Moore Creek Wildlife Preserve

Moore Creek Wildlife Preserve

Moore Creek Wildlife Preserve
4

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.

4.0
8 reviews
Excellent
2
Very good
5
Average
0
Poor
1
Terrible
0

Nancy H
Pleasant Hill, CA60 contributions
Feb 2015 • Couples
Santa Cruz has a lot to offer. There's the boardwalk, and live music venues, great eateries, movie theaters, shopping - you name it. But when you're tired of being around all those people, in just a few minutes you can be out in nature, enjoying the peace and beauty of Moore Creek Preserve. A short drive from downtown brings you to one of the two walk-in entrances - one on Highway 1 (Mission Street), across from Shaffer Road, or the other at the end of Meder Street (take Mission Street to Western Drive, turn right, follow Western to Medler and turn left). The area is restricted to hikers - no dogs, bicycles, camping... but that's why it's so pristine. The tops of rolling hills offer wonderful views of the ocean and trails wind through forested areas and across meadows. We hiked there in mid-February, and everything was green and lush. There was an abundance of birds as well. It was serene and lovely, and a wonderful experience in Santa Cruz.
Written February 15, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

melsantacruz
Santa Cruz, CA39 contributions
Dec 2017 • Friends
Definitely less people than Pogonop, Henry Cowell, etc, and you can likely see plenty of wildlife on your walk/hike. The views are coastal so really wonderful on a clear day. We have seen evidence of mountain lion activity there, so I wouldn't hike at dawn or dusk. We like to hike late morning or early afternoon, and often see hawks, other raptors, and the occasional coyote.
Written April 29, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mini
Fremont, CA176,137 contributions
Feb 2020
We enjoyed a walk by Moore Creek Wildlife Preserve. Its a pleasnt creek area and fun to see birds, etc. on the walk.
Written February 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michelle H
Carson City, NV4 contributions
Oct 2015 • Couples
I think we found the area but it's off a busy residential street that has No Parking. Not knowing where to park or if there was any other way to access the area, we gave up without being able to get out and walk around. We didn't really get to see this place.
Written October 14, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JimBrown
Santa Cruz, CA145 contributions
Aug 2016 • Friends
A neighbor told me about this very nice preserve on a hill overlooking the Pacific just west of the city of Santa Cruz. Enter at a set of steps opposite Shaffer St (a quarter mile or so out of town from the last traffic light on Rte 1 as you leave Santa Cruz for Half Moon Bay and San Francisco.
There are a half dozen or so trails; all branch off once you've climbed 200 ft or so from the entry point. From there, most trails wander around on relatively flat ground, then two of them climb another 100 ft or so to the highest level.
A good sized herd of dairy cattle graze here most of the time, and you'll navigate through the cow pies. All but one of the trails is fairly easy. The exception is the trail that heads over to Meder Street. It's a beautiful walk, but it's quite challenging unless you're young and it good shape.
My friends who told me about Moore Creek Preserve said they walk in the morning "before it gets hot." We've walked there three times, always mid- to late-afternoon, and never felt hot. The preserve is within a half mile or so of the ocean, which is "air conditioned" 365 days a year! Indeed, we have always found a nice breeze, and my wife wanted a jacket!
Written August 31, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Roland L
40 contributions
Mar 2016 • Couples
I had a friend recommend this hike to me and boy, now I owe him bigtime!! Take the Valentine trail on your way. It's uphill and leads to the most glorious views! Then travel on to the pool for a dip (though we could not do this because the river was flooded over and we could not cross). Loop back on the same trail or if you're pooped from the Valentine trail, take the Moore Creek trail back - it's flat and wide.
Written March 20, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

travelagentreplies
Burlingame, CA591 contributions
Jul 2016 • Friends
If you google map the intersection of shaffer road and highway 1, you will get right to the preserve. Little parking, but be creative and you can find parking. Several trails and although very dry this time of year, so many swallows swooping and hawks soaring and wide open views, it was well worth it. Would love to see it in the spring.
Written July 2, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mini
Fremont, CA176,137 contributions
Aug 2014 • Couples
Moore Creek is a pretty small creek area in Santa Cruz, Ca. The preserve has some hiking trails to explore the area further.
Written August 6, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Moore Creek Wildlife Preserve (Santa Cruz) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

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Moore Creek Wildlife Preserve Information

Excellent Reviews2
Very Good Reviews5
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