Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Wilder Beach Natural Preserve – Needle Rock loop from Beach Station (Santa Cruz)

Wilder Beach Natural Preserve – Needle Rock loop from Beach Station (Santa Cruz)

Moderate

5.0

(2335)

17,142

riders

Wilder Beach Natural Preserve – Needle Rock loop from Beach Station (Santa Cruz)

02:08

31.8km

190m

Gravel riding

Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: April 24, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Wilder Ranch State Park

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

6.39 km

Wilder Ranch State Park Entrance

Highlight • Rest Area

A narrow single track turns coastside off the main biketrail away from the highway the becomes wider along a now disused former dirtroad to the ranch houses.

Tip by

7.88 km

Wilder Beach Natural Preserve

Nature Reserve

8.03 km

Wilder Beach Natural Preserve

Highlight • Beach

Wide and wild beach preserve closed to the public. Park info at parks.ca.gov/?page_id=549
Good gravel and dirt trails lead out to and along the cliffs. Several coves to the west …

Tip by

11.4 km

Needle Rock

Highlight • Natural Monument

This cool rock spire eroded out of the coastal bluffs by the Pacific Ocean waves is best visible along the Ohlone Bluffs Trail in Wilder Ranch State Park. parks.ca.gov/?page_id=549
The …

Tip by

12.3 km

Strawberry Beach

Beach

13.0 km

Ohlone Bluff Trail 🌊 Wilder Ranch SP

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

Sweet hard-packed dirt trail meandering atop coastal cliffs with terrific beach and Pacific Ocean views. Some of the State Park land is still leased to farmers, so depending on the …

Tip by

16.0 km

Four Mile Beach

Highlight • Beach

Beautiful path on the cliff… paradise!

Translated by Google •

Tip by

22.9 km

Railroad gravel road and Old Cove Landing Trail

Highlight • Trail

An alternative to the busy Hwy 1 is to stay along the abandoned railway line. It is fairly decent smooth at the beginning, but then gets a bit courser gravel …

Tip by

26.3 km

UC Santa Cruz Coastal Science Campus

Highlight • Rest Area

Nice little loop option on paved trails to overlooks and museum

Tip by

31.5 km

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Highlight • Beach

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is California's oldest surviving amusement park. This 24-acre park was founded in 1907 and offers old-fashioned carnival games and food booths.

Tip by

31.8 km

End point

Train Station

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

14.2 km

12.5 km

1.86 km

1.83 km

792 m

665 m

Surfaces

15.0 km

12.1 km

3.81 km

585 m

319 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Today

Wednesday 20 May

22°C

9°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 11.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Edit route

Download GPX

Move start point

Embed on a website

Report an Issue

Nearby routes

Hard

5.0

Aptos Creek Fire Road Loop

06:24h

57.4km

1,350m

Moderate

Hihn's Mill and Ridge Trail Loop

01:51h

16.6km

420m

Hard

Mount Madonna County Park via Summit Road

03:44h

36.7km

740m

Hard

5.0

Twin Oaks Trail – Wilder Ridge Loop Trail loop from Beach Station (Santa Cruz)

03:03h

40.9km

560m

Hard

5.0

Needle Rock – Wilder Beach Natural Preserve loop from Swift Halt

04:06h

48.6km

790m

Moderate

4.8

Wilder Beach Natural Preserve – Needle Rock loop from Beach Station (Santa Cruz)

02:08h

31.8km

190m

Moderate

5.0

Wilder Ranch Bike Path – Seep Zone Nature Reserve loop from Swift Halt

01:25h

20.3km

350m

Moderate

4.0

Wilder Ridge Loop Trail – Wilder Beach Natural Preserve loop from Swift Halt

02:08h

26.2km

290m

Hard

4.0

Shark Fin Cove Beach – Natural Bridges State Beach loop from Twin Lakes State Beach

04:11h

60.4km

510m

Hard

Enchanted Loop – Wilder Ridge Loop Trail loop from Beach Station (Santa Cruz)

02:40h

34.5km

480m

Moderate

Wilder Ranch Bike Path – Wild Boar Trail loop from Swift Halt

01:31h

20.0km

360m

Easy

4.0

Wilder Ranch Bike Path – Wilder Beach Natural Preserve loop from Swift Halt

00:54h

14.7km

90m

Wilder Beach Natural Preserve – Needle Rock loop from Beach Station (Santa Cruz)

Wilder Ranch State Park Entrance

Wilder Beach Natural Preserve

Needle Rock

Ohlone Bluff Trail 🌊 Wilder Ranch SP

Four Mile Beach

Railroad gravel road and Old Cove Landing Trail

UC Santa Cruz Coastal Science Campus

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Nearby routes

Sign up or log in to keep exploring this route

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️