Riding in Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz County offers a wealth of opportunities for cycling, from scenic coastal rides to practical commuting routes. However, ensuring that biking is safe and accessible for all remains a significant challenge. Recent discussions, surveys, and local reports highlight the concerns of cyclists and pedestrians who navigate our streets daily.

This resource is designed to provide essential information on the best routes, safety considerations, and infrastructure developments, as well as advocate for improvements that make biking in Santa Cruz County more enjoyable and secure. We emphasize the importance of low-stress routes, a concept introduced by local advocates to help riders—especially those new to cycling—find paths that keep them away from heavy traffic and dangerous intersections.

Santa Cruz County Greenway is committed to fostering a safer, more connected biking network. This includes leveraging existing streets, advocating for thoughtful infrastructure improvements, and ensuring that the Coastal Trail plays a meaningful role in a broader transportation strategy. Whether you’re a daily commuter, a weekend rider, or just getting started, this page will serve as a hub for the latest insights, recommended routes, and ways to get involved in shaping the future of biking in our community.

Useful Pages

Santa Cruz County residents feel unsafe biking and walking - The title says it all.

Santa Cruz County Maps: Safe Cycling Santa Cruz County - A crowdsourced map of bicycle routes across Santa Cruz County.

Utility Cycling in Santa Cruz - A great set of videos from Keith Bontrager showing riding around Santa Cruz County.