Day Trip to Natural Bridges: A Stunning Santa Cruz Gem

Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, California, is a 65-acre park known for its unique mudstone arches formed by wave erosion. Originally, there were three arches, but only one remains today after the outer arch collapsed in the early 20th century and the inner arch fell during a 1980 storm. This remaining arch is a popular photography spot, and you can walk out to it at low tide, but be cautious of the strong currents. In addition to the iconic arch, the park and its surrounding area offer a variety of activities that highlight its natural wonders:

Natural Bridges State Beach Activities

Tide Pooling: At low tide, the beach reveals vibrant tidepools with marine life like starfish, sea anemones, shore crabs, and colorful invertebrates. Docent-led tours, often held on weekends from March to July, provide an educational look at these ecosystems. You’ll see plenty of sea life, and walking around for all activity levels is easy. You can also climb on the rocks to watch the waves crashing against the natural bridge.

Monarch Butterfly Viewing: The park is home to the Monarch Butterfly Natural Preserve, California’s only state-designated monarch preserve. From mid-October to late January, up to 150,000 monarch butterflies overwinter in the eucalyptus grove, escaping colder climates. Visitors can walk an accessible boardwalk to an observation deck to see the butterflies clustering in the trees, especially on chilly days when they huddle for warmth. Guided tours are available on weekends during peak season.

Hiking: Several short trails wind through the park, including paths in the Moore Creek Wetlands Natural Preserve and the Monarch Butterfly Natural Preserve. The nearby West Cliff Multi-Use Trail, a 3-mile route along the coast, offers stunning ocean views and connects to other Santa Cruz landmarks like the Santa Cruz Wharf.

Beach Activities: The sandy beach is perfect for picnicking, sunbathing, and playing games. While swimming and surfing are possible, the water is cold, and there’s no lifeguard on duty. The picnic area, shaded by eucalyptus and pine trees, includes tables, barbecues, and restrooms.

Whale Watching: In the winter months, Natural Bridges State Beach is a great spot to watch the otters and dolphins play in the ocean, and if you’re lucky, you might even spot a whale. Natural Bridges State Beach gives a perfect vantage point for watching some of nature’s most fascinating sea animals.

Natural Bridges State Beach History

Native Americans: The area now known as Natural Bridges State Beach has a history stretching back thousands of years. The earliest known inhabitants were the Ohlone, a semi-nomadic Native American tribe who lived in the Santa Cruz region.

Spanish colonization: In the late 18th century, Spanish explorers disrupted Ohlone life, as missionaries and soldiers brought the tribe into missions, displacing them from their ancestral lands. After the Mexican War of Independence in 1810, the area saw new uses under Mexican rule, including cattle grazing.

The 1900s: The area that is now the park hosted a variety of enterprises: a dairy farm, a Brussels sprouts farm, a hotel, worker housing, and even a movie set. A proposed housing development in the early 20th century never came to fruition. Finally, in 1933, the State of California acquired the land, establishing it as a state park.

Natural Arches: Legends and Lore

The Lost Bridges: The collapse of two of the three original arches has fueled a quiet lore about the impermanence of nature. Old-timers recall when locals would walk, climb, or even drive across the bridges before they became off-limits and crumbled. The remaining arch stands as a survivor, with some imagining it as a sentinel guarding the coast’s secrets.

Monarch Magic: The annual arrival of monarch butterflies is nearly mythical. Their migration—journeying 2,000 miles to the same eucalyptus grove each year—inspires awe and wonder. Locals often refer to the grove as a sacred space, a “city in the trees,” where the butterflies’ delicate beauty stands in contrast to their remarkable resilience.

Getting to Natural Bridges State Beach

The park entrance is on Swift Avenue, west of Highway 1; Natural Bridges State Beach follows West Cliff Drive north along the town bluffs. The park is open from 8 am to Sunset, so check back regularly as the seasons change. Website. 2531 W Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, California. Park website.

Summary: When traveling to Northern California, a must-stop is Natural Bridges State Park, a sanctuary for monarch butterflies that offers sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean.

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