Whether you're a bike path cruiser looking for ocean views and breezes or a dedicated mountain biker or road cyclist spending hours out in the wild, Santa Cruz County is a true cycling destination. As our county’s rail trail gets built, there are a series of pump tracks, commutable bike routes, and a plethora of dirt and road options for all cycling enthusiasts. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of some of the areas that are quite popular, but just know that almost every home in our area has almost 10 minutes of commute time to any of these biking opportunities, not to mention a vast number of bike shops for every discipline of cyclist, including e-bikes.
Bike Paths
- West Cliff: From the iconic Dream Inn hotel at the Wharf in Santa Cruz to natural icon, Natural Bridges, is an amazing bike and walking path that takes you along the coast and several world-class surfing breaks.
- East Cliff: Grab that beach cruiser and coast down the path that connects Capitola to the middle of our popular coastal living zone of the Twin Lakes/Seabright area. You’ll pass surfing legend Jack O’Neill’s home and several surf breaks that many call in sick for when the waves are breaking.
Mountain Biking
- Nisene Marks: Located in Aptos, experience 10,000 acres of redwood forests that connect to the amazing Soquel Demonstration Forest that brings mountain bikers from throughout the Bay Area to get some trail time on.
- UC Santa Cruz / Wilder Ranch: With upcoming trails about to open in northern-most Davenport, mountain bikers will soon have even more incredible trails to spend hours in the forest.
Road Cycling
Whether you’re looking for coastal cruises up and down Highway 1 or looking for some mountains to climb, there are amazing options that can take you up to Half Moon Bay, up to Highway 35, or down to Monterey.
Bike Parks
Built for all levels, from tiny tots to crazy jumps, our pump tracks starting with Aptos’ Polo Grounds and the many pump tracks dotting the landscape are all sponsored and nurtured by local pros and the many bike industry companies that are behind giving local kids a way to spend quality time on two wheels, all within a few minutes ride from their house.