Santa Cruz Rincon Trail Trailhead

Kinda Hidden gem. Great trail among redwoods leading to swimming holes along the Lorenzo River. Follow the trail down to the curve at the bottom. There you can go left towards the popular (crowded) swimming areas or go right and follow less traveled trail to less crowded swimming holes.

Santa Cruz Rincon Trail Trailhead, everyone can come here to play，catch crayfish and fish, and it feels more ideal than Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. Don’t forget to buy fishing license ~

Parking lot: more than 35 cars will be available to park here without parking fee

Bathroom: No

Signal: There is no signal, if you come with friends, better wait in the parking lot

Activities: swimming, water play, rafting, fishing, crayfish catching

Route: You can see the trail entrance from the parking lot, follow the entrance through the railway, and follow the trail all the way down to the end of the mountain. It takes about 10 minutes to walk to see the river. The first small beach has many stones in the water, the water is shallow, and the beach is shady. Walk further along the trail for about half minute and you will see the second beach, where the water is deep and shallow, and there are few shaded places.
Tips:
1. The trail is almost covered by the shade of trees, and the second larger beach is more sunny and need sun protection. I haven't seen any mosquitoes today, so I don't know if there will be any in the evening.
2. The second beach is shallow and very ideal for children to play with water and sand. Don’t forget to bring sand tools, water guns, etc.
3. The water in the middle of the river is as deep as the adult's thigh, and there are many crayfish hiding in the edge of the stones. In the morning, the crayfish will bite at the sight of the meat easily, and In the afternoon, I encounter a very smart crayfish, which is quite difficult to catch. Remember to bring chicken legs or wings, fishing nets (not too big or too small, the net sticks are better longer)
4. In the afternoon, it is easier for two people to work together to catch crayfish. After throwing the bait and waiting, the other waits with a fishing net. Remember that the fishing net needs to be pocketed forward from the tail of the crayfish. When encountering a smart crayfish, you can use 2 fishing nets, one after the other, and it is not easy for it to escape.
5. The water on the other side of the Shady River is deep, probably submerged to the top of the adult's head, and there are big fish of 1-2 feet long!
6. Remind kids not to go to the other side of the river, or wear life vest if they cannot swim.
7. The upstream water is shallower and clearer, and the water flow is faster than the downstream area.
8. There are many stones in the center of the water, so it is best to wear shoes.
9. It's cooler in the morning, so bring a jacket. And the water temperature was moderate and not cold at noon.

We arrived at around 10:20 in the morning, there were only two families at the second beach, and there were relatively few people here. My kid kept only 2 crayfish to keep them as pets. Hope they may live longer. Highly recommend this place!

Beyond beautiful. Nice quiet well maintained trail.

Tons of trees and shade. Recommend

Good spot to park, no fee, but don't expect to access many state park trails without wading across the river!

The start of your ride.