Located on the northern coast of Santa Cruz overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Wilder Ranch State Park offers beautiful natural scenery and an array of outdoor activities to enjoy. Formerly the main ranch that supplied the Santa Cruz Mission and later a dairy farm, many of the ranch buildings, homes and gardens have been turned into museums and displays for the public to explore. The park boasts a network of trails that wind through coastal terraces and valleys, which are ideal for walking, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. The coastline of the Wilder Ranch State Park is a marine protected area known as the Natural Bridges State Marine Reserve, and is home to a fascinating array of ocean tidal zone wildlife and marine ecosystems.

Plan Your Trip

Get Ready to Go!

Need some more help?


Read our Reservations & Travel Planning Tips guide.