Dog-friendly beaches, parks and trails in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County has 110 places in our guide; 44 of them welcome dogs today, 11 of them off-leash. Here are the ones to start with.
Open to dogs now first, then off-leash places and those with a photo.
- Dog parkBranciforte Dog ParkOff-leash
- Dog parkDog park at Chanticleer County ParkOff-leash
- Dog parkDog park at Frederick Street ParkOff-leash
- Dog parkDog park at Grant ParkOff-leash
- Dog parkDog park at Pinto Lake County ParkOff-leash
- Dog parkDog park at Polo Grounds ParkOff-leash
- Dog parkDog park at SkyparkOff-leash
- Dog parkMimi De Marta Dog ParkOff-leash
- Dog parkOzzy's Dog ParkOff-leash
- Dog parkPacheco Dog ParkOff-leash
- Dog parkUniversity Terrace Dog ParkOff-leash
ParkOceanview ParkLeash required
Photo by Mutante, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- TrailAPPROXIMATED hu' - mǐs (Great Horned Owl Trail)Leash required
- TrailAptos Creek RoadLeash required
- TrailAptos Rancho TrailLeash required
- TrailBrayshaw TrailLeash required
- TrailCampground Connector TrailLeash required
- TrailChinatown BridgeLeash required
- TrailDos Puentes TrailLeash required
- TrailEmma McCrary TrailLeash required
- TrailEnchanted TrailLeash required
- TrailEntrance TrailLeash required
- TrailFern TrailLeash required
- TrailGolf Club DriveLeash required
- TrailHuyya (Tree) Trail EastLeash required
- TrailHuyya (Tree) Trail WestLeash required
- ParkJohn Franks ParkLeash required
- TrailKáknu (Hawk) TrailLeash required
- TrailKáknu (Hawk) Trail EastLeash required
- TrailKáknu (Hawk) Trail ParkingLeash required
- TrailKáknu (Hawk) Trail WestLeash required
- TrailLower Meadow TrailLeash required
- TrailOhlone TrailLeash required
- TrailPrairie TrailLeash required
- TrailRail TrailLeash required
- TrailSplit Stuff TrailLeash required
- TrailSpring Box TrailLeash required
- TrailSpring TrailLeash required
- TrailTerrace TrailLeash required
- TrailVienna Woods TrailLeash required
BeachMitchell's Cove BeachDogs allowedLeash rule not stated
Photo by Mutante, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- BeachIts BeachDogs allowedLeash rule not stated
- TrailPipeline RoadDogs allowedLeash rule not stated
- ParkSkyparkDogs allowedLeash rule not stated
ParkNeary Lagoon Wildlife RefugeNo dogs
Photo by Mutante, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
TrailRedwood Loop TrailNo dogs
Photo by Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
TrailRedwood TrailNo dogs
Photo by Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- TrailAchistaca TrailNo dogs
- TrailAptos Creek Fire RoadNo dogs
- TrailBennett Creek TrailNo dogs
- TrailBig Ben TrailNo dogs
- TrailBuggy TrailNo dogs
- TrailCape Horn TrailNo dogs
- TrailChinquapin RoadNo dogs
- TrailConnector TrailNo dogs
- TrailDuBois TrailNo dogs
- TrailEagle Creek TrailNo dogs
- TrailEastridge Connector TrailNo dogs
- TrailFall Creek Fire RoadNo dogs
- TrailFall Creek North Fork TrailNo dogs
- TrailFall Creek South Fork TrailNo dogs
- TrailFall Creek TrailNo dogs
- TrailFall Creek TrailNo dogs
- TrailFuel Break RoadNo dogs
- TrailGold LoopNo dogs
- TrailGold Loop / Navy LoopNo dogs
- TrailHarvey West TrailNo dogs
- TrailHickory Oaks TrailNo dogs
- TrailHigh School TrailNo dogs
- TrailKiln Fire RoadNo dogs
- TrailLoma Prieta GradeNo dogs
- TrailLookout TrailNo dogs
- TrailLost Empire TrailNo dogs
- TrailLost Empire Trail (northern access)No dogs
- TrailMarsh Vista TrailNo dogs
- TrailMarshall RoadNo dogs
- TrailNavy LoopNo dogs
- TrailNorth Fuel Break RoadNo dogs
- TrailNutmeg TrailNo dogs
- TrailPine Flat TrailNo dogs
- TrailPine TrailNo dogs
- TrailPogonip Creek Nature LoopNo dogs
- TrailRed Hill RoadNo dogs
- TrailRed LoopNo dogs
- TrailRed Loop / Gold LoopNo dogs
- TrailRed Mountain TrailNo dogs
- TrailRidge Connection TrailNo dogs
- TrailRidge Fire RoadNo dogs
- TrailRidge TrailNo dogs
- TrailS-Cape TrailNo dogs
- BeachSanta Cruz Main BeachNo dogs
- TrailSequoia TrailNo dogs
- TrailShadowbrook TrailNo dogs
- TrailSkyline To The Sea TrailNo dogs
- TrailSkyline To The Sea TrailNo dogs
- TrailSkyline To The Sea TrailNo dogs
- TrailSkyline To The Sea Trail;Saratoga Toll Road TrailNo dogs
- TrailSouth Fuel Break RoadNo dogs
- TrailSpring Box ShortcutNo dogs
- TrailSpring RoadNo dogs
- TrailStar WarsNo dogs
- TrailSttS/Hihn Connector TrailNo dogs
- TrailSunlit TrailNo dogs
- TrailSycamore Grove Nature TrailNo dogs
- TrailToróma (Wildcat) Trail NorthNo dogs
- TrailToróma watis (Wildcat Trail South)No dogs
- TrailTruck TrailNo dogs
- TrailU-Con TrailNo dogs
- TrailWest LoopNo dogs
- TrailWest RoadNo dogs
Nearby counties
Towns in Santa Cruz County
How we knowThe agencies that set dog rules here, and what each one says
- OpenStreetMapWhere no agency rule is on file, the dog tags people add to the map.110 places here
Rules that cover places here
Check posted signs. They are the rule on site. This guide restates published rules and OpenStreetMap data, which can be out of date or incomplete. It is not legal advice.
County boundary: US Census Bureau, cartographic boundary file, 2025 (public domain). A place belongs to the county that holds its point on the map.