The park has 10,000 acres of rugged semi-wilderness, rising from sea level to steep coastal mountains of more than 2,600 feet.

Harvey West Park -- City Park

The beach features an open, grassy field across from Lighthouse Point. The area is popular for picnics and family get-togethers.

Neary Lagoon -- City Park

The beach features a beautiful expanse of sea and sand, with surf fishing, clamming, and recreation.

The beach features picturesque arches cut out by ocean waves in a sandstone out-cropping, giving the park its name. The annual migration of monarch butterflies is another featured attraction.

The park features picnic areas, swimming, fishing and a nearby forest of Monterey pine. The camping area's campsites are located on a bluff overlooking northern Monterey Bay.

Pogonip -- City Park

Santa Cruz County Beaches
Directory and descriptions of county, city owned parks and beaches.

The site of a complex of buildings erected around the original Santa Cruz Mission.

The park is known for its fishing pier and concrete freighter, the Palo Alto. The beach is also a popular swimming spot. There is a long stretch of sand backed by bluffs.

The park features pine trees, mountainous sand dunes, and Pacific Ocean side picnic spots. Bordered by large agricultural fields between the cities of Santa Cruz and Monterey, the beach is a year-round destination for thousands of visitors.

The beach has a mile of sandy shoreline, popular for swimming and picnicking. The park’s adjacent two lagoons are good locations for bird watching.

The Park has 4,505 acres, with 34 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian rails winding through coastal terraces and valleys.

Ano Nuevo State Reserve --
This 4,000 acre Reserve is a major gathering area for northern elephant seals, which may be seen year-around. The males battle for mates on the beaches. The females give birth to their young on the dunes.

The park has miles of trails, which serves hikers and equestrians, links Big Basin to Castle Rock State Park and the eastern reaches of the Santa Cruz range. Maps

Nude beaches in Northern California
Contains comments and ratings. (Warning: some photos may be considered offensive to some.)

On California Highway 1, 20 miles south of Half Moon Bay and 27 miles north of Santa Cruz.

Big Basin Tent Cabins — Open Year Round
21600 Big Basin Hwy, Boulder Creek  (800) 874-8368

A 2,200-acre redwood park in the Santa Cruz Mountains, featuring excellent hiking through the redwood groves. Only three miles from the Pacific coast, the park's trails offer views of the Pacific Ocean and the Año Nuevo islands.

Along the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Castle Rock State Park contains 3,600 acres of coast redwood, Douglas-fir, and madrone forest. Steep canyons are sprinkled with unusual rock formations that are popular with rock climbers, and hikers can enjoy the 32 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails.

The park features 15 miles of hiking and riding trails through a forest that looks much the same as it did 200 years ago. The park is the home of the Redwood grove, with a self-guided nature path, and Douglas fir, madrone, oak and the most unusual feature of the park, a stand of Ponderosa pine.

The park has a rugged, natural basin forested with coast redwoods, Douglas fir and live oak. Eighteen miles of trails crisscross the canyon and its two streams, Peters Creek and Pescadero Creek.

On California Highway 1, 20 miles south of Half Moon Bay and 27 miles north of Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz Hostel Society
P.O. Box 1241, Santa Cruz, CA  (831) 423-8304