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This is a trail that ascends and descends through varied vegetation, including oak, fir, and redwood.


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Map Key

0.9

Miles

1.4

KM

78%

Runnable

363' 111 m

High

151' 46 m

Low

187' 57 m

Up

212' 64 m

Down

9%

Avg Grade (5°)

19%

Max Grade (11°)

Dogs No Dogs

Features River/Creek

Forest of Nisene Marks State Park has a day use fee ($8.00 in 2017). Multi-day passes can also be purchased.

Description

Oak Ridge Trail begins at a marked trail junction along the Old Growth Loop Trail, as decribed in the Old Growth Loop Trail description.

Starting off in the redwood forest, Oak Ridge Trail soon veers left and begins climbing. As the trail climbs, the redwoods are left behind. The trees, mostly oak, are smaller, and the trail is sunnier. At the 0.2 mile mark, the trail flattens out for about 0.1 mile, before beginning to descend the hillside to the right of the trail.

Oak Ridge Trail switchbacks back down into the redwoods and lush vegetation of the Aptos Creek Valley. As it descends, the trail passes a marked connector (Terrace Trail Connector) that leads to Terrace Trail, and then a second connector cutoff (Terrace Trail Connector Cutoff) that goes to (Terrace Trail Connector).

At the bottom of the switchbacks, now in the dense redwood forest again, Oak Ridge Trail heads toward Aptos Creek and follows it for a short ways. The creek can be heard to the left (east) below the trail. The trail then veers right at an unmarked junction with Twisted Grove Trail, leaves the creek behind, and returns to Old Growth Loop Trail, where it ends.

Flora & Fauna

Redwoods, firs, oaks, and low vegetation grow here.

Contacts

Shared By:

Joan Pendleton

Trail Ratings

  3.0 from 2 votes

#28925

Overall
  3.0 from 2 votes
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Trail Rankings

#3,133

in California

#28,925

Overall
2 Views Last Month
140 Since Dec 4, 2017
Intermediate Intermediate

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Photos

Giant, majestic old growth redwoods along the Old Growth Loop Trail
Dec 5, 2017 near Seacliff, CA
Redwood trees in the Twisted Grove twist as the grow to re-orient themselves after being upset by the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, magnitude 6.9. Normally, redwoods grow straight as an arrow.
Dec 5, 2017 near Aptos, CA
Mixed oak woods along the sunny, higher section of Oak Ridge Trail
Dec 5, 2017 near Seacliff, CA
Redwood forest along the lower section of Oak Ridge Trail
Dec 5, 2017 near Aptos, CA

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