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
Getting there
Directions
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 Sep 20: sunrise 6:55 AM · sunset 7:10 PM
Transit-accessible: Empire Grade (Mile 13) stop 578 m from the trailhead
- Start on Chinquapin Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Wally World, heading SE.
- 1.7 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.6 miSharp left onto UCSC Connector/Cave Gulch, heading SE.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Prairie View Trail, heading S.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Coast Vista Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Prairie View Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miReach Wally World, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Coast Vista Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Prairie View Trail, heading SE.
- 0.7 miBear left, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right onto UCSC Connector/Cave Gulch, heading N.
- 0.5 miSharp right onto Wally World, heading N.
- 0.6 miBear right, heading SW.
- 1.7 miBear right onto Chinquapin Trail, heading N.
- 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 surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~3 min). Leave by 6:47 PM for the 7:10 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:29 PM — 7 min before dark.
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
- Chinquapin Trail 4.9 mi · ▲ 602 ft
- Barking Dogs–Chinquapin Road, 5 sights 10.6 mi · ▲ 1,873 ft
- Turbo & Woodcutter's Trail 6.8 mi · ▲ 1,242 ft
- Jugs & Woodcutter's Trail 6 mi · ▲ 1,085 ft
- 44 Logs & Chinquapin Road 2.5 mi · ▲ 137 ft
- Arboretum Pond–Mailboxes, 4 sights 7 mi · ▲ 990 ft
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