more stats
3.6 miles
Distance
609 ft
Climb
-218 ft
Descent
00:37:27
Avg time
392 ft
Altitude change
176 ft
Altitude min
621 ft
Altitude max
229 ft
Altitude start
620 ft
Altitude end
2.1%
Grade
-21.1%
Grade max
26.9%
Grade min
2 miles
Distance climb
5,210 ft
Distance down
2,159 ft
Distance flat
00:37:27
Avg time

Wilder Ridge Loop Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Wilder Ranch State Park
    Santa Cruz, California
  • AKA
    Dairyman's Trail
  • Difficulty Rating
    Green Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (1 vote)
  • Local Popularity
    30 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 30 in E-Biking
    • 5 in Trail Running
    • 25 in Hiking
    • 5 in Horseback
  • Global Ranking
    #122746 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #95983 in E-Biking
    • #129597 in Trail Running
    • #117773 in Hiking
    • #1049 in Horseback
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • Land Owner
    California State Parks

The eastern part of this trail makes a nice loop with Zane Gray when ridden in a CCW direction. Lots of rutted section and best with a dual suspension bike.

Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 8 rides
  • 16 miles avg distance
All
  • 97 rides
  • Last: Aug 22, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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Wilder Ridge Loop Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Mar 7, 2026 @ 1:29pm (America/Los_Angeles)
Mar 7, 2026
 Lots of overgrown and encroaching poison oak. Several boggy mud areas. The stepped rut after the rock slab is a strait up trials move now.
Feb 5, 2026 @ 9:15am (America/Los_Angeles)
Feb 5, 2026
 Very overgrown and uncomfortable to ride, especially on the ridge itself. Tons of poison oak. Lower down I felt like I was riding almost...
Nov 19, 2025 @ 7:22pm (America/Los_Angeles)
Nov 19, 2025
Thristle and thorns
Aug 9, 2025 @ 4:31pm
Aug 9, 2025
tons of ticks near the horse ranch and dumps. do not go there.
Jul 13, 2025 @ 8:13pm
Jul 13, 2025
 overgrown and thristle thorns do hurt
more »
Status:
on Mar 7, 2026
Variable
Avg: 2.77 (18 votes)
Your vote: 0

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Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
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  • Both Directions
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Slope Aspect
Direction the slope faces
Flat N NE E SE S SW W NW
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        Directions to wilder-ridge-loop trailhead (36.970920, -122.086790)
        View on Discover Map

        Photos

        9 more »
        mtb
        382 |
        Jun 22, 2018 @ 5:10pm
        Jun 22, 2018
        mtb
        500 |
        Jun 5, 2018 @ 3:58pm
        Jun 5, 2018
        mtb
        817 |
        May 27, 2016 @ 6:50am
        May 27, 2016
        mtb
        734 |
        Oct 29, 2015 @ 8:39pm
        Oct 29, 2015

        Videos

        1 more »
        Wilder Ranch | Santa Cruz, CA
        mtb
        9:58 | 576 | Dec 9, 2021 , Santa Cruz

        Technical Trail Features (TTF)

        Routes with this trail

        84
        Wilder Ranch Loop ABL
        12 miles • 1,388 ft • 7 •
        This loop incorporates the best of . The only thing to note is the is ridden clockwise NOT...
        265
        WILDER RANCH MIX
        ★ 5.0 • 21 miles • 2,185 ft • 22 •
        DISCOVERY OF AREA
        179
        Wilder Ranch Singletrack
        ★ 3.5 • 14 miles • 1,861 ft • 18 •
        With the Cowboy Loop at the south end and the at the north end interconnected with other fun trails, this...
        2.2 ★★★★★
        18 Ratings
        5 ★ 6%
        4 ★ 17%
        3 ★
        2 ★ 44%
        1 ★ 33%

        9 Reviews & Comments


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        Nearby Trails

        Wilder Ranch State Park

        Frequently Asked Questions About Wilder Ridge Loop

        ▼ Where is Wilder Ridge Loop located?
        Wilder Ridge Loop is located in Wilder Ranch, Santa Cruz, California, United States. It is part of the Wilder Ranch trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 36.97092, -122.08679.
        ▼ How hard is Wilder Ridge Loop?
        Wilder Ridge Loop is rated as Green difficulty. The average grade is 2.1%.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Wilder Ridge Loop?
        Wilder Ridge Loop has 609 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 218 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 176 ft to 621 ft.
        ▼ Is Wilder Ridge Loop a point to point trail?
        Wilder Ridge Loop is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ How long is Wilder Ridge Loop?
        Wilder Ridge Loop is 3.6 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ Are dogs allowed on Wilder Ridge Loop?
        Yes, dogs are allowed on Wilder Ridge Loop. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
        ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Wilder Ridge Loop?
        Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Wilder Ridge Loop are:
        • May (13 activities)
        • July (12 activities)
        • February (11 activities)
        Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
        ▼ How do I access Wilder Ridge Loop? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
        The closest parking and trailhead locations to Wilder Ridge Loop are: View all parking locations in the area.
        ▼ How long does it take to ride Wilder Ridge Loop?
        Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 36 minutes to ride Wilder Ridge Loop. The trail is 3.6 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
        ▼ How busy is Wilder Ridge Loop?
        Wilder Ridge Loop is a less popular trail with lighter traffic. There have been 554 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 538 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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