General Information

User Groups:

Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes are allowed.

Subjective Trail Rating for Beauty and Difficulty:

The Berry Creek Falls trek is the quintessential hike in Big Basin Park. It is the "E" ticket ride and with the exception of the Redwood Loop receives the most publicity. This hike is not for the casual hiker. Although most hikers make the out and back hike to Berry Creek falls using the Skyline-to-the-Sea trail, this skips the most beautiful part of Berry Creek. The loop hike as described here is a long 13 mile round trip with many ups and downs. Do not take this hike unless you have made sure you have ample daylight hours, pack sufficient food, water and aFLASHLIGHT, and are confident you are in good physical condition. Having said that, if you can say yes to all three then by all means go on this hike. The trek down Berry Creek trail is unbelievably beautiful. Although 6 hours is what many sources say this hike takes, figure on 10-11 hours if you want to spend the time to enjoy the hike. For many, there is only one chance to take this hike, so enjoy it to its fullest. For those who can't make the hike in person, this CyberHike is dedicated to you -- enjoy and Happy Holidays.

Permits:

No permits are required. A state park entrance fee is charged for each vehicle.

Directions:

From San Jose, take Highway 17 south toward Santa Cruz and take the Mount Hermon exit in Scotts Valley. Take Mount Hermon road through Scotts Valley to the town of Felton. Turn right on Highway 9 and drive north to the town of Boulder Creek. Turn left at the stop sign in town and drive about 9 miles on Highway 236 to the Big Basin Park headquarters. From Santa Cruz, take Highway 1 to Highway 9. Drive north approximately 12 miles to Boulder creek and then use the same directions as for San Jose.

Maps:

Contact Big Basin Redwoods State Park for trail maps. When obtaining a USGS topographic map, ask for Franklin Point.

Who to contact:

Big Basin Redwoods State Park, 21600 Big Basin Way, Boulder Creek, CA 95006. Tel # (408) 338-6132.