Wilder Ranch

The Wilder Farm was once a dairy farm that supported Mission Santa Cruz in the 1700s before it was sold as a rancho and later bought by the Wilder family. The land has been converted into a state park with a lot of history, and it has become a Santa Cruz favorite for hiking and bike riding. 

Wilder Ranch itself is quite small, and it should take you less than 30 minutes to see all the historic sites. Visitors will find an interpretive center, a main house, stables, a blacksmith and craftsman shop, some old farm equipment, and a horse corral. A nice picnic area sits just off to the side of a garage with some antique cars in it. Additionally, Wilder Ranch is the point of origin for to a few great hikes. The Old Landing Cove, Cowboy Trail, and Engelman's Loop trailheads are just a few of the nearby trailheads.