101. All you have to do is take the exit.

    View
  4. Hike to the Sierra Buttes Fire Lookout in the Lakes Basin

    Lookout for This View!

    Sierra Buttes Lookout, at a lofty 8,591 feet, is a memory maker for its pucker-worthy stairway to the tower’s balcony. It's a 5-mile (round-trip) hike to reach it. And the reward? Epic!

    View