more stats
1.4 miles
Distance
272 ft
Climb
-314 ft
Descent
00:20:21
Avg time
-42 ft
Altitude change
325 ft
Altitude min
601 ft
Altitude max
599 ft
Altitude start
558 ft
Altitude end
-0.6%
Grade
-39.1%
Grade max
23.4%
Grade min
4,436 ft
Distance climb
2,844 ft
Distance down
217 ft
Distance flat
00:20:21
Avg time

Enchanted Loop Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Wilder Ranch State Park
    Santa Cruz, California
  • Difficulty Rating
    Black Diamond Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Black Diamond (10 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    80 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 85 in E-Biking
    • 75 in Trail Running
    • 85 in Hiking
    • 5 in Horseback
  • Global Ranking
    #22696 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #3353 in E-Biking
    • #36163 in Trail Running
    • #1472 in Hiking
    • #869 in Horseback
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T2 Mountain Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Direction
    Downhill Primary
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Climb Difficulty
    Double Black Diamond
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • TTFs on Trail
    Drop
  • Land Owner
    California State Parks

Ride Clockwise for a fun, root strewn descent (drop in on the southern end, closer to the coast) Plenty of opportunities to boost over roots, but you can roll them too. Watch for the drop-off/switchback. Climb out was rerouted in 2016 with a pleasant gradient.

Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 11 rides
  • 18 miles average
6 Months
  • 141 rides
  • 18 miles avg distance
All
  • 1,301 rides
  • Last: Aug 6, 2023
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update trails status or condition

Enchanted Loop Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Aug 30, 2026 @ 12:43pm (America/Los_Angeles)
Aug 30, 2026
 reporter
Aug 20, 2026 @ 3:21pm (America/Los_Angeles)
Aug 20, 2026
 Downed small tree partially blocking trail after first downhill section/left turn
Mar 17, 2026 @ 2:33pm (America/Los_Angeles)
Mar 17, 2026
 reporter Fallen tree has been removed
Mar 13, 2026 @ 7:32pm (America/Los_Angeles)
Mar 13, 2026
 Larger tree Needing chainsaw. Kind soon as a new braid is forming around it. See picture
Mar 7, 2026 @ 10:38am (America/Los_Angeles)
Mar 7, 2026
 Large tree down across the trail on the climb out
more »
Status:
on Aug 30, 2026
Very Dry
Avg: 4.32 (54 votes)
Your vote: 0

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      Directions to enchanted-loop trailhead (36.986110, -122.110180)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      55 more »
      mtb
      164 |
      Nov 27, 2025 @ 10:53pm
      Nov 27, 2025
      mtb
      188 |
      Nov 27, 2025 @ 10:53pm
      Nov 27, 2025
      mtb
      379 |
      Jul 29, 2024 @ 3:08pm
      Jul 29, 2024
      mtb
      269 |
      Sep 27, 2023 @ 10:48am
      Sep 27, 2023

      Videos

      12 more »
      Mountain Biking Wilder Ranch at Santa Cruz
      mtb
      14:25 | 218 | Aug 5, 2025 , Santa Cruz
      youtuber Enchanted
      mtb
      17:01 | 679 | Jan 2, 2025 , Santa Cruz
      Wilder Enchanted Loop
      mtb
      3:05 | 522 | Oct 30, 2023 , Santa Cruz
      Enchanted Loop, Wilder Ranch State Park
      mtb
      4:15 | 892 | Aug 19, 2022 , Santa Cruz

      Trail Lists

      Routes with this trail

      132
      Wilder Ranch Loop
      ★ 3.9 • 10 miles • 1,234 ft • 8 •
      Update loop with new Englseman trail (thanks MBoSC!)
      159
      Wilder Ranch Loop
      ★ 4.3 • 21 miles • 1,945 ft • 9 •
      This loop incorporates the best of Wilder Ranch. The only thing to note is the is ridden clockwise NOT...
      203
      Wilder Ranch Loop
      ★ 5.0 • 21 miles • 1,943 ft • 12 •
      This loop incorporates the best of . The only thing to note is the is ridden clockwise NOT...
      4.4 ★★★★★
      54 Ratings
      5 ★ 61%
      4 ★ 22%
      3 ★ 11%
      2 ★ 2%
      1 ★ 4%

      17 Reviews & Comments

      GPzMike GPzMike
      The opening section just after you enter the trees from the fire road is certainly black diamond. At the bottom of that descent it’s a rooty left. They recently removed some deadfall it looked like, for there are a lot of small branches/debris on this technical section that add to the complexity of reading the trail grip. After the rooty left beware the next right hand hairpin…then you’re home free with a bit more fast descending and the beautiful mellow climb out.
      hIzjfSwd
      Biggest drops I’ve ever attempted, off redwood roots. Beautiful and fun, but I did have to get off a few times to go over some of the more advanced drops!
      erikmichael24 erikmichael24
      Honestly very impressed with this trail, super technical little section up top and some flow for a bit. Not a long descent by any means but fun and a nice climb back up.

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      Nearby Trails

      Wilder Ranch State Park

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Enchanted Loop located?
      Enchanted Loop is located in Wilder Ranch State Park, Santa Cruz, California, United States. It is part of the Wilder Ranch State Park trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 36.98611, -122.11018.
      ▼ How hard is Enchanted Loop?
      Enchanted Loop is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The average grade is 0.6%. The climb difficulty is rated Double Black Diamond.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Enchanted Loop?
      Enchanted Loop has 272 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 314 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 325 ft to 601 ft.
      ▼ Is Enchanted Loop a point to point trail?
      Enchanted Loop is not a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Primary. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Enchanted Loop?
      Enchanted Loop is 1.4 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Enchanted Loop?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Enchanted Loop. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ How do I access Enchanted Loop? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Enchanted Loop are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Enchanted Loop?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 20 minutes to ride Enchanted Loop. The trail is 1.4 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Enchanted Loop?
      Enchanted Loop is a very popular trail. There have been 8,104 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 8,417 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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