Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Trail is an 18.9-mile trail in Los Padres National Forest, California. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. It enters San Rafael Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Los Padres National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 34.5648° N, 119.7657° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 34.7079° N, 119.7437° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 2 segments.
The trail
| Length | 18.9 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 10-12 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| National designation | National Recreation Trail or other national designation |
| Special management area | IRA - Inventoried Roadless Area |
| Trail numbers | 27W09 |
| Forest | Los Padres National Forest (unit 0507) |
| States | California |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- San Rafael WildernessFS · about 40% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Santa Cruz Trail?
The Forest Service records 18.9 miles under this name in Los Padres National Forest, the sum of 2 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Santa Cruz Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Santa Cruz Trail start?
The line begins at 34.5648° N, 119.7657° W and ends at 34.7079° N, 119.7437° W. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Santa Cruz Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters San Rafael Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: San Rafael Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Santa Cruz Trail?
Upper Oso Campground (0.7 mi), Upper Oso Campground (0.8 mi) and Sage Hill (2.3 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 7 with site counts and booking links.
How developed is the Santa Cruz Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Santa Cruz Trail?
The typical grade is 10-12 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Santa Cruz Trail a national trail?
Yes. The record marks it as a National Recreation Trail.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Santa Cruz Trail?
Los Padres National Forest, Forest Service unit 0507. The trail is in California.
Source
This page is built from 2 segments named Santa Cruz in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0507. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.