Pogonip Park Open Space Preserve

This park is little-known except to local Santa Cruz residents so you won’t see many tourists using the trails and seeking out its hidden gems. Since Pogonip is adjacent to the University of California Santa Cruz campus you’ll see students for sure. Hiking and walking are the best ways to see the park since only a few trails are open to bikes.

We highly recommend a visit to Pogonip. It’s a hilly 640 acre urban park with miles of trails and lots of history and things to discover. If you love the outdoors and have extra time you won’t regret a trip to Pogonip and it is only about 3 miles up from Santa Cruz Boardwalk. Don’t get lost in this maze of a park – make sure to use the map linked below.

History of the park: After early logging of the property for its huge redwood trees in the 1800’s the property was home to a huge lime kiln (still exists) that converted local limestone to lime for construction purposes. Later the property was used as a golf course, polo fields, a private social club, a World War II rehab facility, and a ranch (Cowell Ranch).

Attractions in the park: Pogonip Clubhouse and tennis courts (abandoned), historic limekiln, rock quarry and the mysterious rock stacks, rock labyrinth, koi pond, old-growth redwood trees, sycamore grove, train trestles, old abandoned roads and many trails.

Flora: Other than the old golf course and polo grounds area which is now wide open space, this park is mostly wooded. The tree species include redwood, Douglas fir, madrone, and coastal live oak. Cottonwood and sycamore trees can be seen along the San Lorenzo River if you walk the Sycamore Grove Trail. Although the park was once dominated by huge Redwoods, they were logged in the 1800s and later burned to fuel the limekiln and only three old-growth trees remain in the park.

Fauna: Deer, fox, jack rabbits, squirrels, gophers, California voles (cute rodent like critters), lizards, garter snakes, and even mountain lions have been spotted in the park. Birds in the park include owls, woodpeckers, hawks, bluebirds, meadowlarks, and robins.

Hours: Sunrise to 7pm (4pm Nov-Mar)

Dogs: They are allowed on some trails if on a leash (starting at Golf Club Dr. and Spring St. entrances – see trails below).

Park Access: The main trailhead begins at the end of Golf Course Road. There you can park on the road shoulder between River Street and the trestle and then walk up the road. It’s also possible to hike into the park from Cowell Redwoods State Park (using the Rincon Connector Trail), Harvey West Park (326 Evergreen St), UC Santa Cruz campus on Coolridge Drive (Spring Box Trailhead), and at Spring Street on the very south end of the park (700 Spring Trail).

Trails:

• Map of trails here.
• Pogonip Creek Nature Trail Loop (1.2 mi)
• Lookout Trail (0.5 mi)
• Harvey West Trail (0.3 mi)
• Sycamore Grove Nature Trail (east of River St/Hwy 9)
• Bradshaw Trail (0.5 mi, dogs ok)
• Fern Trail (0.8 mi, dogs ok)
• Limekiln Trail (0.3 mi, kiln & rock garden behind it, dogs ok)
• Ohlone Trail (0.3 mi, dogs ok)
• Spring Trail (1.6 mi, labyrinth, dogs ok)
• Spring Box Trail (0.2 mi, koi pond, dogs ok)
• Rincon Trail (0.7 mi, dogs ok)
• Emma McCrary Trail (1.5 mi, bikes & dogs ok)
• U-Con Trail (0.5 mi, bikes ok)
• Rincon Connector Trail (0.2 mi, bikes ok)
• Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is adjacent with more trails.

Address

333 Golf Club Drive
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Website

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