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Credit 1 Pam Starr
2 Alyn Robert Brereton
3 Julie MacKinnon
4 Linda Pittman
5 Parham Pourahmad
6 Larry Whiting
7 Randall Finley
Visitation: 77,985
Area: 5,254 Acres
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Top Banner Photo Credits
Pam Starr
Alyn Robert Brereton
Julie MacKinnon
Linda Pittman
Parham Pourahmad
Larry Whiting
Randall Finley
Castle Rock State Park - Site # 49
Castle Rock State Park is a land of sculpted sandstone, lush forests, and sweeping vistas. From one of the highest ridges in the Santa Cruz Mountains, park visitors enjoy hiking, backpacking, and horseback riding. Rock climbers explore the park's caverns and rocks, including the namesake Castle Rock. Plant-lovers come for California black oaks, knobcone pines, and high-elevation coast redwoods. The park’s 34 miles of rugged trails conveniently connect to an extensive trail system that links the Santa Clara and San Lorenzo valleys to nearby Big Basin Redwoods State Park and open space preserves on the Skyline to the Sea Trail.

Castle Rock State Park: 680x457

Background: Erosion and time-sculpted sandstone caves and honeycombed sandstone surfaces on the highest ridge of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Western skinks, northern and southern alligator lizards, and many snakes thrive here. Crevices in the rock formations shelter nesting violet-green swallows and white-throated swifts. The chaparral attracts California thrashers, blue-gray gnatcatchers, Anna's hummingbirds, and lazuli buntings. Black-tailed deer browse on manzanita seedlings and chamise. Steller's jays and band-tiled pigeons feast on elderberries during summer. The mixed evergreen forest is home to yellow-bellied sapsuckers and hairy and downy woodpeckers. Summer visitors include western wood pewees, olive-sided flycatchers, and western tanagers. The night forest reverberates wtih the calls of saw-whet owls, great-horned owls, and during summer-poorwills. Brown bats and mountain lions join the nght hunt.

Viewing Tips: Excellent viewing in spring, particularly songbirds. More than 30 miles of hiking trails. Access to park by trail only.

Site Notes: Many of the ridges have rare tafoni formations, and from these ridges on a clear day there are outstanding views of Monterey Bay. Castle Rock is an excellent place for beginning and advanced climbers.

Nearby Viewing Sites: Joseph D. Grant County Park

Visitor Information: Visit San Jose - - https://www.sanjose.org
Viewing Site Hours of Operation are:
Staff On-site: Yes
Open: Everday
Hours: sunrise - sunset
Year Round: Yes

How to Get There: From the junction of highways 35 and 9 at Saratoga Gap, drive 3 miles south on Highway 9 to park entrance.

Contact Information
Managing Agency: California State Parks
Agency Site URL: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=538
Physical Address:15000 Skyline Blvd
Los Gatos, CA 95033-9717
Agency 2:same
, CA
Manager Phone:
Site Phone:(408) 868-9540
County: 
Addition Website:  https://www.sanjose.org