A journey hike (i.e. a hike bereft of climatic destination) the Butano Ridge Loop is an excellent mediation on the consistent beauty of Santa Cruz Mountain forests.
Butano Ridge Loop Trail via Hoffman Flat Trailhead
13.6 miles RT; strenuous; 2,000 feet of climbing; Open to hikers and horses
The Butano Ridge Loop is easy to follow and swathed in forests from start to finish, offering a tranquil tunnel of green through which to walk your worries away. It’s not a bad way to spend a day.
Heading out of Memorial Park from the Hoffman Flat Trailhead and up Pescadero Creek Valley along Old Haul Road is a great way to get right in the thick of things. The road traverses the lovely second growth leftovers of a redwood forest, passing the occasional giant. A right turn onto the Butano Ridge Trail single track after 1.8 miles gives ample opportunity to warm up as this 2.4-mile long section contains a 1,200’ chunk of the elevation gain. Enjoy the shifting ecosystems, from redwood lowlands to drier, oaky woodlands during the climb.
At the top the loop turns a left onto the ridge running fire road for a nice and easy stroll southeast. A grove of endangered Santa Cruz cypress can be spotted along the way.
At the next intersection the loop turns left, onto another single track that heads down the mountain to Old Haul Road and back to the beginning. However, an intriguing option is the Basin Trail, which continues along the ridge, through an easement, and on to Big Basin Redwoods State Park. That’s quite a connection!
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