Skyline to the Sea After a Storm: From Castle Rock to Waddell Beach

[Ryan Commons]

Last weekend I hiked from Castle Rock to Waddell Beach with three friends. We covered 32 miles and the entire Skyline to the Sea trail in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

I shot 1,750 pictures and 20 minutes of video and consolidated into a 7 minute summary of the entire trail.

If you are curious what the Skyline to the Sea trail has to offer, this shows you some of its best including the big Redwoods, signs of logging from the 1800's, waterfalls, rivers, and animal life: http://walkifornia.blogspot.com/2012/01/skyline-to-sea-trail-castle-rock-big.html

Average Pack Weight: 25 lbs
Cameras: Nikon D700 & Sony Handycam
Tent: Black Diamond Pueblo for man tent — fit four guys very well.

Here are a few pics:

[Paul Wagner]

As an alumnus from UC Santa Cruz, I have to note the nice shot of our school mascot there. Go Slugs!

[Ryan Commons]

Paul, I'm working on a collection of Banana slug photos. Expect some timelapses of Banana slugs sometime in 2012. Go Slugs.

[Kattt]

Nice! I am a former Slug and now work amongst current slugs….Looking forward to the pictures.

[Tom Clark]

Great colors with the cinnamon Redwoods, green moss/ferns, and yellow slug!

[Keegan D]

I thought the big basin trail camps are closed in the winter?

[Jason G]

Yes they are but it looks like they camped in the 'car camping' spot in big basin.

I did this trail in early dec. and just steath camped along the way. wasn't a prob. had a small enough packs no one asked any questions. we didnt' see any rangers either…

[Ryan Commons]

Jason and Keegan,

Camping is permitted at one site on the entire trail.

Keegan, you thought right, all the Skyline to the Sea TRAIL camps are closed during the winter. I was curious about that also.

I talked to the rangers at Castle Rock, Big Basin, and Waddell Beach and this is what I put together (List of Phone Numbers for All Three Parks):

* Castle Rock: Must be out of the park before sunset.

* Big Basin: You can hike after sunset within Big Basin.The Sempervirens Campground in Big Basin is open during the winter. This is the only camp available during the winter season that is on the Skyline to the Sea Trail. The hike from Castle Rock to the Sempervirens Campground is a little over 20 miles and you can't start until 9am when the ranger opens the gate at Castle Rock (unless you are not parking there, then you can start at sunrise).

* Waddell Creek/Beach: No trail camps.

Skyline to the Sea is Beautiful in the Winter right after a storm. The campsites in Big Basin are in many ways better than the Trail Camps in my opinion. The biggest trees are in the central area near Sempervirens.

[Jason G]

Yes thats the only 'permited site'..

you wouldn't really need to wait till 9 for the ranger to open the gate at castle rock because you can't park there overnight anyway…

here's what we did for parking that I mentioned in another thread….

at the top we parked in this turnabout.

(click street view.. we parked next to the callbox)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&q=37.257202,-122.118513%20%2827530–27718%20CA-9,%20Saratoga,%20CA%20%2095014,%20United%20States%29

We drove around a bit and there were no 'no parking' signs anywhere on that side so we went for it.

At the bottom from what i remember there didn't use to be 'no overnight' parking signs next to the main gate but there are now so we drove up and ways and found another little turnout that didn't have any signs.

(click street view.. right next to the log)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&q=37.093209,-122.274536%20%283600–3622%20Cabrillo%20Hwy,%20Santa%20Cruz,%20CA%20%2095060,%20United%20States%29

[Ryan Commons]

Hey Jason,

Overnight parking at Castle Rock is okay. You leave $8 in the iron box and must get the car out before sunset the next day. You are right that using Castle Rock parking limits entry and exit to sunrise and sunset (when the ranger typically opens the gates).

Parking on a pullout on 35 sounds like a good trick. Curious if anyone has gotten a ticket for that?

RSC

[Ryan Commons]

The Rain this week should make the falls spectacular this weekend.

[Author]

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