SAN JOSE, Calif. — Where Chinquapin Trail meets Eucalyptus Loop in Wilder Ranch State Park, gorgeous meadows roll down toward the Pacific Ocean and a skeleton grove of long-dead trees beloved by woodpeckers rises above one of California’s best picnic spots — complete with wooden tables.
The Santa Cruz-area park offers world-class travel by foot or bicycle through epic coastal landscapes and a fascinating, and at times troubling, history.
Follow the coastline for classic Northern California ocean vistas and hidden surprises. Hit the hillsides to wander through tall-grass meadows overlooking the Pacific’s golden glitter. Or, a little higher up, wind your way through shaded forests of redwood, ferns and Douglas fir and sun-dappled glades among the oaks. If you have the time and energy, mix them all together in one trip.
