Santa Cruz Travel Forum

We're visiting SF in early June. How heavily traveled is Highway 1 between Pacifica and Santa Cruz? Are there particular times to avoid? Also, along a different line, is the Big Basin Redwood State Park worth visiting for the Redwoods? Thank you.

I wouldn't say it's particularly crowded but you might get behind a slow car. You might find it foggy in June. Big Basin is a great place to visit Redwoods. There are also some great hiking trails. The photo on my home page was taken a couple of weeks ago at Big Basin.

Thanks so much for the reply. I think the picture of the redwood on your page convinced me to take a stop there on our way down the coast. A little aside, your remarks about the Grand Canyon could not be more true.

I'll agree with Callaveta. The traffic usually isn't bad along this stretch of the coast, and Big Basin is a great place to see the redwoods. Keep in mind when planning your time that there isn't a direct road from the coast to Big Basin. You have to get there via highway 9 from Santa Cruz to the south, which takes at least a good 45 minutes passing through Felton, Ben Lomond and Boulder Creek; or from the north, which would completely change your itinerary. You can also hike in from the coast on the Skyline to the Sea trail, but that is a whole different matter that you have to prepare for.

Butano State Park has direct access from highway 1. It is a smaller park.