At the bottom of the hill, just past Davenport, a 62-space lot at Cement Plant Road and Warranella Road has been open every day from dawn to dusk since Aug. 16, 2025. About three miles south, a paved lot at Panther/Yellowbank Beach has had restrooms, bike racks and benches since April 2026. Between the two runs a freshly graded and paved rail trail, and it is still fenced off.
That is the North Coast for Bonny Doon this winter. The parking went in first, and two of the lots are already open. The paths that will connect them come last. The North Coast Rail Trail was supposed to tie Wilder Ranch, Panther Beach, Davenport and the national monument together this fall. A trip down the hill this season is still a series of separate stops, each with its own lot, its own rules and its own reason to go.
The oldest lot sets the rules
The Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument North Trailhead is the one part of this coast that has gone through a full year of public use. The Bureau of Land Management capped its parking at 62 spaces. Santa Cruz Local reported a restroom at the trailhead and no overflow or street parking, so the lot's size is the limit on any given morning. Entry is free, and there are picnic tables.
Three loops start from that lot. The Santa Cruz Mountains Stewardship Action Center lists each with its Awaswas name: Hawk (Káknu), Tree (Huyya) and Wildcat (Toróma). They differ more than the trailhead map suggests:
| Loop | Distance, per Santa Cruz Local | Leashed dogs |
|---|---|---|
| Hawk (Káknu) | 2.5 miles | Allowed |
| Tree (Huyya) | 1.6-mile loop plus a 1.1-mile approach | Allowed |
| Wildcat (Toróma) | 3.6-mile loop plus a 2.1-mile approach | Not allowed |
Wildcat is the farthest and hardest of the three. Hikers and cyclists share all three loops. The BLM's monument page allows Class 1 e-bikes only and bans camping, overnight parking, RVs, hunting and target shooting. Lookout Santa Cruz reported that horseback riders need a special BLM permit.
This first phase covers only part of the monument. The BLM describes sensitive habitat areas with limited recreation access. Santa Cruz Local reported that about half of Cotoni-Coast Dairies is expected to remain closed to the public.
The newest lot opened ahead of its trail
The Panther/Yellowbank Beach lot went in the same way. The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission opened it for public use in April 2026, "in advance of completion of the full North Coast Rail Trail," with accessible and multimodal parking, new restrooms and a small plaza with bike racks and benches.
The ribbon-cutting came later. The Santa Cruz Sentinel reported that about 30 transit leaders, advocates and planners gathered on Tuesday, Aug. 4, to mark the opening. The paper called the lot the first completed milestone of the trail project. The Sentinel counted about 52 spaces, three of them accessible, plus motorcycle parking, sidewalk and wayfinding signs.
The lot makes the beach easier to reach. The last stretch down is still rough. Edible Monterey Bay's fall 2026 Davenport feature describes "a ravine-like goat trail descending to the sand" that "demands a little scrambling and keeps crowds in check."
The trail between them stays fenced into winter
The rail trail is the missing link in all of this. The North Coast Rail Trail is a 7.5-mile multi-use path for bikes and pedestrians that will run along the rail corridor from Wilder Ranch State Park to Davenport. Phase 1 is the 5.4 miles from Wilder Ranch to Panther/Yellowbank Beach. The RTC asks the public not to enter the right-of-way until it announces that construction is complete and the trail is open.
Through the summer, the RTC's construction page put completion at "Fall 2026." The staff report in the agenda packet for the commission's Nov. 5 meeting gives a later date:
"Construction of the North Coast Rail Trail is underway and the trail and associated parking lots (Phase 1 and 2) are scheduled to be completed in Winter 2026/2027. Although significant progress has been made to grade and pave the trail, the project is not complete and not open to the public."
The same report says the trail "will remain closed until all work the trail is completed." It also notes that a contract for the project's environmental restoration work, mostly at sites in and near State Parks and BLM land, was awarded in September 2026. Until the RTC announces an opening, the paved path seen from Highway 1 is off-limits.
The other links, in the order they are scheduled
Each remaining connection on this coast has its own timeline, and none of them is finished:
- Davenport beach parking. The informal lot on the coast side of Highway 1 near Davenport closed in early May 2026 so crews could grade and pave it into a formal lot, add utilities and amenities, and build a new pedestrian crossing of Highway 1. Coastal access from that spot is unavailable while the work goes on. The November staff report schedules the formal Davenport lot, along with the trail, for winter 2026/2027.
- Bonny Doon Beach. Better access to the Bonny Doon Beach parking lot is part of the same rail trail project.
- The Highway 1 overcrossing. Phase 3 is a pedestrian bridge over Highway 1 at Yellowbank/Panther Beach that will connect the coast-side trail to Cotoni-Coast Dairies inland. RTC staff are still refining its design and footprint, including expected impacts to utilities. The Sentinel reported construction as slated for 2028.
- Cotoni's southern trails. A second trail phase near Panther Beach would add about 10 miles to the monument. Santa Cruz Local reported in 2025 that a parking lot and trails there were hoped for around 2027, with funding still being sought.
The lots come first, then the trail that joins them along the bluffs, then the bridge that brings the monument down to the shoreline. For this winter, Highway 1 is still the only link between the lots.
Where the drive ends anyway
The stops that make the trip worth it are already open, and two of them are close to home. Here is one way to spend a winter day on this stretch, in order:
- Whale City Bakery Bar & Grill, 490 Highway One, Davenport. Edible Monterey Bay's fall feature lists olallieberry croissants, artichoke bread and molasses muffins at the bakery counter, plus steak and eggs and Stagnaro Brothers calamari plates from the kitchen. Hours can vary, so call ahead.
- Cotoni-Coast Dairies North Trailhead, Cement Plant Road. Hawk or Tree if the dog is coming along, Wildcat if not.
- Panther/Yellowbank Beach lot. Use the restroom, take in the view from the plaza, and decide whether the scramble down to the sand is worth it today.
- Beauregard Vineyards, 10 Pine Flat Road. The county visitor listing shows tastings from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with Tuesday visits by appointment only. The same Edible Monterey Bay feature notes that the building once held Bonny Doon Vineyard's tasting room, and before that a biker bar called the Lost Weekend Saloon. Behind it, a redwood lawn backs onto a creek, with the Coast Grade Vineyard visible beyond.
- Davenport Roadhouse, 1 Davenport Ave. It is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day except Wednesday, and Tuesday nights bring live music, beer and wine under the name "Dooner Tuesdays." Lookout Santa Cruz reported that Gavin Parsons and Ginny Miller bought the Roadhouse in July 2025. In June 2026, Edible Monterey Bay reported that chef Jessie Curran had joined and the dining space had been redone. According to Lookout, the "Cash Smash" burger takes its name from the building's past as the Cash Store.
Once the trail opens, this same day could be a ride from Wilder Ranch to Davenport with stops along the way. Until the RTC announces that opening, it means four short drives between lots.
Part of what makes Bonny Doon home is how close this coast is, and much of what changes down there over the next few years will show up first on an RTC agenda, not on a sign. At EF Homes, we keep track of these changes because they shape daily life up the hill. If you would like to talk about how the North Coast's next phases fit with your own plans in Bonny Doon, Contact Us.