Knobcone Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers

Knobcone Trail can be found from Waterfall Loop Road and/or Waterfall Loop Nature Trail. After taking either of these trails for about a half mile, at the Myrtle Flats picnic table on the left, continue straight to get to Knobcone Trail. Do not make the U-turn around the picnic table. After passing the picnic table, almost immediately, a sign pointing the way to Knobcone Point appears. Follow it and go right onto Knobcone Trail.

Knobcone Trail climbs up out of the steep-sided Swanson Creek Valley. The climb is tackled over five switchbacks on a wide trail. It is predominantly a forest trail, but the types of vegetation change as it goes up. There are a few good viewing points of the surrounding Santa Cruz Mountains where the trees thin, especially at the switchback turns. After turning the fifth switchback, a picnic table appears and the trail ends.

This trail has a wide variety of vegetation as the trail climbs. It starts off in dense, lush creekside vegetation and climbs into slightly drier, brushier vegetation.