AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Wilder Ranch State Park

Prairie View Trail–UCSC Connector/Cave Gulch, 3 sights

8.4 mi · ▲ 1,139 ft · 3 hr 22 min

Prairie View Trail–UCSC Connector/Cave Gulch, 3 sights is an 8.4-mile out-and-back in Wilder Ranch State Park near Rincon, CA. It climbs 1,139 ft. It scores 10/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi121 – 1,119 ft9.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Chinquapin Trail 37.01662, -122.08132
Nearest town Rincon, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Prairie View Trail–UCSC Connector/Cave Gulch, 3 sights

8.4 mi · ▲ 1,139 ft · 3 hr 22 min

Elevation 122–1,120 ft

Out & Back · Wilder Ranch State Park

Trailhead: Chinquapin Trail · 37.01662, -122.08132

Weather Aug 3: Overcast, high 76°F / low 50° · precip 0% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:15 PM

Transit-accessible: Empire Grade (Mile 13) stop 578 m from the trailhead

  1. Start on Chinquapin Trail, heading SW.
  2. 0.3 miBear left onto Wally World, heading SE.
  3. 1.7 miBear left, heading S.
  4. 0.6 miSharp left onto UCSC Connector/Cave Gulch, heading SE.
  5. 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
  6. 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
  7. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  8. 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
  9. 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
  10. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Prairie View Trail, heading S.
  11. 0.4 miTurn right onto Coast Vista Trail, heading S.
  12. 50 ftTurn left onto Prairie View Trail, heading S.
  13. 0.1 miReach Wally World, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  14. 0.1 miTurn right onto Coast Vista Trail, heading SE.
  15. 50 ftTurn left onto Prairie View Trail, heading SE.
  16. 0.7 miBear left, heading N.
  17. 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
  18. 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
  19. 50 ftSharp left, heading N.
  20. 50 ftTurn right onto UCSC Connector/Cave Gulch, heading N.
  21. 0.5 miSharp right onto Wally World, heading N.
  22. 0.6 miBear right, heading SW.
  23. 1.7 miBear right onto Chinquapin Trail, heading N.
  24. 0.2 miArrive 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/prairie-view-trail-ucsc-connector-cave-gulch-out-back-3-sights-14-km-94fa

Trail surface

18% dirt82% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 76°F50°
Precip0%Wind3 mphUV8Humidity58%
Hourly temperature
80°50°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:15 PM
Tue 73°49°
Wed 85°52°
Thu 90°53°
Fri 100°60°
Sat 102°59°
Sun 89°54°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~1 min). Leave by 7:53 PM for the 8:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:31 PM — 12 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Empire Grade (Mile 13) stop 578 m from the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Chinquapin Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Rincon, California