Santa Cruz is a town with many faces. Old and new, hip and grunge, surf and mountains. Your family will not run out of adventures including mountain biking some fun stuff in Santa Cruz.
I want to love Santa Cruz. What other town has surfing, mountain biking, road biking and a college vibe? My outsiders take is this – it’s like the town has both too much character and none at all. Everything seems stuck in the 80s. Buildings are rundown, roads are poorly planned to get from point a to point b, people are in a hurry, and it’s big and spread out. The “normal” people and active types are sometimes overshadowed by homeless people and drug addicts. Things can seem a bit “dirty” here unless you are actually biking or surfing. In addition, we couldn’t go to any trailhead without a local warning us that our car would probably be broken into if we left it. You don’t see cars parked at trailheads here, they park on the street or ride/run/walk to them. That said I would return here again for the things listed below…
Like other MTB Town posts these recommendations are geared for adventure families.
Where to Stay for Mountain Bikers in Santa Cruz
Camping
New Brighton State Beach: Great location, beautiful area, some sites have hook-ups (we didn’t have one of those sites), our site (94) was large, grass was uncut and we worried about ticks etc., it sits way above the beach and not on it. It’s actually in Capitola and not Santa Cruz which is why it seems much more peaceful and clean there.
Santa Cruz Harbor RV Park: Great location in the harbor, not toddler-friendly as it’s literally a parking space on a road, full hook-ups. I don’t think we’ll be staying here again but if you are going to be gone all day it’s a great location.
KOA North/Costanoa: Great spot 30 miles north to experience the coast between San Fran and Santa Cruz. Full on the weekends, no cell service, a bit overpriced, sites close together but standard for an RV park, beach a 15-20 min walk but beautiful. $varies
Santa Cruz Redwoods RV Park – This park is the closest to the Campus Trails, will put you in good distance of Soquel, and is close to the beach and downtown Santa Cruz. We really enjoyed staying at this location. The sites are tight but we were able to get our 38ft RV in with no issues.
Best Hotels near Trails
Camping not your style? Here are your best bets for lodging close to trails (and beach).
Best overall for MTB access: Hampton Inn Santa Cruz West is close to the Campus trails/Pogonip, the new Cotoni-Coast Dairie trails, and Wilder Ranch.
Best for access to campus area trails: Fern River Resort in Felton near the campus trails. Affordable cabin options in the Redwoods.
Best for families: Hyatt Place is always good chain for a reliable stay and breakfast. This one has a great location in town near the boardwalk and close to campus trails. It also has a pool which the kids will enjoy.
Check dates and rates here:
Mountain Biking Trails in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is really stepping up its game with mountain bike trails. Legalizing more, making more, opening more land to recreation, and putting up (some) trail signs.
Soquel Demo Forest
Soquel Demonstration Forest, better known as Demo, is the place most riders think of first when they think about mountain biking in Santa Cruz. This working forest is known for long climbs, big descents, and some of the area’s most iconic trail experiences, making it a favorite for intermediate and advanced riders looking for a true destination ride.
The main trail here is The Flow Trail. One of the BEST 3.2 mile flow trails I’ve ever been on. If you ride one area make it Soquel Demo Forest.
Check out my full guide to the Flow Trail
Wilder Ranch
Wilder Ranch is one of the most iconic places to ride in Santa Cruz, with trails that roll from ocean bluffs to grassy hills. It has a very different feel from the denser forest zones, combining huge coastal views with a mix of fire road climbing and singletrack that makes it one of the most scenic rides in the area.
Wilder Ridge & Zane Gray
A shorter classic Wilder loop, this route packs in blufftop views, a solid fire road climb, and one of the more technical singletrack descents in the park on Zane Gray. At about 6.5 miles with 850 feet of climbing, it’s a great option if you want a quick ride that still feels distinctly Santa Cruz.
Englesman, Old Cabin, Eucalyptus, Twin Oaks, Zane Gray & Wilder Ridge
This is a bigger Wilder sampler route that links together many of the park’s best-known trails into one longer loop. At roughly 12 miles and 1,560 feet of climbing, it mixes redwood riding on Old Cabin, exposed fire road climbs, scenic singletrack, and the technical character of Zane Gray for a true highlight ride.
Englesman, Wild Boar, Old Cabin, Eucalyptus, Twin Oaks & Wilder Ridge
This mid-length option is a strong choice if you want the signature Old Cabin redwood descent and great views without committing to the full longer loop. At about 9.5 miles with 1,300 feet of climbing, it still delivers a stout climb and a good mix of Wilder fire road and singletrack, but skips the extra mileage of Zane Gray.
For all of these counterclockwise would be best. Wilder Ridge Loop (6.3 miles) to Enchanted Loop (2 miles), offers some of the park’s best views and redwoods. Do not miss the Enchanted Forest Loop and Old Cabin.
Cononi-Coast Dairies
This is a new area north of Santa Cruz right on the coast. They are actively working on building multi-purpose trails there. As of March 2026 there’s a 8.5 miles loop open.
Pogonip/Upper Campus
Pogonip and upper campus are a bit unique because the riding scene is much bigger than the official trail system suggests. While the legal, mapped bike access is limited to designated routes in Pogonip and fire roads/access roads through upper campus, there is a long-established network of unofficial social trails that many locals ride. That’s why you’ll see plenty of bikes in the area even though many of those lines are not shown on official maps and may not be recognized as legal trails.
My suggestion is park by the Rincon Fire road you’ll have lots of company to show you some options after climbing up Pogonip. The options are endless but most of the trails are STEEP so make sure you know what you’re dropping into. Trails to look for on heat maps include EMT, Sweetlines, Magic Carpet, Sour Milk, Jugs.
Road Biking in Santa Cruz
Most of the riding we did here was up north towards Pescadero. I would love to go back and keep exploring those roads as they have little traffic and amazing scenery. Most roads in Santa Cruz have bike lanes but on a previous trip I found riding east on the canyon roads the most dangerous road riding I’ve ever done (and I don’t say that lightly).
Capitola to North on HWY 1: This is a great route through Capitola, Santa Cruz, Cliff Drive and then North on the 1. HWY 1 is super busy but it does have a huge shoulder and oceanside riding.
Pescadero Area: Love, love, love the road riding from the KOA. Don’t miss Stage road. Ignore the signs that say Bicycles Not Advised… they are chip seal roads but fine to ride on with skinny tires.
Surfing in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is home to many world-class surfers and surf breaks. One of the most famous surfing spots is Steamer Lane, but there are surfing areas for all levels.
Cowell’s just next to the wharf is an excellent place for beginners. Just grab your board and head down the cliffside stairs to the water.
Visit the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum to learn about the history of surfing and to watch the pros ride the waves at Steamer’s.
Non-Bike Activities in Santa Cruz
Tide Pooling at Bean Hollow: Up north of Pescadero is a great beach to tide pool and also search for colorful pebbles and shells.
Swanton Berry Farm: U Pick strawberries, and then be sure to check out their chocolate covered ones in the store!
Depot Bike Park: Kalden loved this park and got a kick out of the sign that said “no skateboards allowed.”
Chanticleer Dog Park: Our dog enjoyed romping around this park with some furry friends.
Santa Cruz Boardwalk: We didn’t go here but I’d be remiss not to mention. Lars is just too young and K is not into the amusement park stuff.
Where to Eat in Santa Cruz
Aptos St. BBQ: Some of the best BBQ we’ve ever had. They also have a sister restaurant called Mission St. BBQ. Both are great.
»Kid Friendly: Yes, there is outside seating, kids menu, and informal vibe inside.
Humble Sea Brewery: Great beer and cool vibes. You sit outside and there are food trucks. We ate at the Lobster one and it was delicious.
»Kid Friendly: Yes, there is outside seating and food trucks.
Duartes Tavern: We discovered this place pre-kids back in 2004 when we ate there 3 times in 3 days. It’s not as great as I remember but definitely worth a visit for the artichoke soup, free sourdough bread, and pie.
»Kid Friendly: Maybe, they do have a kid’s menu but it seems popular with couples and not really spacious (you’ll be close to your neighbors).
Pizza My Heart: Great for take-out. NY style, fresh ingredients, good salads, surf inspired.
»Kid Friendly: Yes although we’ve only done take-out.
Taqueria Los Pericos: A hole in the wall taco heaven. Yummy carnitas and homemade chips and salsa.
The Penny Ice Cream: One of our favorite things to do in new towns besides mountain biking is to find the best ice cream. Penny is our top pick in Santa Cruz. All fresh and absolutely delicious. The flavors are unique and change weekly.
Have questions? Have you ridden in Santa Cruz? Leave a comment below.
