Castle Rock State Park
Castle Rock State Park is located off Skyline Blvd. in the mountains above Saratoga. The park has coast redwood, Douglas-fir, and madrone forest, most of which has been left in its wild, natural state. Steep canyons are sprinkled with unusual rock formations that are popular with rock climbers. The forest here is lush and mossy, crisscrossed by 32 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails. These trails are part of an even more extensive trail system that links the Santa Clara and San Lorenzo valleys with Castle Rock State Park, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, and the Pacific Coast. Several hundred yards above the main parking lot is Castle Rock, a collection craggy rocks ideal for basic mountain climbing exercises, with vertical ascensions of 10-20 yards.
The Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail runs 32 miles from Castle Rock State Park, through Big Basin, to Waddell Beach, near Año Nuevo. Trail Camp information, including point-to-point mileage and how to obtain maps, is available here. An on-line trail map is available here. Trailcamps on the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail are reservable only by calling (831)338-8861 between the hours of 10am - 5pm. Camp stoves only. Open Fires are permitted only at Castle Rock in winter (normally December to May). Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail camps can accommodate up to six people per site. Potable water is availabe only in the trail camps at Castle Rock, Waterman Gap and Jay Camp. Do not wash in streams.
Activities: Camping, Hiking, Backpacking, Horseback Riding, Rock Climbing
BACKPACKING: Castle Rock has two backpacking trail camps: Waterman Gap Trail Camp and Castle Rock Trail Camp.
Castle Rock Trail Camp is an easy 2.6-mile hike from the main parking lot via the Saratoga Gap Trail. The backpack trip can be made as a round trip on different routes, and there is an easy exit via a service road to highway 35, in the event of an emergency. There are 20 first-come, first-served sites, each with a table, fire ring, nearby piped drinking water and vault toilets. Fires are allowed only in designated fire rings when fire season is closed. Wood gathering is prohibited, but campers may purchase firewood at the camp. Bicyclists can access the camp via the Campground Service Road Trail, off Hwy. 35. More info: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=26658
Information website: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=538
Map Link (beta): https://www.google.com/maps?q=37.2357142,-122.1187026
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