Happening on the Blog
The Santa Cruz Mountains hold many secrets. Spend a lifetime wandering the silent green paths and you’ll still be discovering it’s treasures after many years. The Vajrapani Institute for Wisdom Culture is a meditation and retreat center, tucked away in one of the many hidden corners of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Retreat offers a situation...
They are quiet now. Ferns, mosses, and lichens cling to their stone walls. Shrubs and vines cascade over their buttresses. Trees sprout from their floors. Nature is slowly laying claim to Santa Cruz County’s historic lime kilns. Lime Kiln Legacies If you’ve ever hiked in the Santa Cruz Mountains, you may have wandered upon these...
Land of Medicine Buddha. The name evokes images of misty mountain peaks, pristine waterfalls surrounded by prayer flag wrapped trees, and silent orange-clad monks wandering hallways of simple yet dramatic temples. If that’s what you’re picturing, you’re pretty close to correct. The Land of Medicine Buddha, based in the Santa Cruz Mountains, is an environmentally...
Discover the Outdoors
The Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail runs about 30 miles, depending on where you start and what side quests you settle on. Fulfilling the promise of its name, the trail dips, climbs and winds from the peaks of the Santa Cruz Mountains to the shores of the Pacific Ocean. On this epic journey, it passes waterfalls, springs and creeks, wetlands and chaparral...
One can experience an excellent hike to the iconic Berry Creek Falls by hiking a 9-mile out-and-back trail from Big Basin Redwoods State Park HQ. Of course, the full splendor comes on the 11-mile loop, with three additional waterfalls, all of them along the spectacular Berry Creek Falls Trail. Be forewarned; both are strenuous backcountry...
Though it’s not the biggest park in the county, there are hiking, biking, and equestrian options beyond what’s described here. It’s strongly recommended that adventurers go by the Visitor Center and talk to the docents about hike ideas, trail closures, wildlife sightings, and whatever other...
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