AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Wilder Ranch State Park

Upper Moore Creek Natural Reserve–Camper Park, 6 sights

11.5 mi · ▲ 1,322 ft · 4 hr 30 min

Upper Moore Creek Natural Reserve–Camper Park, 6 sights is an 11.5-mile out-and-back in Wilder Ranch State Park near Rincon, CA. The route reaches Upper Moore Creek Natural Reserve. It climbs 1,322 ft. It scores 9/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi253 – 1,125 ft12.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Camper Park 37.00015, -122.06536
Nearest town Rincon, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Upper Moore Creek Natural Reserve–Camper Park, 6 sights

11.5 mi · ▲ 1,322 ft · 4 hr 30 min

Elevation 253–1,125 ft

Out & Back · Wilder Ranch State Park

Trailhead: Camper Park · 37.00015, -122.06536

Weather Aug 3: Fog, high 73°F / low 50° · precip 0% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:15 PM

No dogs on part of this route · Transit-accessible: UCSC Kresge College stop 129 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Across Campus, heading NE.
  2. 50 ftPass Upper Moore Creek Natural Reserve.
  3. 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
  4. 0.3 miBear right onto Camper Park, heading NE.
  5. 0.4 miTurn left onto Chinquapin Road, heading N.
  6. 0.9 miBear left, heading NW.
  7. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Chinquapin Trail, heading W.
  8. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Long Meadow Trail, heading S.
  9. 0.8 miTurn left, heading S.
  10. 250 ftContinue straight onto Wally World, heading S.
  11. 0.8 miBear left, heading SE.
  12. 0.6 miSharp left onto UCSC Connector/Cave Gulch, heading S.
  13. 0.5 miTurn left, heading SE.
  14. 50 ftSharp right, heading SE.
  15. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  16. 0.2 miBear right, heading E.
  17. 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
  18. 0.2 miTurn left onto Prairie View Trail, heading S.
  19. 200 ftBear right, heading SE.
  20. 350 ftReach Upper Moore Creek Natural Reserve, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  21. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  22. 500 ftTurn right, heading S.
  23. 0.2 miBear left, heading SE.
  24. 0.2 miBear left, heading SE.
  25. 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
  26. 50 ftSharp left, heading NW.
  27. 50 ftTurn right onto UCSC Connector/Cave Gulch, heading N.
  28. 0.5 miSharp right onto Wally World, heading N.
  29. 0.6 miBear right, heading SW.
  30. 0.9 miTurn right onto Long Meadow Trail, heading NW.
  31. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Chinquapin Trail, heading NW.
  32. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Chinquapin Road, heading NW.
  33. 1.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  34. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Camper Park, heading S.
  35. 350 ftBear left, heading E.
  36. 0.3 miBear right onto Across Campus, heading SE.
  37. 350 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/chuck-beebe-scenic-bench-coolidge-drive-lookout-out-back-3-viewpoints-via-long-meadow-trail

Trail surface

19% gravel18% dirt63% unspecified

Weather

FogTemperature 73°F50°
Precip0%Wind2 mphUV7Humidity95%
Hourly temperature
75°50°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:15 PM
Tue 69°50°
Wed 69°51°
Thu 73°55°
Fri 81°59°
Sat 79°60°
Sun 71°57°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.0 mi in (~33 min). Leave by 7:22 PM for the 8:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:53 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • No dogs on part of this route
  • Transit-accessible: UCSC Kresge College stop 129 m from the trailhead
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Camper Park Trailhead

Hikes near Rincon, California