Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
New open space preserve on west side of Santa Cruz before Wilder Ranch. Beautiful open vistas just off Hiway 1.
This is a new preserve on the northwest side of Santa Cruz just before Wilder Ranch. It is a 246-acre natural area which lies within the most pristine watershed in the City of Santa Cruz. It is newly opened with a well built trail system. The wide-open vistas are some of the nicest in Santa Cruz, with views of the Marine Lab and over to Monterey on most days. It doesn’t have very many visitors yet so you will probably have the whole preserve to yourself. Because the Preserve supports numerous threatened and endangered species and other sensitive recources, public use is limited to hiking only. There are no dogs or bikes allowed and there is no parking by either entrance, so it will add a little extra to your walk. In fact, there is no parking on Meder Street past Western Drive on the east. It is .35 mile from Western Drive to the eastern entrance (N36°58.444’ W122°03.893') but the trail from this side is pretty cool, going by some interesting cliffs. The new trail cuts west from the dirt road at about N36°58.517', W122°03.919' at a new trail marker for Moore Creek. Follow the trail. It loops down and around and crosses a new bridge (now completed) over a branch of Moore Creek, but it will return you in the right direction. I was a member of a volunteer trail crew which helped clear a bunch of the French broom and berries and poison oak that was blocking the trail. (More info on volunteering for area trail work can be found at www.trailworkers.com). Going cross-country from the eastern side would appear to be a shortcut but borders on impossible due to steep terrain and brush. The southern entrance is easy to find at approx N36°57.680', W122°03.742'. Just follow the old road up toward the cache. I placed the cache toward the far border of the preserve. I am a trail runner and it takes me about 15 minutes to reach the cache area on foot from the eastern entrance, but allow 40 to 50 minutes each way. The trail is brand new and easy to follow. The cache is a peanut butter jar containing:
Oregon Key chain, Sylvester, Moose, Green Die, Tabasco, Raspberry Key chain, Smokey Button, Wheresgeorge buck L69987472L/2001, and 3 PB Frogs.
Just a heads up to those of you with small children. 04/05 a mountain lion track was spotted on the trail in the area and a mountain lion was sighted about a mile away at Long Marine Lab & 12/12 personally spotted lion on edge of upper meadow near oak trees.
Additional Hints
()
Nyy va nyy, vg’f whfg nabgure oevpx va gur jnyy.