Name: Castle Rock Loop
Rating: 4.6

“A beautiful wooded loop with openings for views of the Santa Cruz Mountains.”

— Anina Middleton

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Views · Waterfall · Wildflowers

Overview

The views are spectacular and really show off the beauty of the Santa Cruz area. This is definitely a great climber's trail with boulders and routes along the way, especially on Castle Rock Trail.

Runner Notes

Great trail running with slight, but good inclines and plenty of space to run.

Description

Start on Castle Rock Trail. You'll get to a big climbing spot that is pretty recognizable, and if you go around that, the trail continues until you hit the falls. Some parts of the trail are a bit small, but pretty easy to find. Climb the short hill to get up to Saratoga Gap Trail and take a left.

Follow the Saratoga Gap Trail and be sure to enjoy the amazing views of the Santa Cruz Mountains along the way. Take a right onto the short Interconnector Trail to connect to Ridge Trail on the right and follow this trail back to Saratoga Gap Trail again. Make a left and you'll be headed back to the main parking lot. In this direction, Saratoga Gap Trail has amazing views of the valley.