Scenic Drive on Skyline Boulevard Through the Santa Cruz Mountains

Skyline Boulevard runs the spine of the Santa Cruz Mountains, a quiet two-lane ridge road with redwood groves on one side and long views to the bay or the sea on the other.

San Francisco Bay Area · Drive · about 40 min · 18 miles · Pleasantness: Very High

Why this route is pleasant

• Runs the forested ridgeline, cool and shaded
• Redwood and oak groves with frequent open-space preserves
• Long views east over the bay and west toward the ocean
• Very little traffic and almost no commercial development
• A string of trailheads and overlooks to stop at

What you'll see

• Redwood groves at Purisima Creek and El Corte de Madera
• Windy Hill and Russian Ridge open-space preserves
• The bay laid out below to the east on clear days
• Alice's Restaurant at the Sky Londa crossroads

Best time to go

A clear day after the fog clears the ridge; autumn mornings are especially crisp.

Open this route in Pleasant Routes · More San Francisco Bay Area routes · All cities