ADDRESS: 800 Quail Hollow Road, Felton, CA

HOURS: Sunrise to Sunset

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TRAILS: Enjoy over 5 miles of easy to moderate trails (no dogs on trails). The trailhead is located just a hundred feet on the other side of the visitor center, past the big lawn, near the old apple tree and wisteria bush. From there, you can take the easy 1-mile Discovery or shaded Italian/Chaparral loop trails, or the moderate 3-mile Woodrat/Sunset/Chaparral loop. Click here for a description of each trail, and here’s the Quail Hollow Ranch Park trail map. Note: Discovery and Lower Chaparral will be muddy after rains.

Virtual hike of Woodrat, Sunset, Italian, and Chaparral trails, from Google Maps, 2016
Interpretative guide for the numbered posts on the Italian/Lower Chaparral trail loop
Discovery trail video intro
AllTrails website for Quail Hollow Ranch

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HISTORY & CULTURE: A brief cultural history of Quail Hollow Ranch
Detailed history of Quail Hollow Ranch, written in 1992

Introduction to the park, produced in the early 2000's
15-minute interview on KSQD featuring Richard James
Quick history of QHR featuring Richard James, Santa Cruz Sentinel, 2017
Bay Nature Magazine – Santa Cruz Sandhills
Link to the Sandhills Alliance
Historical blacksmith bellows returned to the park
Story of the Owen family, last private owners of Quail Hollow Ranch
Quail Hollow Ecological Reserve
Aerial view of QHR in 1948
Aerial view of QHR in 1956
Aerial view of QHR in 1975
Aerial view of QHR in 2019

 

FLORA: Illustrated list of Quail Hollow Ranch plants from Calflora
Flora AND fauna iNaturalist site and iNaturalist Guide for Quail Hollow Ranch
Trees of Quail Hollow Ranch, with photos and locations
Recognition for the US’s largest Red Willow (photo at right, next to the pond)
Quail Hollow Ranch Plant List (short)
Quail Hollow Ranch Plant List (detailed)
Illustrated list of 68 QHR flowers, sorted by color family
Willows of Quail Hollow Ranch
Apple trees planted in 2021

 

FAUNA: Birds, Bats, Butterflies and Dragonflies of QHR
List of birds at Quail Hollow Ranch – updated May 2022
List of birds at Quail Hollow Ranch – eBird
Quail Hollow nest box project
Quail Hollow Ranch page of Santa Cruz Bird Club
Microlife in the pond

 

EVENTS: County Parks Registration page 
Park Visitor Center calendar
Santa Cruz Astronomy Club calendar; includes QHR star parties
FYI, official park closing time is sunset

 

PHOTOS:  Gallery

Virtual background Quail Hollow Park (and other parks)

 

VIDEOS: Streaming video of the pond
Lovely 6 minute video, highlighting the beauty and diversity of the park (courtesy of Steve Abrams).
Acorn Woodpeckers, moving acorns on a granary tree
Virtual hike, featuring former park recreation specialist, Dan Lazarus

 

WEATHER: Weather Underground