Santa Cruz
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Description: De Laveaga is a small area consisting of 7 miles of hiking and bicycling trails in a larger city park that includes baseball fields, soccer fields, a golf course, a disc golf course and an archery range. There are two miles of paved and dirt road trails on the south and east borders of the park. The remaining 5 miles of trails open to bicycles parallel each other on the side of a redwood forested canyon. At points the trails are so close to each other that only a few feet separate them. Except for one dirt road, the trails are mainly extremely difficult single track with long areas of exposed roots and rocks. One trail includes a 3 foot rock drop off and downed trees that require lifting the bike over. Another has a two foot drop off between two redwood trees. The trails are barely maintained, and every year erosion washes away more of the soil, turning exposed roots and rocks into ever larger obstacles. The park brochure describes some of the trails as great for beginning mountain bikers. This may have once been the case, but at this point De Laveaga is a tough challenge and recommended only for advanced riders. Restrooms are at the main parking lot.
During the wet season: Trails are open
Directions: Roadside parking and the Enchanted Forest Trailhead, where our recommended ride begins, is on Branciforte Drive in Santa Cruz, 1.1 miles north of Water St. A link to the parking location in Google Maps is here. The main parking lot is an additional 0.8 miles north on Branciforte Drive.