State park rangers have the same authority as county sheriffs. Explore. Trail not a loop. Two girls climb up the rocks at Big Rock Swimming Hole with their mother. You'll find this heavenly spot on the South Fork of the Eel River in the Standish-Hickey State Recreational Area. Some say he's had over 1200 birthdays. The river and its steep granite wall was the dramatic setting for the 1923 silent film The Soul Of the Beast, featuring canoe scenes and an elephant named Anna May. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. If so, we ask that you post a quick review of it below. Longitude: -122.0527416W On a hot summer day, is there anything quite so sublime as a dunk in a wild river? Map and location information for Big Rock Hole Trail in California: Big Rock Hole Trail is one of the Trail in Santa Cruz County, CA and can be found on the Felton USGS topographic quad map. Mar 27, 2015 - The mighty San Lorenzo River, home to several awesome swimming holes. Junction Park is at the intersection of Middleton and Railroad Avenues. This swimming hole is even more obscure than Candy Rock swimming hole, but apparently theyre neighbors. The place is stunningly beautiful, and I hope all who visit will do their best to keep it that way. Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park charges a fee to park at the day-use and campground areas. The Santa Paula Punch Bowls are located between Big Cone Camp and Cross Camp in Los Padres National Forest. If you follow this in the clock wise route you will get wet about 3/4 into the hike. Because the nearest station and this geographic feature may have . Managed to find our way, got wet ha. Directions: From Santa Cruz drive 3 miles up Highway 9 and park in the small lot near two metal gates. Easy hike, but gets very crowded on nice days. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Events. Bay Area swimming holes: Take a dip in the San, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Total dominance: Steph Curry breaks NBA Game 7 record, leads Warriors over Kings, Garden of Eden swimming hole: Social media brings problems to Santa Cruz Mountains oasis, Wanderlust: The wondrous world of marble at UC-Santa Cruz. Big Rock Hole, Redwood Grove, Ox Trail Path Loop When you reach the site of the abandoned Diversion Dam, its time to jump in! The river was crossable but also use extreme caution because it was pretty strong in some parts. It's just not set up for that. Hike under alders, cottonwoods, and big leaf maple to arrive at this oasis on the San Lorenzo River. We went to these to spot to find big rock hole. Access to the beach is easiest at low to medium tides, but if you don't mind walking in the . Could not finish the loop because all the river crossing points were flooded. Hotels / Works at Southern California Edison Author has 246 answers and 70.8K answer views 4 y At a deep, cool bend in the river, "Big Rock Hole" and is on the Rincon Trail. Theres nothing quite like swimming in the redwoods. Most of the trail is dirt, though the end becomes very sandy. Thank you! Eventually had to put my clothes in my backpack and swim across with my bag over my head. This is not ok. Like Cin Dy, I want to warn all visitors to the Garden of Eden that dogs are strictly prohibited and the rangers will write tickets. The cliff at this popular Boulder Creek swimming hole, located off Highway 9, offers some of the countys best cannonball opportunities. On summer weekends, the Garden gets very crowded, but if we all respect each other (no publicly heard music, no smoking of anything, no fires-duh!) Dear god please for own safety just dont it. Geologists say these rocks formed deep underground, probably in the roots of an ancient system of volcanoes that resemble the Cascades or Andes. A collection of stillwater pools connected by rocky rapids, the river has long been a place to relax, recalls Lynda Phillips, executive director of the San Lorenzo Valley Museum.Related Articles Environment | Its easy to find: After entering Boulder Creek, turn at the fire station. Beautiful hike! Are the beaches of Santa Cruz too cold to swim in? Glad I brought my water sandals, a lot of back and forth bush walking and back and crossing the river and creek. Leave the cooler, boombox and pets at home. For more information visit http://www.slvswimcenter.com, recreation San Lorenzo River Summer Guide 2012, Restaurants / There are other hikes nearby in Henry Cowell that are amazing. From the parking lot, follow the dirt road a couple feet and then take an immediate left where you see the sign for a cottage. It basically comes with territory. No bridge or other means to cross the river. Its called Henflings, but really you should just turn around). This is primarily a nudist area, so do be prepared to see naked people. With A Black Sand Beach The Little-Known Mori Point In California Is Unexpectedly Magical, An Easy But Gorgeous Hike, Truckee River Trail, Leads To A Little-Known River In Northern California, This 3-Mile Hike In Northern California Leads To The Dreamiest Swimming Hole, Northern Californias Most Refreshing Hike Will Lead You Straight To A Beautiful Swimming Hole, 11 Gorgeous Lakes In Northern California That You Must Check Out This Summer, Baldwin Beach Has Some Of The Clearest Water In Northern California, 6 Places In Northern California That Are Like A Caribbean Paradise In The Summer, The Hidden Beaches Road Trip That Will Show You Northern California Like Never Before, best swimming holes in Northern California, natural swimming holes in Northern California. All trails map was inaccurate, got loss around end river crossing. This refreshing pool is created from a smooth bowl of granite. (If you reach the Toll House Resort, turn around because youve gone too far. A nice hike through the lush forest, tip toeing around the railroad tracks, and ending at an awesome swimming hole. The trail was awesome. Now it is a lovely town park, a sanctuary with picnic tables, educational signs and a sandy beach. Big Rock Hole - Santa Cruz - LocalWiki Glad I brought my water sandals, a lot of back and forth bush walking and back and crossing the river and creek. Would recommend checking those out instead. Please, if you pack it in, pack it out. No glass allowed. The Garden of Eden: SC's Best Swimming Hole - Santa Cruz Waves To find the bridge and dam, instead turn onto East Lomond Street. BBQ's Overlooking 40' Waterfall. Be prepared to ford 2 streams and a creek. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. Close. Except where otherwise noted, this content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. The trail gets a little lost near the river crossings so it was helpful to use AllTrails map as a guide. . There is a small beach area too There is also a rope swing. Nestled against the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Spring Hills offers a peaceful & picturesque country setting with ideal weather. The Big Melt is coming between now and June. This is a popular trail for birding, hiking, and running, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. It's a very steep walk down a dirt path to Santa Cruz's most famous swimming hole, but the descent pays off when swimmers reach the rocky beach deep in the towering forest of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. The San Lorenzo river is NOT cross able. Its important to remind everyone what theyre missing. Had to backtrack considerably to find a place to cross. swimming hole | Santa Cruz Main menu Parks & Rec Events Gear Community Eco News Tromp Blog Garden of Eden with 6 comments 03 Jul Idyllic river swimming in front of God and everyone. Gods speed. The sandy peninsula can be busy on hot summer days. This is a new adventure! But this swimming hole has your back. Excellent trail! Social media has spread the word, and thousands of visitors from "over the hill" come to enjoy the Garden. The trail can be a simple one of a mile out and back or up to 5 miles depending on your preference. Trees down and blocking the trail once you pass the river. It gets its name from a giant blue streak of granite that seems to be natures way of marking the spot. 1. What makes these natural swimming holes in Northern California so amazing is that its easily accessed but not marked. Great course, ride along allowed! Starting at the Redwood Grove Loop Trail, follow the trail until it connects withthe Pipeline Road Trail and continue on Pipeline Road. This is by no means an unknown swimming hole: it's mobbed most weekend days. If you follow this in the clock wise route you will get wet about 3/4 into the hike. Or just give up and grab an ale at Montys Log Cabin in Felton.) ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Check out the photos and even a few videos below. In approximately 3 miles, just after the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park southern boundary sign, there will be a parking lot on the right side of Highway 9 with a blue emergency call box. To get to the little beach, turn left on the first visible trail. Posted by 4 years ago. Terms of Use and Privacy. The San Lorenzo river is NOT cross able. Category: Trail, Santa Cruz County Cliffs (3) Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Felton. Dear god please for own safety just dont it. Skinny Dip Falls - See Swim © Copyright 2023 See/Swim. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Happy splashdown! The hike is 10-15 minutes to the water. Joyce says it tends to draw a younger crowdit's one of the most popular dunking and jumping spots in the area for teenagers. Tradeoffs abound. We eventually came to big rock swimming hole but could not find the trail again after crossing even with the downloaded map feature. In fact, you can get cited for having your dog down there. You have arrived! The mountain spring water stays pretty cool year-round, making it the perfect destination on a hot Santa Cruz Mountains summer day.