Wilder Ranch State Park
About
Wilder Ranch State Park is a public beach on the California coast, about 3 miles from Santa Cruz, within the San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit. Restrooms are on site, the beach has accessible access, and visitors pay a fee. Summer into early fall is the driest stretch, with typical averages from a nearby Santa Cruz weather station showing highs in the mid-70s and about one wet day a month from June through September. Winter stays mild, with highs in the low 60s, though December through March typically brings around 10 or 11 wet days a month. Trails start right next to the beach. The Ohlone Bluff Trail and Old Cove Landing Trail are both about 0.2 miles away, and the Engelsman Loop Trail is about 0.4 miles off. For climbing, the UC Santa Cruz area is about 3 miles away.
Beach Details
Lifeguards
None
Parking
Available
Fee
Fee charged
Restrooms
Yes
Accessible access
Yes
As published by the managing agency. Lifeguards, fees and dog rules are often seasonal, so check posted signs before you swim.
Location
Wilder Ranch State Park
California
Data: California Coastal Commission, YourCoast public access data. Source metadata
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Year-round. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 61–77°F and lows of 41–55°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Santa Cruz, CA weather station, 5.2 mi away. High / low in °F, and days with snow.
- Jan63° high41° low
- Feb64° high43° low
- Mar67° high44° low
- Apr69° high46° low
- May71° high49° low
- Jun74° high52° low
- Jul74° high54° low
- Aug76° high55° low
- Sep77° high53° low
- Oct74° high50° low
- Nov67° high44° low
- Dec61° high41° low
Where it is
- San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit · Public land
- Nearest town
- Santa Cruz, California · 3 mi
Source: NIFC Jurisdictional Units; USGS GNIS populated places
Nearby
Ohlone Bluff TrailHikingPhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.2 mi- Old Cove Landing TrailHikingPhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.2 mi
Engelsman Loop TrailHikingPhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.4 mi- UC Santa CruzRock climbing3 mi
- The Forbidden ForestRock climbing3.1 mi
- Santa CruzRock climbing3.7 mi
San Lorenzo RiverCanoeingPhoto: Chevy111, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)9.3 mi- Zayante CreekCanoeing9.8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Best time to visit Wilder Ranch State Park
Best months: Year-round. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
63° / 41°
11 wet
Feb
64° / 43°
10 wet
Mar
67° / 44°
10 wet
Apr
69° / 46°
6 wet
May
71° / 49°
3 wet
Jun
74° / 52°
1 wet
Jul
74° / 54°
1 wet
Aug
76° / 55°
1 wet
Sep
77° / 53°
1 wet
Oct
74° / 50°
4 wet
Nov
67° / 44°
7 wet
Dec
61° / 41°
10 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Santa Cruz, CA, 5.2 mi away at 70 ft. We don't have this place's elevation, so higher spots nearby can run cooler. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
