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Santa Cruz Mountains
Winding between Santa Cruz and Silicon Valley, Hwy 9 is a 40-mile backwoods byway
through the Santa Cruz Mountains, passing tiny towns, towering redwood forests and fog-
kissed vineyards (estate-bottled Pinot Noir is a specialty). Many wineries are only open for
'Passport Days' on the third Saturday of January, April, July and November. The Santa
Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association ( www.scmwa.com ) publishes a free winery
map, available at tasting rooms, including those that have opened more convenient tasting
rooms in Santa Cruz, mostly west of downtown off Hwy 1.
Heading north from Santa Cruz, it's 7 miles to Felton, passing Henry Cowell Red-
woods State Park ( info 831-335-4598, reservations 800-444-7275; www.parks.ca.gov ; 101 N
Big Trees Park Rd, Felton; entry per car $10, campsites $35; sunrise-sunset; ) , which has miles
of hiking trails through old-growth redwood groves along the San Lorenzo River and
camping. In Felton, Roaring Camp Railroads ( 831-335-4484; www.roaringcamp.com ;
5401 Graham Hill Rd, Felton; tours adult/child 2-12yr from $26/19, parking $8; call for schedules;
) operates narrow-gauge steam trains up into the redwoods and a standard-gauge train
down to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Seven miles further north on Hwy 9, you'll
drive through the rustic town of Boulder Creek , a decent place to grab a bite or a pint at
Boulder Creek Brewery & Cafe ( 831-338-7882; www.bouldercreekbrewery.net ; 13040 Hwy
9, Boulder Creek; mains $9-18; 11:30am-10pm Sun-Thu, to 10:30pm Fri & Sat) .
Follow Hwy 236 northwest for nine twisting miles to Big Basin Redwoods State
Park ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 831-338-8860; www.bigbasin.org ; 21600 Big Basin Way, Boulder
Creek; entry per car $10, campsites $35; sunrise-sunset) , where nature trails loop past giant
old-growth redwoods and beside shady campgrounds. A 12.5-mile one-way section of the
exhilarating Skyline to the Sea Trail ends at Waddell Beach on the coast, almost 20 miles
 
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