SUNDAY DRIVE
A surprise hideaway: With one little twist, you have a redwood park virtually to yourself. You can get a small camping cabin or a campsite or — for groups — a site with large barbecue and kitchen areas. A great series of trails are available.
That one little twist: To use Little Basin as your base and launch point, you must reserve a campsite or cabin for the night. That done, it’s all yours. No dayuse only. That makes it the state park system’s most undervalued unit in Northern California.
Location: Little Basin borders Big Basin Redwoods State Park near Boulder Creek in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Cabins: 12 small cabins with bunk beds (some also have doubles) with mattresses; bring a sleeping bag and your pillow. $105 per night. Reserve at www.reserveamerica.com. For groups of 20 or more, reserve at (831) 338-3814.
Campsites: 38 tent sites, several RV sites, and large grassy area for groups. Grill, picnic table and fire ring are provided. $45 per night. Reserve at www.reserveamerica.com.
Facilities: A site director and camp host is on-site at all times; recreation facilities include a playground, sports field and meadow; camp facilities include restrooms with showers, a group dining area, amphitheater with stage, recreation hall; firewood available for $9 per bundle.
Contacts: Little Basin, (831) 338-3314, http://littlebasin.org; Big Basin Redwoods State Park, (831) 338-8860, parks.ca.gov.
BEST HIKES
Eagle Rock: 3.5-mile round trip with a 1,500-foot climb to the viewpoint at 2,488-foot Eagle Rock. Trailhead is located at Cabin 17 on south side of road.
Buzzards Roost: 3-mile round trip with 750-foot climb to the viewpoint at 2,150-foot Buzzards Roost. Trailhead is at Cabin 17 on the north side of the road.
Berry Creek Falls: 13-mile round trip, plus 2-mile round trip up canyon (and back) to see Silver Falls and Golden Cascade. Trailhead is at Cabin 17 on north side of the road. The trail leads to Hihn Hammond Connector, and then to Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail.
HOW TO GET THERE
GPS: Use 21700 Little Basin Road, Boulder Creek
Coastal route: From San Francisco, take Interstate 280 for 10 miles to Daly City and the fork for Highway 1. Bear right at the fork and take Highway 1 for 70 miles into Santa Cruz and to a stoplight junction with Highway 9/River Street. Turn left on Highway 9 and drive 12 miles to Boulder Creek and lighted intersection with Highway 236/Big Basin Highway. Turn left and go 6.4 miles to Little Basin Road (3.5 miles from Big Basin Redwoods headquarters). Turn left on Little Basin Road and drive 1.7 miles to park entrance, then bear right and continue 0.2 of a mile to meadow, parking and trailheads.
Peninsula route: From San Francisco, take Interstate 280 south down the Peninsula to Cupertino and the exit for Highway 85. Take 85 South and drive to the exit for Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road. Take that exit, turn right (south) and drive into Saratoga to Big Basin Way/Highway 9. Turn right, drive short distance through town and continue up hill (becomes curvy) to Skyline/Highway 35, and continue straight 13 miles to Boulder Creek and Big Basin Way. Turn right and go 6.4 miles to Little Basin Road. Turn left on Little Basin Road and drive 1.7 miles to park entrance, then bear right and continue 0.2 of a mile to meadow, parking and trailheads.
Note: Other routes available through Santa Cruz Mountains.
Distances (shortest routes): 8 miles from Boulder Creek, 22 miles from Santa Cruz, 25 miles from Los Gatos, 42 miles from Woodside, 64 miles from Dublin, 70 miles from Hayward, 72 miles from San Francisco, 85 miles from Sausalito, 152 miles from Sacramento.