Going to See Madonna

Hike the Redwoods in Mount Madonna Park

03.18.2015

If you're going to see Madonna we're guaranteeing the venue is going to be amazing: high up in the Santa Cruz Mountains and dominated by redwood trees. Okay, we’re not talking "Like a Virgin" Madonna; we're talking like "Second-Growth Redwoods" Mount Madonna. This beautiful 3,200-acre park 10 miles west of Gilroy in the Santa Cruz Mountains has 20 miles of secluded hiking trails to explore.

For a moderate journey, take a 1.7-mile loop hike through towering redwoods fringed by green ferns and oak woodland. Start on the Sprig Trail for a brief stretch before joining up on Bayview Trail. Towering redwoods provide plenty of shade as the path traces a canyon and offers partial views of Monterey Bay to the west. You'll weave in and out of the forest on the Redwood, Iron Springs, and Blackhawk Trails. Keep an eye out for wildflowers and the region's famous banana slugs.

BONUS CAMPING AND YURTS: Mount Madonna has 116 drive-up and walk-in campsites that can be reserved, along with yurts in three different sizes. 

Mount Madonna Yurts

TIP: Fifteen minutes down the road, heading southwest, is Gizdich Ranch, famous for its apples and apple cider. It also has delicious melt-in-your-mouth berry pies and excellent deli sandwiches.

img_2194-image-jpeg

Mount Madonna County Park is on Highway 152, 10 miles west of Gilroy. Dog-friendly! 

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories

  1. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View
  2. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  3. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View

  4. Bucks Up!

    Come on in, the water is beautiful. Whether you like swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or heading out on a bigger boat, Bucks Lake is a high mountain haven that’s easy to access, blissfully uncrowded, and surrounded by sandy beaches, picnic areas, pines, and aspens.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. Coming Up Roses

    Looking to spice up your hiking life? Give your partner a rose—Mount Rose! The 10-mile out-and-back peak hike goes up to one of the grandest views in all of Lake Tahoe. Get ready f

    View
  2. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

    View
  3. Lake Nacimiento
    Sponsored

    Savor Summer in Paso Robles

    Ready for the “Great California Road Trip”? Keep it real and rolling in bucolic and beautiful Paso Robles. This down- to-earth destination has everything you need to enjoy the coolest experiences.

    View

  4. A Rose in the Pines

    A crackling fire, a bottle of wine, a bubbling Jacuzzi tub with a waterfall … now the big question: Marvin Gaye tunes or not? In the morning (ahem) it's breakfast in bed and a leis

    View