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  • San Vicente Redwoods
  • April – September: 8am-7pm; October – March: 9am-5pm
  • Free

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San Vicente Redwoods Information

On this 1.5 mile hike, you’ll get a fascinating glimpse of a forest that is actively recovering from the 2020 wildfires.

Watch for:

From fire-resilient oaks to yerba santa, there's plenty of plant-life to observe on this hike.

Hiking Details for San Vicente Redwoods

Note: Visitors must pre-register for passes before hiking at San Vicente Redwoods.

Distance: 1.5-mile loop

Elevation change: Mostly flat

Hiking time: less than 1 hour

Trail surface: Packed dirt

Best Season: All year

Managing agency: Land Trust of Santa Cruz County

Parking lot location: Click here for directions

Overview: Songbirds and raptors are abundant at this site, so bring your binoculars. Some amphibian residents include the endangered California red-legged frog, toxic California newt and (during the rainy season) the Pacific giant salamander.

As you meander, you’ll be catching a rare glimpse into a forest that’s actively rebounding from recent wildfire and former clearcutting. Along the trail system, you’ll see oaks and other broadleaf tree species in different stages of post-fire recovery.

Owing to spotty tree cover over the trails, we recommend toting a hat and some sunscreen.

Directions to San Vicente Redwoods

From San Jose, take Highway 17 South to Mt Herman Road in Scotts Valley. Turn right on Mount Herman Road. Next, use the middle lane to turn right onto Graham Hill Road. Continue on Felton Empire Road before turning right on Empire Grade. The entrance to San Vicente Redwoods will be on your left, across from the Crest Ranch Christmas Tree Farm.

More About San Vicente Redwoods

This site features a new 72-space parking lot and wheelchair-accessible restrooms. There are five dirt trails to explore, all with low inclines. These loops and out-and-back trails wind through just over seven miles of oak and redwood forests. To recognize the people who inhabited and stewarded these lands for millennia, the names of the five trails are in the Awaswas language. If you have a day to spare, consider exploring them all!

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