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Wilder Ranch State Park - 4 Mile Beach

SANDEE RATING: 83 / 100

LocationXV8H+H2 Santa Cruz, CA, USA

Overview

Located a few miles west of Santa Cruz, Four Mile Beach is named for its distance from the city of Santa Cruz. The beach is one of the most popular beaches in The Wilder Ranch State Park area. Although it is traditionally frequented by professional surfers, it is also a favorite weekend spot for non-surfing beachgoers. The beach is situated between bluffs present on the southern end of the state park and has beige-colored sand. The area around the beach is full of grassy vegetation and has a couple of ponds, along with Baldwin Creek which meets the ocean at the beach location. While the beach does not have any lifeguards, showers, or concession stands and does not allow dogs, it does have restrooms. You can access the beach easily via a short walk through the park trail from the Four Mile Beach parking lot. You can find free parking on California State Highway 1 a bit north of the State Park entrance.

Attractions

Four Mile Beach offers a large variety of activities including tide-pooling, biking, hiking, boating, canoeing, swimming, wildlife watching, surfing, kitesurfing, beach walking, and snorkeling. The beach is a hot spot for surfers as the waters here can form some pretty big and consistent waves that are partially due to north-western winds that blow offshore on the beach. If you’re looking for other nearby beach options that offer a quieter beach experience because they are more secluded, you can access the neighboring Strawberry Beach by hiking south on the state park coastline hiking trail. You can also travel further south and visit Fern Grotto Beach which is full of caverns, caves, and other interesting rock formations, along with being a regular haunt of seals. You can visit Wilder Beach, which is a wildlife preserve and the nesting ground of the endangered snowy plover birds. The northern part of Wilder Ranch State Park is situated near the state park visitor center and features a renovated 19th-century ranch that represents a crucial era in California’s early history. This portion of the state park also has hiking, biking, and horse riding trails which offer a unique insight into the interesting geography of the Californian Wildlands.

Restaurants

If you're looking for a restaurant, Mission St Bbq serves great pulled pork and briskets paired with flavorful barbecue sauces and has live jazz music on Fridays and Saturdays. Cafe Brasil, located nearby, offers a great family-friendly budget dining experience along with a vibrant menu featuring authentic Brazilian dishes and a juice bar. You can also check out Emily’s Good Things To Eat, a bakery famous for its delicious range of pastries and sandwiches and great coffee.

Hotels

If you are looking for a hotel near Four Mile Beach, the Spanish-mission style 4-Star Chaminade Resort & Spa is located 16 minutes away and offers a variety of amenities including a spa and fitness center, luxurious rooms, and beautifully landscaped hotel grounds. For a more affordable option, the 3-Star Pacific Blue Inn is a 3-Star accommodation that offers spacious rooms along with amenities that include outdoor fire pits and complimentary breakfast. For a budget-friendly experience, the Bay Front Inn offers great rooms at reasonable rates.

Amenities


LGBTQLGBTQ

Yes

DisabilityDisability

NO

ATMATM

No

BarbecueBarbecue

No

Blue FlagBlue Flag

No

Boat RampsBoat Ramps

No

Party SceneParty Scene

No

DogsDogs

No

Fire PitsFire Pits

No

NudeNude

Yes

Free ParkingFree Parking

Yes

Paid ParkingPaid Parking

No

PlaygroundPlayground

NO

RestroomsRestrooms

Yes

ShowersShowers

No

Stairs To BeachStairs To Beach

No

Street ParkingStreet Parking

No

Picnic TablesPicnic Tables

NO

Wi-FiWi-Fi

No

Activities


ATVATV

No

Bike PathsBike Paths

Yes

CampingCamping

No

All-Terrain VehiclesAll-Terrain Vehicles

NO

FishingFishing

No

HikingHiking

Yes

Jet SkiingJet Skiing

No

Kayaking / CanoeingKayaking / Canoeing

NO

Paddle-boardsPaddle-boards

No

SailingSailing

No

Scuba DivingScuba Diving

No

SnorkelingSnorkeling

No

SurfingSurfing

Yes

SwimmingSwimming

No

VolleyballVolleyball

No

Water SkiingWater Skiing

No

WindsurfingWindsurfing

No

Rentals


Lounge Chair RentalLounge Chair Rental

No

Beach Mat RentalBeach Mat Rental

No

Umbrella RentalUmbrella Rental

No

Transportation


Bike AccessBike Access

Yes

Bike RacksBike Racks

No

Car AccessCar Access

Yes

Fishing BoatsFishing Boats

No

Foot AccessFoot Access

Yes

Bus StopBus Stop

No

RV ParkingRV Parking

No

BoatsBoats

No

YachtsYachts

NO

Food


BarsBars

No

Beach VendorsBeach Vendors

No

RestaurantsRestaurants

NO

Basic Details


Phone

Phone

(831) 423-9703
Hours

Hours

8:00 AM - Sunset
Cell Reception

Cell Reception

Medium
Parking

Parking

Yes
Size of the beach

Size of the beach

0.46 mi
Sand Color

Sand Color

Sand Texture

Sand Texture

Smooth
Entry Fee

Entry Fee

No
Public or Private

Public or Private

Public

Weather
°F
°C


NaN°F

Sun

Mist - Mist

NaN°F

Daily Hight

NaN°F

Daily Low

%

Cloud Cover

%

Relative Humidity

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