The park encompassesover 5,200 acres ofwildlands, and percheson the highest ridge inthe Santa Cruz Moun-tains, separating SanFrancisco and MontereyBays. Above the fogand smog, the park offers over 35 miles of trailsthrough a wide variety of plant and animal communi-ties, interesting rock formations, and sweeping viewsof the San Lorenzo Valley and Pacific Ocean. A fewof the activities visitors can enjoy are hiking, back-

Castle Rock State Park15000 Skyline Blvd., Los Gatos, CA 95033 • (408) 867-2952

www.parks.ca.gov • www.santacruzstateparks.org

© 2006 California State Parks

RussellPoint

LEGEND

Private Property

Private Property

Castle Rock Trail Camp

Varian Peak

Castle Rock Falls and Overlook

Goat Rock Overlook

Park Entrance

Castle Rock

IndianRock

SummitRock

Goat Rock

Horse Trail

Information

Locked Gate

Parking

Restroom

Telephone

x

InterpretiveShelter

i

i

Ridge Trail

Frog

Fla

t Tra

il

Service Road Trail

Skyline Trail

Skyline Trail

Summit Rock Loop

Bonjett

i C

reek

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S a ra to ga Gap Tra i l

Creek

Paved Road

Service Road

Trail

Craig Springs Creek

Sara

toga

Gap

Trai

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35

35

map not to scale

Welc

ome!

Western Rattlesnake

Be aware of the presence of poison oak,rattlesnakes, ticks and mountain lions.

Poison Oak Tick Mountain Lion

Castle RockState Park

packing, horsebackriding and rock climbing.

To ensure that your visitis safe and enjoyable,please stay on the trails,and abide by the regula-tions listed on the backof this handout.

Maps: Two maps are available: Castle Rock TrailMap and Guide to Rocks & Climbing. To purchasemaps by mail, send $2.00 (make checks payable toPortola & CR Foundation) and a self-addressed,stamped (2 oz. = 2 stamps) #10 envelope(9-1/2" x 4-1/8") for each map of the park.

Always carry and drink plenty of waterto avoid becoming dehydrated. Wateravailability in the park is very limited, andtemperatures can be very high.

Castle Rock Trail Camp has piped water.

Use caution when you are among or onthe rocks. Slips and falls can result inserious injury.

BACKPACKING AT THE TRAIL CAMPS

Castle Rock has two backpacking trail camps:Waterman Gap Trail Camp and Castle Rock TrailCamp. All trails are closed at sunset. Campersare required toremain in thecampgroundfrom sunset to6 a.m. Plan tobe in yourcampsite atleast 1/2-hourbefore sunsetto haveenough lightfor campsetup andcheck-in withthe ranger.Dogs andsmoking arenot permitted in either campground. The onlyovernight parking at Castle Rock State Park isin the main parking lot on Hwy. 35, 2.5 milessouth of Hwy. 9.

Castle Rock Trail Camp — Located 2.6 milesfrom the main parking lot via the Saratoga GapTrail, this camp is situated on a ridge. Each ofthe 20 first-come, first-served sites has a table,fire ring, nearby piped drinking water and vaulttoilets. A camp shelter is available foreveryone’s use during inclement weather. Firesare allowed only in designated fire rings whenfire season is closed. Wood gathering is pro-hibited, butcampers maypurchase fire-wood at thecamp. The onlyaccess for bicy-clists to thiscamp is via theCampgroundService RoadTrail, off Hwy. 35.Bicycles are notallowed on anytrails beyond thiscamp.

Waterman Gap Trail Camp — Located6.3 miles from the north end of Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail at Saratoga Gap (no overnightparking at this location), or 9.3 miles from theCastle Rock State Park main parking lot onHwy. 35 (2.5 miles south of Hwy. 9), thiscamp, in a mixed hardwood and redwoodforest, has 6 primitive sites and a vault toilet.Reservations are required and may be madeby calling the trail camp reservation line atBig Basin Redwoods State Park at(831) 338-8861. Fires and smoking arenot permitted.However, gascamp stoves areallowed. Thereis very limiteddrinking waterso carry waterwith you.

Frog FlatCamp

MainCamp

Castle Rock Trail Camp

RussellPoint

Loghr y Wo od s Tra i l

Sara

toga

Gap

Tra

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S aratoga Gap Tra i l

Frog

Fla

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S e r v i ce

R oa d

Tra i l

Ridg

e Trail

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25 2423 23 22

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1112 1314

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Waterman Gap Trail Camp

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6

1

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Horse TrailerParking

To Santa Cruz

To Big Basin Redwoods State Park

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(not

a th

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reet

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236

9

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Mil

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Skyl

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Sunset Trail

Berry Cre

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Tra

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S

kylin

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ea T

rail

To Portola Redwoods State Park

China Gra

de

1

Hollo

w

Tre

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rail Basin Trail

JohansenRoad

Big BasinPark Entrance

Castle RockPark Entrance

Sequoia Trail

Trailhead

236

236

Lane TrailCamp

Sunset TrailCamp

Alder Trail Camp

RanchoDel Oso

Waddell Beach

To Santa Cruz

Twin Redwoods Trail Camp

Jay Trail Camp

Waterman Gap Trail Camp

Castle Rock Trail Camp

9

Skyline-to-the-Sea-T

rail

LEGEND

Dirt Road (Vehicles Prohibited)

Paved Road

Trail

Locked Gate

Parking

Ranger Station

Trail Camp (Back Packing)

9

9 35

35Saratoga Gap Trail

TravertineSprings TrailBeekhuis Road Trail

Saratoga Toll Road Trail

Mill Road

9

Skyline-

to-t

he-Sea-TrailSkyline Trail

SKYLINE-TO-THE-SEA TRAIL CAMPS

Skyline-to-the-SeaTrail descends for28.2 miles fromSaratoga Gap (inter-section of Hwys. 9 and35) through CastleRock and Big BasinRedwoods StateParks, ending atWaddell Beach.

For required trail campreservations, locationof overnight parkingareas and informationon planning your hike,call Big Basin Red-woods State Park at(831) 338-8861.

There are 3 majorstarting points for thistrail system, all withovernight parkingareas. Each stoppingpoint has somewhatdifferent registrationprocedures.

Castle Rock—Parkyour vehicle in themain parking lot onHwy. 35 (approxi-mately 3 miles south ofthe Hwys. 9 and 35junction). Use the self-registration envelopesand pay station at thekiosk to register.

Big Basin HQ—Register, pay trailcamp fees, and get thecombination to parkinglot gate and trail permits at the Big Basin Ranger Station duringoffice hours. When the station is closed, use the self-registrationenvelopes and pay station. You will park at Jay Trail Camp.

Rancho Del Oso—Park entrance is on Hwy. 1, four miles north ofDavenport. The trailhead is directly opposite the Waddell Beachparking lot. (Do not use the Rancho Del Oso Nature and HistoryCenter entrance.) You will find a closed, unlocked gate on a pavedroad. Drive up this road (close gate behind you) to the office andovernight parking area. Use self-registration envelopes to register.

Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail Camps

When using self-registration:

• Bring EXACT CHANGE.

• On the envelope use the nameunder which the reservation wasmade.

• Include the vehicle license number.

• If you are parking a second vehiclefor the same site, pay for it asposted, using a separate envelopefor each vehicle.

• Leave the envelope end tag in plainsight on the vehicle’s dashboard.

map not to scale

LOW IMPACT CLIMBING

Local climbers are committed to good stewardship. To preservethe character and beauty of the park’s rock formations and mini-mize impacts on soils, vegetation, wildlife and other visitors,support “Leave No Trace” practices.

• Use natural colored chalk. Use a chalk ball.

• Help prevent erosion. Use only existing access trails. Carrycrash pads—do not drag.

• Protect park vegetation. The park is home to a variety ofmosses, plants and trees, which in turn provide food and shelterfor wildlife. One of the challenges of climbing is to work aroundbranches, mosses and lichens without damaging them.

• Do not climb when the rock is wet. This sandstone is morefragile when it is wet, so climbing routes may be damaged.Please allow a few days after heavy rain for the rock to drybefore climbing.

Please follow these parkrules and regulations:

Hours: The park is closedfrom sunset to 6 a.m., in-cluding all trails and climbingareas.

If you park in the main lot,you must pay day-use orcamping fees.

Dogs, bicycles, glass con-tainers and smoking areprohibited.

Firearms and devices capable of injuring orkilling a person or animal are prohibited, includ-ing airsoft, paintball and pellet guns, bows andarrows, sling shots, etc.

Fires are permitted in the metal fire rings in theCastle Rock Trail Camp ONLY WHEN FIRESEASON IS CLOSED. (Check for posting.)During this time firewood is available for sale atCastle Rock Trail Camp.

Camping is permitted only in designatedcamps. (See maps on inside of this handout.)Campers are required to be in their campsitesfrom sunset to 6 a.m.

Bleeding Heart

Mariposa Lily

Quiet Hours are 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.Sounds may not be heard beyondyour own camp. You may notdisturb another person with loud orunreasonable noises at any time.

San Lorenzo HeadwatersNatural Preserve: Use isrestricted to established hikingtrails. No off-trail use or climbingis allowed in this area.

All vegetation,wildlife and

geological features areprotected. Do not pickwildflowers, mushrooms orany other plant, or removeany park feature. Do notfeed, disturb or harm wildlife.

Horses are only permitted ondesignated trails.

Volunteers are vital to thetrail maintenance program.For information go towww.scmta-trails.org.