Ohlone Bluff Trail

Ohlone Bluff Trail is a long-distance, mostly flat coastal hike in Wilder Ranch State Park just north of Santa Cruz. The route is an out-and-back about 9–10 miles round trip (roughly 4.5 miles one-way) and typically takes around 3.5–5 hours.

Access is via the Wilder Ranch Day Use Parking area (a $10 per-car day-use fee). From the parking area, head toward the coast using Old Cove Landing Trail, then continue until you can transition onto Ohlone Bluff Trail.

Once on Ohlone Bluff Trail, stay along the oceanside cliffs as the path follows the coastline. The mapped tread is shown as dirt/path surface, and the route generally stays level while tracking the cliff edge.

As you move along the bluffs, you pass beaches along the way, including Strawberry Beach and Three Mile Beach, and the common turnaround point is Four Mile Beach (the trail officially ends there, but you can turn around earlier).

This is a multi-use corridor and can be muddy—trail tread can get wet-weather slick in the coastal sections, so it’s better not to push it immediately after big storms.

The coastal alignment runs close to cliff edges and there isn’t full fencing; keep a buffer from the drops. If you plan beach cut-throughs when tides are low, be cautious with changing water levels and strong coastal currents.

Bring layers for wind off the Pacific and plan your timing around daylight for an out-and-back length. A practical approach is to scout/inspect footing and any muddy spots at the start of your hike, then adjust your turnaround point based on what conditions look like after you’ve walked a bit.

More information: Conditions, Wilder Ranch - Ohlone Bluff | Hike & Shine