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Mt. Madonna County Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 865 Google reviews · Running trail in Watsonville, California · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Mt. Madonna County Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
County park marked by redwood forest & chaparral over 3,688 acres, with horseback riding & camping.
What runners say about Mt. Madonna County Park
“Campgrounds are well-maintained , bathrooms simple but easily accessed and showers are free!”
“Beautiful area with lots to see including banana slugs, huge redwoods, stunning birds and tons of fern.”
“The woods have an amazing, quiet charm that made for a truly relaxing experience.”
What an absolutely fantastic park! I am genuinely enchanted by its sheer size and the abundance of hiking trails it offers. My favorite time to visit is during the fall and winter seasons. There's something magical about the park during these months, especially around 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm, just before dusk.
While looking for nearby camping spots in the Bay Area, I stumbled upon this gem less than 2 hours away from my base point. So curiosity in hand, we went to check it out on one fine sunny day in June. It's a well spaced county park with many different parts.
Beautiful trails! We took miller trail then moved into upper trail, ridge trail, contour trail, Blackhawk, redwood. The trails are very easy to locate as they are well numbered all along the route. Hence it was easier to move from one into another trail.
Can do multiple trails and get around pretty easily. I was on Sprig, Bayview loop first. If you’re looking to get onto the longer trails, 5-8miles, start down at the Sprig Day Use Area parking lot. And go from there on those loops. If you’re looking for shorter trails and more into the park where people are camping.
Trail conditions & character
“Beautiful area with lots to see including banana slugs, huge redwoods, stunning birds and tons of fern.”
“Great place for families and (leashed) dog friendly.”
“Campgrounds are well-maintained , bathrooms simple but easily accessed and showers are free!”
“The woods have an amazing, quiet charm that made for a truly relaxing experience.”
“If you’re looking to get onto the longer trails, 5-8miles, start down at the Sprig Day Use Area parking lot.”
Plan your run at Mt. Madonna County Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- LightingRunners report lights on the path — useful for pre-dawn and after-work miles. Lighting and opening hours are separate things, so check both.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websiteparks.sccgov.org
- Phone+1 408-842-2341
Hours
| Monday | 8 am–6:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 8 am–6:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 8 am–6:30 pm |
| Thursday | 8 am–6:30 pm |
| Friday | 8 am–6:30 pm |
| Saturday | 8 am–6:30 pm |
| Sunday | 8 am–6:30 pm |
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