Pescadero Creek County Park is a large county park nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains, south of La Honda. This 5,860-acre park features a diverse landscape of dense second-growth forests, some old-growth redwood stands, and a variety of trees including Douglas-fir and coast live oak. The park's terrain, characterized by wooded trails and multi-use fire roads, is suitable for several sports like hiking, jogging, road cycling, touring cycling, and more. Pescadero Creek, a year-round flowing waterway, carves through the park, adding to its natural character.
Pescadero Creek County Park offers a range of outdoor activities across its extensive trail network. With 5 routes available, outdoor enthusiasts can engage in several sports like hiking, jogging, road cycling, touring cycling, and more. The park's 26 miles (42 km) of wooded trails provide varied difficulty levels for hikers, while multi-use fire roads like Old Haul Road and Baker Fire Road offer rugged cycling experiences through significant forest ecosystems. For those looking to explore specific activities, guides such as Hiking in Pescadero Creek County Park and Cycling in Pescadero Creek County Park provide detailed information. More than 10,000 visitors have shared their experiences, resulting in an average rating of 4.73 out of 5 stars for routes in Pescadero Creek County Park.
87
Routes
4.9
(55)
Average rating
1243
People visited

5.0
(6)
58
hikers
11.4km
03:23
350m
360m
Hard hike. Good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.

5.0
(4)
26
hikers
13.4km
04:12
510m
530m
Hard hike. Good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.

4.0
(1)
23
hikers
19.0km
05:42
610m
590m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(1)
10
hikers
13.8km
04:02
370m
360m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
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5.0
(5)
73
riders
44.6km
02:01
490m
490m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

5.0
(3)
62
riders
58.2km
02:45
740m
740m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

37
riders
72.1km
03:29
940m
940m
Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

23
riders
74.3km
03:47
1,290m
1,290m
Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
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5.0
(3)
39
riders
44.6km
02:48
510m
510m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(1)
63
riders
53.7km
04:00
1,240m
1,240m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

26
riders
101km
07:11
2,080m
2,080m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

28
riders
Hard bike ride. Good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route.
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8
runners
7.35km
00:53
150m
150m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

7.34km
00:55
130m
130m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

8.19km
00:58
240m
240m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

11.6km
01:27
520m
520m
Hard run. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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5.0
(3)
57
riders
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.

22
riders
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.

25
riders
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(1)
19
riders
9.89km
01:10
360m
360m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.
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5.0
(1)
5
riders
Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

2
riders
58.8km
05:08
1,350m
1,350m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4
riders
49.1km
04:17
1,150m
1,150m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Pescadero Creek County Park offers a diverse range of outdoor activities across its 26 miles (42 km) of trails and fire roads. Popular activities include hiking, jogging, road cycling, touring cycling, mountain biking, and gravel biking. The park connects to neighboring parks, allowing for extensive, long-distance excursions.
The park features numerous hiking trails with varied difficulty levels. Popular routes include the Shingle Mill, Upper Coyote Ridge & Pomponio Trail loop (4.9 miles / 7.9 km), Tarwater Trail loop (4.5 miles / 7.2 km), and the Tarwater, Pomponio & Canyon Trail loop (6.6 miles / 10.6 km). Other trails like Mt. Ellen, Huckleberry, and Heritage Grove are also available. For more details, refer to the Hiking in Pescadero Creek County Park guide.
Yes, cyclists can use designated routes on Old Haul Road, Baker Fire Road, and Camp Pomponio Road. Towne Fire Road is also open to bicycles between Old Haul Road and Shaw Flat Camp. These multi-use fire roads offer a rugged cycling experience through the forest. Find more information in the Cycling in Pescadero Creek County Park guide.
Pescadero Creek County Park offers trails suitable for various skill levels, including easier options. The park's extensive network allows for shorter, less strenuous walks. For specific recommendations, consult the Easy hikes in Pescadero Creek County Park guide.
The park provides opportunities for family-friendly outings, with trails suitable for shorter excursions. Exploring the dense forests and natural features like the Pescadero Creek can be enjoyable for families. A dedicated guide, Family-friendly hikes in Pescadero Creek County Park, offers specific recommendations.
The park features dense second-growth forests, some virgin coast redwood stands, and unique 'fairy rings' of young redwoods. Other trees include Douglas-fir, Santa Cruz cypress, and coast live oak. Pescadero Creek, a year-round waterway, carves mini-canyons with small waterfalls. Wildlife such as black-tailed deer, coyotes, and banana slugs are also present.
Pescadero Creek, a central feature of the park, carves mini-canyons and creates small waterfalls as it flows. These natural water features contribute to the park's scenic beauty. For routes that highlight these features, refer to the Waterfall hikes in Pescadero Creek County Park guide.
Routes in Pescadero Creek County Park have an average rating of 4.73 out of 5 stars on komoot. This rating is based on more than 700 reviews from over 10,000 visitors. The park offers 5 routes for various outdoor activities.
Yes, Pescadero Creek County Park is suitable for running, with its approximately 26 miles (42 km) of wooded trails and multi-use fire roads. The varied terrain provides options for different running preferences. More information can be found in the Running Trails in Pescadero Creek County Park guide.
Yes, Pescadero Creek County Park offers hike-in trail camps such as Shaw Flat and Tarwater. Backpackers planning to use these camps require a permit. Permits can be obtained at Memorial Park's ranger station.
For general inquiries about Pescadero Creek County Park, the official website is parks.smcgov.org/pescadero-creek-park. You can also contact the park by phone at +1-650-879-0238.

